Are any courses from other training providers equivalent to the ones you offer?

Frequently Asked Questions

Dan McLaren - Bentley Fire Department

Brad Hubley - Royal Ontario Museum

Dave Moore - Program Advisor - Toronto Board of Education

Paul Olshefsky - Public Safety Specialist - Gros Morne Park

Scott Wood - Recreation Services Seneca College

Anthony Toriglia - Arrowsmith Search and Rescue - Parksville, BC

Craig Colegrave - Bentley Fire Department - Bentley, AB

WildMed Course #1 - test - delete

This is the body copy for the first Wild Med Course

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extended text

Swiftwater - Technician (SRT I) - Parksville, BC - February 2010

Raven Rescue Expands into Eastern Canada

The demand for professional, NFPA-compliant training is increasing dramatically across Canada. To serve this growing market, Rescue 3 International has named Raven Rescue as its agent for all of Canada.

Raven Rescue has been teaching technical rescue in Western Canada for 25 years, and has a dedicated client base among first responders, resource management professionals, industry and recreationists. The move will bring Rescue 3’s standard-of-care training in swiftwater, surface ice, and technical rope to a similar mix of clients in Eastern Canada. Previously, the majority of Rescue 3 courses taught in Eastern Canada were whitewater rescue courses geared toward the recreational market in Ontario and Quebec through then agent Jim Coffey of Esprit Whitewater.

“We’ve watched our client base grow as training to a high, consistent standard has become more and more important in Canada,” said Walter Bucher, Raven Rescue Executive Director. “Other individual trainers may teach great skills, but it’s really hard to be sure you’re getting high quality training without a set standard against which to measure the course content.”

“While NFPA compliance often brings departments in the door, they keep coming back because we are customer-service oriented with a professional approach and use only the best instructors in the business,” said Bucher. “In addition, Rescue 3‘s level of documentation and record-keeping is second-to-none.”

Raven Rescue provides a detailed training record for each participant that is keyed to the NFPA standards, and also registers every student in Rescue 3 International’s “Certification Database” so that if records are ever required for employment or legal reasons, they are just a phone call or email away.

In addition to providing internationally-recognized certifications through Rescue 3 that meet or exceed the NFPA 1670 standard, Raven Rescue will also offer Pro-Board stamps through its partnership with North Vancouver District Fire Department, that will fulfill the NFPA 1006 Standard.

“Some first responders value the extra “stamp of approval” of a Pro Board certification,” says Bucher. “Others prefer to spend their additional training dollars on a “maintenance program” where one of our instructors conducts guided training exercises on an annual basis, which demonstrates due diligence in skill practice. Both approaches have their merits, and departments can choose the one that works best for them.”

Raven Rescue will also target courses designed specifically for resource management professionals and industrial clients, who are not as concerned with NFPA standards, but just want to ensure their personnel are getting the training they require to do their jobs safely and efficiently.

We have a very large client base in both public and private resource management, and all types of industry from mining to hydro electric to oil and gas,” said Bucher. “We know how to ensure these clients learn all the skills required for certification, but we do it in a way that is relevant to their job descriptions and work environment. There’s no other company that tailors its delivery to the specific needs of clients as well as we do—we are told time and time again that this really sets us apart from other training providers.”

For more information about Raven Rescue’s expansion into Eastern Canada, please contact us.

Swiftwater Technician (SRT1) - Vancouver, BC - October 2009

Ice Rescue Technician - Merritt, BC - January 2010

Ryan Cox - Sustainable Resource Development - Edson, AB

Ice Rescue Incidents From Lifesaving Resources Inc.

During the past several years, about 85% of the ice rescue incidents were triggered by Good Samaritans venturing out onto the ice in an attempt to rescue a pet, at which time conditions deteriorated resulting in an escalation to a human, and not just an animal rescue.

We encourage pet owners to keep pets on a leash and keep them off the ice. Our principle operating philosophy is that NO ICE IS SAFE ICE!

If an animal is in danger on or through the ice, do NOT attempt to rescue the animal. Call 911 and request a response from professionals that are trained and equipped for this type of emergency.

