Transcript WATER RESCUE - evfd

WATER RESCUE
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Water Rescue
• Need for water rescue awareness
– Most FD’s have some body of water
– Potential for flooding
– Many water incidents require resources
beyond capability of FD
• Operations and technician trained
• Proper PPE
• Technical rescue equipment
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NFPA 1670
– Water related disciplines
• Dive
• Ice
• Surf
• Swift water
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Hazards Associated with Water Rescue
– Firefighter (human) nature
• Action oriented
– Need to do something now
• Make rescue attempts without proper
training or equipment
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Hazards Associated with Water Rescue
(con’t)
• An average of 7 public safety rescuers die each
year in water related incidents.
• WHY?
– Sound judgment, good reasoning, and disciplined plan of
action was not followed.
– The temptation to enter an uncertain environment was
too great.
– Lack of training and expertise in water related
emergencies.
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Environmental Hazards
– Extreme temperatures
• Cold
– Hypothermia, frostbite, equipment malfunctions
» Effects ability to think clearly & fine motor skills
• Heat
– Hyperthermia, overheating in PPE
– Underwater survival time lost in hot temperatures
» Exhaustion, dehydration
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Environmental Hazards (con’t)
– Weather
• Rain, snow, high winds, fog
– Accelerates hypothermia
– In still water, body heat is lost 25 times greater than in air
at the same temperature
– Aquatic environment
• Animal life, fish, insects
• Plant life, seaweed
• Biohazards, bacterial, viral
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General hazards
– Utilities
• Electric, gas, sanitary,
communications
• Hazardous materials
• Personal hazards – water’s edge
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Tripping, falling
Steep, slippery terrain
Drop-offs
Holes
Hidden obstructions
» Cause injury, entanglement
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Dive Operation Hazards
– Barotraumas
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Decompression sickness
Nitrogen narcosis
Oxygen toxicity
Embolism
– Drowning
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Fatigue
Lost diver
Loss of air
Anxiety reactions
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Dive Operation Hazards
Ice Operation Hazards
– Cold injuries
• Frostbite
• Hypothermia
– Thin ice
• Sudden
immersion reflex
• Entrapment
under ice
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Surf Operation Hazards
– Breaking waves
• Generate extreme
force
– Undertows, tides,
current
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Swift Water Operation Hazards
– Awesome, relentless power of moving water
– Strainers & debris
• Stationary objects
– Holes
– Obstructions
• Above the water surface
• Below the water surface
– Upstream “V”
– Downstream “V”
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Swift Water Operation Hazards
Swift Water Operation Hazards
Eddies
Caused by an obstructions in the
current that extend above the waters'
surface. Upstream water flows around
these obstructions leaving a void on
the downstream side of the
obstruction, causing the downstream
to flow upstream to fill in the void
behind the obstruction.
Upstream V’s
• Upstream V's should be noted as they indicate
areas that may be trapping a subject against
an obstacle. The Upstream V as shown in
figure- 2 helps to indicate where the obstacle
lies. Visible eddys downstream of an obstacle
can be possible resting spots or dead zones
that may be passively holding a subject from
further travel down the waterway.
Downstream V’s
• Downstream V's are generated by water
moving around several obstacles coming
together in the path of least resistance. These
downstream V's will contain some of the
fastest moving water in the channel. If the
subject does not become trapped, the
downstream V's have the highest probability
of containing the subject
Holes & Pillows
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Holes and Pillows are also indicators of a submerged or partially submerged
obstacle. The pillow will lie upstream if the obstacle is completely below the
surface of the water and downstream if the obstacle extends above the surface of
the water. A hole is created by the void formed by water swirling around the
obstacle. Water flows back into the hole to fill the void which may cause a strong
flow of upstream current immediately following the obstacle.
Local hazards play a large role in local waterway rescues. Holes as explained above
can create a strong upstream current. Striking these upstream currents while
traveling downstream may be equivalent to striking a solid surface. An extended
head or neck could be easily injured if submitted to this abrupt change in waterflow direction.
Limb entrapment
Limb Entrapment is probably
the most common hazard,
where an arm or a leg
becomes wedged into a rock
or submerged debris and the
body is held downstream by
the force of the water.
For this reason if one finds
himself trapped in a channel
he should travel feet first with
his feet high as is shown
below.
Swift Water Operation Hazards (con’t)
– Current patterns
• Laminar flow
• Helical flow
– Upwelling
• Eddies
– Back current
– Heavy downpours
• Make quiet streams
swiftwater
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Swift Water Operation Hazards (con’t)
Water weight 62.4 lbs per cubic foot and typically flows downstream
at 6 to 12 miles per hour.
