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PCSAR Guiding Documents

Standing Order #21 - Swiftwater Rescue

Issue Date: December 2012

PURPOSE

The purpose of this Standing Order is to state the PCSAR policy and procedures for responding to a swiftwater emergency and safely rescuing patients from the water.

SCOPE/POLICY

It is the policy of PCSAR to respond to swiftwater rescue incidents and safely and efficiently remove patients from a water environment.

RESPONSIBILITY

The on-scene commander is responsible for implementing this Standing Order.

PROCEDURE

  1. PCSAR shall work in conjunction with the Rapid City/Pennington County Water Rescue Team (WRT) during swiftwater emergencies. Throughout the incident, PCSAR will consult with the WRT to determine if there is a need to change from rescue mode to recovery mode. Both teams shall have an accountability system.

  2. Upstream and downstream spotters shall be established at the earliest time possible. If needed, a decontamination process shall be established for rescuers and subjects.

  3. Status updates shall be done every 30 minutes or as often as deemed necessary by the Incident Commander. Rescue personnel unable to report their status shall attempt the following:

    1. Use other methods to provide a status update

    2. If personnel are available, send a member to update the IC

    3. If no other methods exist and no additional resources are available

      1. If involved in immediate life-threatening rescue, continue to mitigate the problem and provide status update to the requesting party as soon as possible

      2. If involved in non-immediately life-threatening rescue but a significant event then continue to mitigate the problem and provide a status update to the requesting party as soon as possible

      3. If involved in a non-life threatening event (evacuations), someone or the team needs to provide a status update to the requesting party.

    4. After 15 minutes of unsuccessfully attempting to obtain status update, the appropriate command position should initiate an immediate search for the missing rescue personnel.

  4. River Orientation

    1. Upstream – looking upstream from a specific location

    2. Downstream – looking downstream from a specific location

    3. River right - looking downstream, the right is river right

    4. River left – looking downstream, the left is river left

  5. Upstream Spotters

    Should be located on both riverbanks if possible. They should have some method of signaling downstream rescuers of a potential risk that is floating down the river. This could include radios, whistle or light signaling devices. Upstream spotters should have minimum personal protective equipment of PFD, helmet, two throwbags, and two light sources.

  6. Downstream Safeties

    Should be located on both riverbanks if possible. They should advise Operations of downstream safe areas, eddies, whether river right or river left is preferred rescue location, and hazards in their area. This information should be relayed to all rescuers. This information can be invaluable if a rescuer suddenly needs assistance from the downstream safeties. Downstream safeties should have minimum personal protective equipment of PFD, helmet, two throwbags, and two light sources.

REFERENCE

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