Swiftwater - Manitoba - June 2009

Swiftwater - Technician (SRT I)

Motorized (flatwater) Boat Handling

Ice Rescue Technician - Smithers

Swiftwater - Technician Advanced (SRT A)

Fiona Dercole - North Vancouver - Public Safety

Ashley McCrae, Fisheries and Oceans, Prince Rupert

Steven Miller, Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Darren Saare, Alberni Valley Rescue Squad

Chad Thomson, Chilliwack

Steve Amazzal, Comox Valley Search & Rescue

Lee Boyd, Fisheries and Oceans

Tobi Siedmann, Silver Star Fire Rescue

Manitoba Hydro

Samantha Kelly, Ministry of Environment, Kamloops

Greg Kruger, Conservation Officer, Kelowna

Nicholas Carroll, Whitehorse Fire Department

Vanessa Beerda, University of Calgary - Outdoor Leadership Program

Rena Vanenbos, School of Renewable Resources, Selkirk College

Chad Black, Operations Manager, Nicolas Dean Lodge (Terrace, BC)

Nathan Lambkin, Manitoba Hydro

Barb Blushke, Captain, Vancouver Police Marine Unit

Lee Clandinin, Grande Prairie Fire Department

Judith Eigenbrod, Rescan Environmental

Jason Milne, Captain, Kootenay Boundary Regional Fire Rescue

Jason Langman, Kootenay Boundary Regional Fire Rescue

Jeff Hein, Chief, Extension Fire Department

Cheryl Podemski, Fisheries and Oceans, Winnipeg

Brad Charlton, Fluor Emergency Response Team

Scott Driver, Cranbrook Fire Department

Boat

Rope

Course Outline

TRR_Tech_Course_Outline.pdf

Lesson Plans

TRR_Tech_Lesson_Plan_(CJ).pdf

Skill Sheets

TRR_Tech_Skill_Sheet_306.pdf
TRR_Ops_Skill_Sheet_(RR).pdf

Ice

Course Outline

Ice_Course_Outline.pdf

Lesson Plans

TW_Pre-Test.pdf
ICE_Field_Guide.pdf

Skill Sheets

Ice_Skill_Sheet_(Sample).pdf

Water

Course Outline

SRT_1_Course_Outline.pdf

Lesson Plans

SRT1_Field_Guide.pdf
Littles_SRT1_Lesson_Plan.pdf
SRT1_Lesson_Plan.pdf
Lesson_Plan_2_and_4_Point.pdf
Lesson_Plan_Throwbags.pdf
Lesson_Plan_Basic_Survival_Swim.pdf
Lesson_Plan_Advanced_Survival_Swim.pdf
Lesson_Plan_Live_Bait.pdf
Lesson_Plan_Entrapment_Drills.pdf
Lesson_Plan_Shallow_Water_Crossing.pdf
Lesson_Plan_Strainer.pdf
Lesson_Plan_Tension_Diagonal.pdf
Lesson_Plan_Contact_Rescues.pdf
Lesson_Plan_Inflated_Fire_Hose.pdf
Lesson_Plan_Paddle_Boat.pdf
Lesson_Plan_Parbuckling.pdf
Lesson_Plan_Patient_Packaging.pdf

Skill Sheets

SWAware_Skill_Sheet.pdf
Operations_Skill_Sheet.pdf
Basic_Water_First_Responder_Skill_Sheet.pdf
SRT1_Skill_Sheet.pdf
WRT_Skill_Sheet.pdf
SRTA_Skill_Sheet.pdf

Other Fun Stuff

BC_Flood_Plan_2007.pdf

Privacy Policy

Raven Rescue understands your concerns about privacy. We have both electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard the information you give us.

Administrative Use

Raven Rescue collects and retains customer names, postal and email addresses, billing information, and phone and fax numbers for our own use including:

provision of invoices, receipts, course details and follow-up
distribution of periodic emails about upcoming courses in your region.

Online Payment

Raven Rescue uses Moneris eSelect PLUS to provide secure online payments by encrypting all data transmitted us. For more information please see https://www3.moneris.com

Outside Organizations

We will never share (or sell) your information with other companies or organizations.

