Water Rescue

1. Water Rescue

2. Objectives • Some Legal Stuff • IC Considerations • Resource Deployment • Search types

3. Some Legal stuff WAC 296-305-05113 NFPA Guidelines 2017 had some important changes to NFPA guidelines that relate to water rescue Got rid of swiftwater I and II designations No longer require rope technician to be considered Swiftwater technician • Main WAC we need to know, covers technical rescue specialties • Basically states that we must follow NFPA guidelines • 2009 edition

4. IC Considerations Our no brainer! Consider unified command SCSO Search and Rescue • Initiate Command

5. IC Considerations Water rescues can vary in size and scope. floods, lakes, pool drownings, slow rivers, white water, day vs night and of course the unexpected…? • Group Supervisor?

6. IC Considerations Consider PSOPS • Communications plan? • How do multiple groups talk

7. IC Considerations A larger scale event will have numerous resources showing up • Staging area needs

8. IC Considerations Where will water resources need to access from Think about future needs of the incident, will you need down stream access, fare shore access, upstream….. • Access Points

11. IC Considerations • Creating safe zone to work • Traffic and crowd control, both land and water • Warm zone around hazard area (PFD within 10 ft of water edge) • Take into consideration water level changes while active

12. Resource Deployment Scope of the Call Scope is dependent on Dispatch Location Interviews • Resources and resource deployment depend on scope of the call

13. Resource Deployment Scope We all know reports can be inaccurate, but…. River vs lake vs general missing person vs boating accident • Dispatch

14. Resource Deployment Scope Combining PLS with water type gives a good idea of scope and resources, get help coming early Use dispatch information to make educated decision as to starting location but understand it may change • Location • Location is the starting point for all planning, refers to Point Last Seen (PLS)!

15. Resource Deployment Interviews Separate witnesses in order to get the most accurate stories Use them to also get you important details Who Where What What were they wearing, doing, experience, destination……. • These are your best resource for narrowing the location for your starting point and PLS.

16. Resource Deployment Point Last Seen Deployment is simple on static water Moving water brings more pressing decisions, quickly expanding incident • Point last seen is the whole basis of resource deployment

17. Resource Deployment Static Water Rescue Swimmers – Can get on scene quick and operate in rescue mode for first hour Assign a shore based spotter to each swimmer Dive Team – Get coming, slower to get on scene Engine/Aid – Can search shoreline for clues of possible exit, be spotter or help with crowd control • Search area of point last seen • Bodies are statistically found in a circle 1.5-2 times the depth of the water

18. Resource Deployment Swiftwater Initial engine company personnel can search shoreline based on PLS Water based personnel should also focus initial efforts on PLS After initial focus on PLS then focus on high probability areas • Initial search should be focused on Point Last Seen. • People don’t swim up stream!

19. Resource Deployment Team 3 Team 7 Team 9 Team 1 Team 5 PLS B C A Current In-water Teams Team 4 Team 8 Team 10 Team 2 Team 6 Suggested team assignments

20. Resource Deployment High Probability Areas Hasty rapid search should focus on high probability areas starting from PLS and working down stream • These areas are also many of the areas that tend to be hazardous to rescuers!

21. Resource Deployment Low head dams

22. Resource Deployment • High Probability Areas Bridge abutments

23. Resource Deployment • High Probability Areas Eddies

24. Resource Deployment • High Probability Areas Shorelines

25. Resource Deployment • High Probability Areas Strainers

26. Resource Deployment Resources Granite Falls Swiftwater techs Squad 87 with ropes and some water rescue gear Everett Boat for use on the sound Some rescue swimmers with intent to add more Two smaller Zodiacs South County Edmonds marine unit • North County • 18ft boat for use on the sound • Multiple members trained in Surface Water Rescue • Stilliguamish Swiftwater Team • Made up of Dist’s 17, 19, 21, 24, 25 • All contribute Swiftwater techs • Dist 19 and 21 have hovercraft • Dist 24 has small boat with jet drive

27. Resource Deployment • Dist 7 • Two jet sleds • Swiftwater techs • Rescue swimmers • Non motorized raft and kayaks • Sultan • Swiftwater techs • Some water rescue equipment • Looking to add kayaks • SCSO • Dive team that is also swiftwater trained • Multiple boats around the county • 2 PWC’s • Hovercraft • Getchel • Has two drones and are willing to respond anytime. • Goldbar/Index • Swiftwater techs • Twin boat to B31 in Dist 7

28. Resource Deployment • Search and Rescue • Swiftwater techs • 2 hovercraft • Multiple inflatables, non motorized • Lake Stevens • 2 boats, one trailered one on the lake • Adding rescue swimmers this May • Snohawk • Air support • Arlington • Adding rescue swimmers this May • Marysville • Adding rescue swimmer this May

29. Search Types Rescue vs Recovery Risk more to save a life • Important as it determines risk level

30. Search Types Searches • Hasty • Primary • Secondary

31. Search Types Hasty Investigate PLS High probability areas Engine Companies can search shorelines • Rapid initial search

32. Search Types Primary Search entire area Second look at high probability areas • A little slower and more thorough search

33. Search Types Secondary This more than likely a recovery Will likely involve dive team May include Search and Rescue to cover large shoreline area Progresses from PLS to high probability areas to include entire area • Slow methodical search or entire area Note – There is currently 6-8 bodies in the Skykomish not found

34. Search Types Rest of the world Cover home, friends and other locations • In cases of general missing person make sure to investigate the rest of the world

35. Questions?