Basic Water Safety and

Rescue

A Blueprint to
Surviving the Water Response.

How Many of You.

Are A Kayaker
Are A Floater / River Runner
Have Water Rescue Training
Are A Strong Swimmer

Be Afraid.. Be Very
Afraid
Water and flood related
incidents make up 1-2%
of fire department
incidents in the United
States
Approximately 1% of fire
service fatalities are
water related.

Still Waters?
Moving water is more
dangerous than still water.
If the water speed doubles
the force increases 4 times
Water can float cars in as
little as foot of water
2 feet of water at 6 mph
will float a passenger car
Even boats, PWCs and
hovercraft can be affected
and flipped by moving
water.

Eddy is that you?

Eddies are caused by
objects in the river or by the
river bank
Essentially it is a backflow
that travels upstream
Seek these areas when in
trouble as they are relatively
calm and get you our of the
main current.

Low Head Dams

Also known as drowning
machines
Can be both man made
and natural
Have a current that
sinks boats and holds
objects in a circulating
current
STAY AWAY, DONT PLAY

Strainers
Strainers are caused by
river debris
They live up to their name,
what do you use a strainer
for?
Once caught the water force
holds a person in place.
Avoid them if you can. If
you cant be careful of them
and dont fall victim.

Foot Entrapments
Foot entrapments
are not a hydraulic
but are worsened by
hydraulic forces.
Swimming properly
in swiftwater will
help avoid this.
There are rescue
techniques for those
who are trapped by
this.

Swiftwater Swimming
In moving water
standing up can be fatal
and swimming face
down can cause injuries
The answer is to swim
on your back with your
feet downstream
To traverse the current
put your head in the
direction you want to
travel

Attitude, who me?

Each of the emergency
services has their own
mentality and equipment.
Each of these has their
drawbacks.
We will go over each so
you are aware of them
and can mitigate your own
attitude.