Information Updates

If you would like to update, review, or remove your personal information from the Raven Rescue database, please call 1.800.880.0287, write to us at Box 861, Smithers, BC V0J 2N0, or email us at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Scott Driver, Cranbrook Fire Department

Welcome!

Globally Recognized

We are agents for the global leaders in technical rescue and wilderness medicine. Our technical rescue courses are developed and certified by Rescue 3 International. Rescue 3’s curriculum has been tested and refined by a global network of instructors who have taught more than 150,000 students in 35 countries. Our wilderness medical courses are developed and certified by Wilderness Medical Associates—with international affiliates on all seven continents and the most widely-recognized wilderness medical education in the world. This means your certification will be recognized as the standard-of-care—wherever life takes you.

NFPA Compliant

Of importance to first responders is the fact that our technical rescue courses have been independently audited and found to meet or exceed the rigorous National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standards—the de-facto global standard for technical rescue.

Tailored Training

We teach the all the skills necessary for certification, but we also work with our clients to ensure training is customized to their unique needs. You learn the skills you need to perform your job safely, in the environment in which you work.

Customer Service

And finally, we strive to provide excellent customer service at all stages of the training process from inquiry to certification ... or even years down the road if you need some simple advice.

Raven Rescue is the obvious choice to enhance your training program and reduce your risk profile. Find out more about Our Approach.

General

Waiver.pdf
Medical_Form.pdf
Course_Evaluation.pdf
Instructor_Medical_Incident_Report_Form.pdf
Course_Roster.pdf
Safety_Emergency_Briefing.pdf

Make Life Easier for Canadian SAR Teams

We rarely head out for an outdoor adventure with the expectation that something will go wrong, and, most times, everything will go right. However, that one time that the unexpected happens…your investment in Trip Safety can mean the difference between a successful outcome and becoming a statistic.

We can help reduce the number and severity of search and rescue incidents by remembering the 3 T’s; Trip Planning, Training and the Ten Essentials. By taking personal responsibility you can alleviate the severity of call outs to SAR groups with simple steps before, during and after your adventure.

Click here for more info on Planning, Gear, Bear Safety, Cougar Safety, Signalling and more. Don’t just do it ... plan it first!

Our Instructors

Raven Rescue is a Canadian company with 25 years in the rescue training and safety business. The key to our success is outstanding instructors.

Our instructors are all highly operational, which means they regularly work in high-risk environments including swiftwater and surface ice and they utilize technical rope systems on a regular basis.

As first responders or outdoor professionals, they are constantly using the skills they teach and are up-to-date on the latest developments in rescue theory and practice. In addition, all our instructors all have great personalities, natural teaching abilities and a dedication to customer service. This ensures your training experience is enjoyable as well as educational.

Scroll down to see short bios on all of our instructors.

Walter Bucher

Executive Director & Instructor Trainer
Instructor: Swiftwater, Ice, Rope, Boat
Raven Rescue owner and head instructor Walter Bucher has 25 years of experience in search & rescue and technical rescue instruction. He is Rescue 3’s Instructor Trainer and Official Agent for Western Canada. In addition, Walter Bucher coordinates swiftwater rescue services for Bulkley Valley Search and Rescue and is a volunteer firefighter with Smithers Fire Department. For a detailed bio, please contact us.

Ron Morrison

Programming Director & Instructor Trainer
Instructor: Swiftwater, Ice, Rope, Tower, Boat, Wilderness and Remote Medicine
In addition to teaching swiftwater, ice, technical rope and tower rescue, Ron works in cooperation with Raven Rescue to coordinate all Rescue 3 programs in Alberta, from his home-base in Edmonton. He is the director of WAVE - Western Adventure Education providing rescue, medical, risk management and paddlesports education and certification programs. He has over a decade of teaching and expedition experience in swiftwater, paddling, climbing and outdoor leadership, and is also an instructor with Wilderness Medical Associates. He is an energetic and knowledgeable instructor and connects well with clients.