Swift Water Operation Hazards (con’t)
When a vehicle stalls in the water the water’s momentum is
transferred to the car. For each foot the water rises, 500 lbs.
of lateral force is applied to the automobile.
Swift Water Operation Hazards (con’t)
But the biggest factor is buoyancy. For each foot the water rises up
the side of the car, the car displaces 1500 lbs. of water. In effect,
the automobile weighs 1500 lbs. less for each foot the water rises.
Swift Water Operation Hazards (con’t)
Low Head Dam Hazards
– The killing / drowning machine
• Boil line
– Point where water breaks in two
directions
• Illusion
– Cannot be perceived from
upstream
– Do not look dangerous
• Hydraulic
– Vertical whirlpool
• Aeration in the hydraulic
– Causes cavitation to boat props
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Hydraulics
Hydraulics form when water flowing
over the top of the obstruction hits the
water below creating a hole or
depression which is filled in by the
downstream water or backwash.
Hydraulics are created both by natural
and manmade objects.
Natural hydraulics such as rocks, have
an escape because of the non uniform
surface and the flow of water
Manmade hydraulics, such as low head
dams, are to perfect and have a
uniform flow from end to end with
little chance of escape.
The design of a low head dam will
have a direct effect on the intensity of
the hydraulic
Low Head Dam Hazards
Low Head Dam Hazards
Low Head Dams
Low Head Dams are river obstacles
that create a deadly trap for exposed
subjects in the waterway. If the low
head dam is sufficiently covered with
water flow, a continuous "Hole" that
extends across the waterway may be
generated. If the subject makes it to
the top surface he will be trapped
between the Boil line and the dam by
the flow of the intense backwash. If a
subject is trapped in the recirculating
water below the surface, he will
quickly loose orientation and expire
unless he can escape the motion. A
possible escape route is shown below.
A subject trapped in such a situation is
in most critical need of outside action.
A raft rescue or a helicopter static fly
away is often the only reasonable
chance the subject may have for
survival.
Water Rescue PPE
– Firefighting helmets, boots, and turnout
gear are NOT appropriate for water rescue
– Proper PPE includes the following
– Wet suits / dry suits / exposure suits
• Thermal protection
• PFD’s (whistle & knife & strobe light or light stick)
– Worn by all personnel
» In or near water
» On a boat
• Taglines / lifelines
• Helmet, gloves
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Cold Water Near Drowning
– Age of victim
– Temperature of water
• Below 70oF
• Patient could be below thermocline
– Length of submersion
• Under 90 minutes
– Still rescue mode
• Quality BLS & ALS treatment
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Size-up
• Scope, magnitude, type of water
rescue incident
• Environmental factors
– Change in weather conditions
– Loss of daylight
– Water levels
– Current changes
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Size-up (con’t)
– Assessment of hazards
– Location & number of victims
– Risk / benefit analysis
• Rescue vs. recovery
– Access to scene
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Water Rescue
• Awareness Level Personnel May:
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Establish scene control
Establish IC
Initiate accountability & safety
Evaluate patient condition
– Can patient assist with rescue?
• Activate Needed resources
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Water Rescue
• Awareness Level Personnel May: (con’t)
• Secure & interview witnesses
– Keep witnesses at scene
– Interview witnesses separately
– Collect witnesses’ personal information
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Water Rescue
• Awareness Level Personnel May: (con’t)
• Establish last seen point
Triangulate with multiple witnesses
Use a reference object
Hole in ice is great last seen point
Don’t destroy it
Water Rescue
• Awareness Level Personnel May: (con’t)
• Identify number of victims
• Identify age and sex of victim, if possible
Water Rescue
• Awareness Level Personnel May: (con’t)
• Evaluate physical evidence
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Notes
Clothes
Footprints
Tire tracks
Debris
Oil slick
Bubbles
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Water Rescue
• Beyond the awareness level
– AHJ must have emergency response plan
• Operations & technician level personnel
• Police & evidence technicians
• Specialized equipment
– Boats, tow trucks, etc.
• EMS response
– Ambulance for patient(s)
– Ambulance for divers
– Aeromedical transport
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Scene Considerations
• Rehab personnel early
• Operational plan
– Reach, throw, row, go
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Scene Considerations
• Request divers early in an incident
– Victims at the surface may submerge
– Keep incident operating in rescue mode
Water Rescue Summary
• Recognize the need for water search and rescue.
• Describe implementing the assessment phase.
• Identify the resources necessary to conduct safe
and effective water rescue operations.
• Identify the emergency response system for water
rescue emergencies.
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Water Rescue Summary
• Identify the site control and scene management
procedures at water rescue incidents.
• Identify the general hazards associated with a
water rescue incident.
• Identify the rescue vs. recovery mode when
concerned with a cold water near drowning
patient.
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