SCOPE
This procedure applies
to all members of the Old Forge Fire Department that are responsible for
emergency response.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this
procedure is to provide a guideline for conducting all water rescue/recovery
operations.
TACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS
Phase I Arrive
on scene.
Take command. Size
up.
First arriving Engine
& Truck Company Officers should have the training and knowledge needed
to size up the situation and if there is a need to notify the 93 Swiftwater
Rescue Team (SWRT). All Engine & Truck Company personnel who are conducting
a size up, assisting the 93 SWRT, etc, must be in a PFD anytime they are
within 20 feet of the water source (river, flooded street, etc) and not
in structural turnout gear. The ranking Engine or Truck Company Officer
should keep all personnel away from the hazards until the arrival of the
93 SWRT. If the operation becomes a high risk one, Command will want the
equipment and experience of the 93 SWRT to avoid any further incidents,
or the potential to add victims to the situation.
A. Secure responsible
party or witness.
Command should secure
a witness as soon as possible after arriving on scene. This will help in
identifying and locating the problem the problem.
B. Assess the
need for additional resources.
Command should immediately
begin assessing the need for additional resources. If additional resources
are necessary, Command should put in an early call for them. If later,
it is determined that they are not necessary, Command can put those units
back in service.
C. Assess the
hazards.
Command should do
an immediate assessment of the present hazards. Command may want to assign
an individual the Safety Officer. The Safety Officer will be responsible
for identifying the hazards present and to have them secured if possible.
If it is not possible to secure hazards, Safety Officer will notify all
personnel of the hazards and notify Command so that an action plan can
be established. Some hazards associated with water rescue operations would
be: volume, velocity, and temperature of water, floating debris, unusual
drop-offs, hydraulic effects, and depth of water.
Phase II Pre-Rescue
Operations
A. Make the general
area safe.
Command or his/her
designee should begin to make the general area safe. On water rescue operations,
this would include securing the area and not allowing civilian personnel
in to the water. In swiftwater rescue incidents, Command should assign
an Upstream Sector to spot floating debris.
B. Pre-rescue/Recovery.
Depending on the
action plan established, Command may want to activate the 93 Swift Water
Rescue Team (SWRT), and once on scene a Swiftwater Rescue Team IC &
Officer will be assigned. The 93 SWRT IC will use Unified Command as put
forth in NIMS to coordinate the water rescue with any & all entities
involved in the rescue. The SWRT Officer will be responsible for gathering
all equipment and personnel necessary to operate according to the action
plan. SWRT Incident Commander will assign rescue personnel to conduct the
rescue, and support personnel to support the rescuers, during the actual
rescue phase. SWRT Officer & SWRT IC should have an alternative action
plan should be communicated to all personnel operating in the rescue area.
Phase III Rescue
Operations
After pre-rescue
operations are complete, the SWRT Officer & SWRT IC, shall put
forth the action plan for the removal of the victim(s), a backup plan should
be in place. Rescue operations should be conducted from low risk to high
risk order. Rescues should be conducted with the least amount of risk to
the rescuer necessary to rescue the victim. Low risk operations are not
always possible, the SWRT Officer shall communicate with Command the risk/benefit
of the operation. SWRT IC should assign downstream personnel, with throw
bags, and an opposite water-side/bank-side sector for incidents involving
swiftwater rescue. The order of water rescue from low risk to high risk
will be:
TALK the victim into
self-rescue. If possible, the victim can be talked into swimming to shore
or assisting the rescuers with his/her own rescue. If a victim is stranded
in the middle of a flash flood, this will not be prudent.
REACH,
If possible, the
rescuer should extend his/her hand or some other object, such as a pike
pole, to remove the victim from the water.
THROW
If the victim is
too far out in the water to reach, rescuer(s) should attempt to throw the
victim a throw bag or some piece of positive flotation (i.e., PFD, rescue
ring). Downstream personnel should be in position during the actual rescue
operation. If the victim is able to grab the throw bag, the rescuer can
pendulum belay or haul the victim to the nearest bank. Care should be taken
to assure the victim will be belayed to a safe downstream position.
ROW
If it is determined
that a boat based operation shall be run, Command should assign a company
on the opposite bank to assist SWRT Officer in establishing an anchor for
a rope system. The company on the opposite bank will be made aware of the
action plan. SWRT Officer will be responsible for seeing that the rope
system used for the boat based operation is built safe and proper. A minimum
of 2 point tether should be built for swift-water operations. SWRT IC or
the SWRT Officer should consider personal protective equipment (PPE) for
victim(s).
GO
If it is not possible
to ROW (boat base operation) to the victim, SWRT Officer should consider
putting a rescuer in the water to reach the victim. This is a very high
risk operation. Only rescuers with the proper training and equipment should
be allowed to enter the water. Prior to the rescuer actually proceeding
into the water, he/she shall discuss the action plan, including specific
tasks and objectives, hazards and alternate plans. The rescuer shall never
be attached to a life line without the benefit of a quick-release mechanism.
The rescuer should take PPE of at least a PFD to the victim. Members shall
not do a breath-hold surface dive in an attempt to locate a victim beneath
the surface of the water.
ASSESSING THE
VICTIM
Once the rescuer(s)
have reached the victim, they should do an immediate assessment of the
victim; a quick assessment of the ABC's and the exact method of entrapment.
If the victim is conscious, the rescuer should determine if the victim
can assist in his/her own rescue. If the victim is unconscious, the rescue
must be quick. If it has been determined to be an underwater or recovery
operation, SWRT IC & SWRT Officer should proceed with a dive operation.
Depending on the length of submersion, Swiftwater Incident Command will
decide on a dive rescue or recovery operation. If the victim can assist
in his/her own rescue, the rescuers should proceed with the rescue action
plan. The victim should be brought to shore as soon as possible.
TREATMENT
As soon as the victim
is brought to safety, an assessment should be done by ALS personnel. Treatment
shall be administered as per local protocol. If necessary, the victim shall
be transported to the appropriate facility.
Phase IV Termination
SWRT Incident Commander
should begin termination as soon as possible after the victim has been
removed from the water. This shall include securing all the equipment used
for the rescue and personnel accountability. This may also include witnesses,
photo's, victim's personal affects or equipment used in the rescue. Members
should not become part of a towing operation to remove vehicles from the
water. One company should stand by for rescue if a tow truck driver insists
on retrieving the vehicle. Command should also consider activating the
C.I.S.D. for extraordinary or extended operations.
I. PREPARE
FOR TERMINATION
A. Personnel accountability.
B. Equipment accountability.
If there has been a fatality, SWRT Officer or IC may consider leaving equipment
in place for investigative purposes.
C. Re-stock vehicles.
D. Consider debriefing.
E. Secure the scene.
Return to service.
Additional Considerations:
F. HEAT. Consider
rotation of crews.
G. COLD. Consider
the affects of hypothermia on victim and rescuers.
H. RAIN/SNOW. Consider
the affects of rain or snow on the hazard profile.
I. TIME OF DAY.
Is there sufficient lighting for operations extending into the night.
J. Consider the
affect on family and friends; keep family informed.
K. Consider news
media; assign a P.I.O.