Craig Gerrard

Instructor Trainer
Instructor: Swiftwater, Rope, Tower, Boat
Craig teaches water-based rescue courses from the awareness to the technician level, as well as boat handling, technical rope and tower rescue. He has a strong background in whitewater, being an accomplished paddler and rafter. In addition, Craig coordinates swiftwater rescue for Cowichan Search and Rescue. He and his wife Stacey own and operate Kindred Spirit Kayak Company out of Duncan, BC. providing whitewater kayaking excursions and instruction and are also dealers for Bliss Stick kayaks and Aire inflatables. Craig is an organized, intuitive and patient instructor and gets great reviews from his students.

Tim Wheeler

Instructor: Swiftwater, Ice, Boat
Tim has an outdoor resume longer than your arm and teaches swiftwater, boat handling and ice rescue. He is an experienced backcountry guide, and leads mountaineering, hiking, canoeing and kayaking expeditions in many remote regions of Canada and around the world. In addition, Tim has worked as an Initial Attack Forest Fire Ranger. He is a natural teacher and clients find him very easy to work with.

Mike Adams

Instructor Trainer
Instructor: Swiftwater, Rope
Mike is a Swiftwater Instructor-Trainer with North Vancouver District Fire and Rescue and teaches swiftwater and technical rope courses for Raven Rescue as well. Combining exceptional swiftwater, technical rope and teaching skills, he is a great asset to our instructor team. Mike is also an accomplished whitewater paddler and river guide and is starting to introduce his young family to river recreation.

Colin Saurette

Instructor: Swiftwater, Ice, Rope, Boat
In addition to teaching swiftwater rescue and ice rescue courses for Raven Rescue, Colin is employed by the Canadian Coast Guard, and is a dedicated volunteer member of the Squamish Search and Rescue team. His SAR involvement keeps his operational skills finely-tuned and he is continually upgrading his qualifications in order to stay current. He is currently working on his Paramedic ticket. Colin is a consumate professional and goes the extra distance to make sure his clients learn the skills they need in order to do their jobs in the safest manner possible.

Kit Little

Instructor: Confined Space, Rope, Swiftwater
Kit is currently a Lieutenant on the rescue truck with North Vancouver District Fire and Rescue. Kit is a certified technician in swiftwater rescue, rope rescue, confined space, tower crane and trench rescue. Kit has volunteered with the Lions Bay Search and Rescue and is currently keeping very busy with a young family!

Peter Lyon

Instructor: Rope, Confined Space, Fall Protection
Peter teaches our low and high angle technical rope courses, confined space and fall protection. Peter works as a safety supervisor for Frontier-Kemper Constructors Inc. and is currently working at the Seymour Capilano Twin Tunnels site in Metro Vancouver. Peter’s background includes mine rescue, fire fighting and technical rescue equipment sales. Peter is detail-oriented and conscientious—important qualities for a rope instructor. He has a great sense of humour and an ability to inspire confidence in clients who may be testing their personal comfort zone.

Scott Streadwick

Instructor: Swiftwater
Scott is a multi-faceted swiftwater professional. As owner of Liquid Lifestyles, a river adventure company, kayak school and swiftwater equipment retailer, Scott makes it possible for people of all ages and abilities to enjoy river recreation in kayaks, inflatables and rafts. Scott keeps his rescue skills sharp as the Director and Training Officer for Wells Gray Search and Rescue. In winter, he is a professional heli ski guide in the Cariboo and Monashee mountains and soon-to-be ice rescue instructor. Scott is also the proud papa of a new baby boy.

Stefan Bucher

Instructor: Swiftwater
Stefan grew up on the river and is equally at home in the water as on land. Stefan is an accomplished paddler, a certified lifeguard and a registered nurse, specializing in emergency medicine. Stefan is also experienced in swiftwater search & rescue. He has an exceptional ability to read water, identify hazards and apply low-to-high risk rescue options, making him a valuable asset to our teaching team. Stefan teaches awareness, operations and technician-level swiftwater courses.

Chris Burnham

Instructor: Swiftwater
Chris is at home on rivers worldwide having kayaked and rafted in places like the UK, Italy, Norway, Chile, New Zealand, Nepal & Zimbabwe. He is presently the Guide Manager for Wild Water Adventures on the Kicking Horse River in B.C. In addition, Chris is an examiner for the B.C. Raft Outfitters Association, a certified kayaking instructor, and is an emergency medical and advanced wilderness first responder. Chris also has a strong background in rope rescue and has worked for the Industrial Rope Access Trade Association. Chris brings a wealth of experience, skill and charisma to our team.

Kevin Knight

Instructor: Swiftwater, Boat
In addition to Kevin instructing for Raven Rescue, he is an owner and guide of Main Current Rafting Expeditions, a river rafting company that runs trips throughout northern BC. Kevin is equally at home on a raft, kayak, bike, in scuba gear, or hiking in the remote wilderness. From forestry to mechanics to business management Kevin is a multifaceted individual. Kevin brings a wealth of knowledge and personal experience to the swiftwater and boat handling courses he instructs. His professional and safety conscious persona makes him a valuable asset to our team.

Chris Jonasen, Instructor-Trainer

Instructor: Swiftwater, Ice, Rope, Boat, Animal
Chris Jonason is one of North America’s top technical rescue instructors. She is an Instructor Trainer for Rescue 3 and conducts risk management for fire departments and rafting companies worldwide. For more than 25 years Chris has been an avid river runner. In 1983 she founded Washington-based Wave Trek Inc., a whitewater rafting, kayaking and outdoor adventure school, that she ran for more than 10 years. Chris is now instructing and consulting on a full-time basis, both for Raven Rescue and through her own company Wavetrek Rescue in Washington state. Clients are inspired by Chris’s depth of knowledge, hands-on experience and dedication to the field of technical rescue.

Bob Daffe

Instructor: Swiftwater, Ice
Bob is one of the original Rescue 3 International instructors! Bob is a calm, confident individual who knows how to get people out and enjoying the outdoors. Bob runs Tatshenshini Expediting Ltd., a company that runs adventure and rafting expeditions as well as offering raft, canoe and kayaking courses. Bob knows all the great spots to go to the Yukon.

Amy Copland

Marketing Director
Amy is the first point of contact for most clients. She coordinates our course bookings and office management. A former journalist and public relations consultant, she is also an avid whitewater paddler and rafter and brings a hands-on knowledge of rivers, rope and safety to her dealings with clients. In the summer months, Amy can often be found on rivers across the West, plying the oars of an 18’ Aire cataraft with a pile of kids and an aging Jack Russell terrier aboard.

For purposes of “re-certification” (ie: qualifying for a 25% discount) we recognize the following courses as being similar enough to ours in terms of the skills and knowledge taught:

Equivalent for purposes of re-certification:

Rescue Canada’s “SFR-T-SAR R1” and our “SRT 1”
Rescue Canada’s “ORS-T” and our “SRT 1”
escue Canada’s “SFR-T-Fire/Rescue R1” and our “SRT 1”
Rescue Canada’s “Swiftwater Rescue Technician (SRT) R1” and our “SRT 1”
Rescue Canada’s “SRT-III” (an older system of course names) and our “SRT 1”
Dive Rescue’s Swiftwater Rescue II

NOT equivalent to our SRT 1 (you must register as a “new certification” with us):

Rescue Canada’s SRT-1 and SRT II courses (despite the similar names, these courses are a lower level certification)
Dive Rescue’s Swiftwater Rescue 1 (again, a lower level certification)
“Technician” level courses by Royal Lifesaving Society

Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

What responsibility do I have to provide training for those I supervise?

Supervisors, managers and business owners should be aware of Canadian legal requirements for workplace safety, including training, that can affect them personally. (Warning: legal concepts ahead.)

Duty-of-Care
Supervisors, managers and business owners are under what is called a “duty-of-care”, which is a universal legal concept meaning “legal obligation”. Their legal obligation is to adhere to the “standard-of-care” (legal concept #2). “Standard-of-care” refers to the degree of prudence, caution or reasonable care required of an individual while engaged in any activity that could potentially harm others. Examples of this include an environmental manager assigning a fisheries technician to undertake sampling work in moving water, or a fire chief tasking members to rescue a snowmobiler who has fallen through a frozen lake or river. If a supervisor, employer or manager can be shown to have failed in their legal responsibility to adhere to the standard-of-care, they can be successfully prosecuted for “negligence” (3rd legal concept).

When it comes to any type of training, but most obviously for high-risk environments like swiftwater and surface ice or any situation requiring the use of technical rope systems, fulfilling a duty-of-care means providing training that is widely known and accepted as appropriate for the given environment, ie. standard-of-care training.

You, or one of your personnel might know a lot about moving water, or just have a lot of common sense gained from years of experience in the field. That person might even be willing to provide training free-of-charge for your department, but if you aren’t a bonafide trainer with a recognized training company, teaching a proven curriculum, then if you ever end up in court because of a liability action, it’s going to be difficult to prove you have adhered to the standard-of-care that fulfills your duty-of-care.

It might be possible to prove you’ve provided adequate training, but you will most likely spend a lot of time and money on legal bills before you manage to prove you have fulfilled your legal responsibilities to safeguard your personnel in the workplace. The unfortunate truth is that at this point, companies or organizations can be exempt from prosecution if they can show that it was the responsibility of supervisors or managers to develop a safety program for those under their supervision. In this case, supervisors and managers can be held personally liable. Scary but true.

WCB and Federal Legislation
The legal concepts outlined above form the basis of both provincial and federal legislation governing occupational health and safety. Supervisors need to start with these documents to further define their responsibilities given their workplace and the jobs being performed. However, the legislation is purposefully “broad brush” because it must be applicable to so many different situations with so many variables at play. If you search the legislation looking for required training and equipment for rivers, swiftwater, surface ice or situations requiring technical rope systems, you will come up with a very slim list of specific regulations. What you will find is broad statements such as “employers must provide to ... workers the information, instruction, training and supervision necessary to ensure the health and safety of those workers in carrying out their work.” (Worksafe BC - BC Occupational Health and Safety Amendment Act of 1998.)

Therefore, the onus is squarely on each individual supervisor to determine the potential hazards their personnel could face on the job and then develop a plan to mitigate those hazards through a combination of standard-of-care training, proper equipment, and written policies, procedures or guidelines. A comprehensive safety program like this will demonstrate “due diligence” (concept #4, in case you are still counting) or in other words, the fulfillment of the responsibility of the supervisor in meeting his duty-of-care.

However, if a supervisor outlines a safety program and is then told that there is no budget available or that employees cannot take time off their job for training, the responsibility would then shift to the superior who made that decision, and the supervisor would be seen to have fulfilled their duty-of-care. Ideally, however, supervisors will work with their management team to educate them on the legal requirements for a comprehensive safety program, their personal liability for decisions affecting safety, and then cooperate on the development of a solution that works from both a safety and financial perspective.

However, while federal and provincial legislation should provide the framework for the development of a comprehensive safety program, these lengthy documents can be difficult to navigate. We often get questions from employers and supervisors who are unclear where to start, and so we have provided excerpts of the most relevant sections of representative provincial WCB legislation as well as federal Bill C-45 in our Resources section. These excerpts should be used as a starting point for a more careful reading of the original documents, available online. Make sure to use the WCB legislation for your particular province.

Our Courses
The courses taught by Raven Rescue can help you meet your duty-of-care. Developed and certified by Rescue 3 International, the global leader in technical rescue training, our courses are considered standard-of-care because they have been thoroughly reviewed and tested by rescue professionals, safety organizations and courts around the world. Rescue 3 course have been proven, time-and-time again, to provide the training required to properly prepare people to work in high-risk environments like swiftwater, surface ice and technical rope situations.

Rescue 3 International is not the only company that provides standard-of-care training, but it is the largest and by far the best-known in Canada and around the world. This is a solid reason in itself for choosing our courses. We count among our clients federal and provincial government departments, major environmental consulting and engineering firms and the top first responders in the country. In the event of any legal action, producing a certification by Rescue 3 proves that your training is among the very best available and is solid proof that you have exercised due diligence in fulfilling your duty-of-care obligations.

Summing it All Up
In a nutshell, one resource manager described training such as swiftwater, surface ice, motorized boat handling and technical rope, ATV, firearms, bear aware, winter driving, first aid etc. .... as “CYA 101” (not a legal concept but very self-explanatory).

Provincial legislation requires safety training for personnel

Workers Compensation legislation exists in every province to safeguard the health and safety of workers. The following are two key excerpts from the BC Occupational Health and Safety Amendment Act of 1998. Every province has similar legislation but there are some minor variations, and so employers and employees should refer to the legislation from their particular province.

Part 3—Occupational Health and Safety

Purposes of Part

107 (1) The purpose of this Part is to benefit all citizens of British Columbia by promoting occupational health and safety and protecting workers and other persons present at workplaces from work related risks to their health and safety .....etc.

Division 3—General Duties of Employers, Workers and Others

General duties of employers

115 (1) Every employer must

(a) ensure the health and safety of

(i) all workers working for that employer, and

(ii) any other workers present at a workplace at which that employer’s work is being carried out, and

(b) comply with this Part, the regulations and any applicable orders.

(2) Without limiting subsection (1), an employer must

(a) remedy any workplace conditions that are hazardous to the health or safety of the employer’s workers,

(b) ensure that the employer’s workers

(i) are made aware of all known or reasonably foreseeable health or safety hazards to which they are likely to be exposed by their work,

(ii) comply with this Part, the regulations and any applicable orders, and

(iii) are made aware of their rights and duties under this Part and the regulations,

(c) establish occupational health and safety policies and programs in accordance with the regulations,

(d) provide and maintain in good condition protective equipment, devices and clothing as required by regulation and ensure that these are used by the employer’s workers,

(e) provide to the employer’s workers the information, instruction, training and supervision necessary to ensure the health and safety of those workers in carrying out their work and to ensure the health and safety of other workers at the workplace,

(f) make a copy of this Act and the regulations readily available for review by the employer’s workers and, at each workplace where workers of the employer are regularly employed, post and keep posted a notice advising where the copy is available for review,

(g) consult and cooperate with the joint committees and worker health and safety representatives for workplaces of the employer, and

(h) cooperate with the board, officers of the board and any other person carrying out a duty under this Part or the regulations.

General duties of workers

116 (1) Every worker must

(a) take reasonable care to protect the worker’s health and safety and the health and safety of other persons who may be affected by the worker’s acts or omissions at work, and

(b) comply with this Part, the regulations and any applicable orders.

(2) Without limiting subsection (1), a worker must

(a) carry out his or her work in accordance with established safe work procedures as required by this Part and the regulations,

(b) use or wear protective equipment, devices and clothing as required by the regulations,

(d) ensure that the worker’s ability to work without risk to his or her health or safety, or to the health or safety of any other person, is not impaired by alcohol, drugs or other causes,

(e) report to the supervisor or employer

(i) any contravention of this Part, the regulations or an applicable order of which the worker is aware, and

(ii) the absence of or defect in any protective equipment, device or clothing, or the existence of any other hazard, that the worker considers is likely to endanger the worker or any other person,

(f) cooperate with the joint committee or worker health and safety representative for the workplace, and

(g) cooperate with the board, officers of the board and any other person carrying out a duty under this Part or the regulations.

What federal or provincial legislation dictates training for high risk environments?

Our Resources section contains articles on both federal Bill C-45 and WorkSafe guidelines pertaining to working around swiftwater, surface ice, confined space, or with technical rope systems. Please click here to go to our Resources section.

Bill C-45 and its implications for employers

What is Bill C-45?
Bill C-45 is federal legislation that amends the Canadian Criminal Code. Bill C-45 became law on March 31, 2004 and is now the new Section 217.1 in the Criminal Code which reads:

“2.17.1 Every one who undertakes, or has the authority, to direct how another person does work or performs a task is under a legal duty to take reasonable steps to prevent bodily harm to that person, or any other person, arising from that work or task.”

The bill established new legal duties for workplace health and safety, and imposes serious penalties for violations that result in injuries or death. It also establishes rules for attributing criminal liability to organizations, including corporations, for the acts of their representatives and also creates a legal duty for all persons directing work to take “reasonable steps” to ensure the safety of workers and the public.

Why was Bill C-45 (Section 217.1 in the Criminal Code) created?
Bill C-45, also known as the “Westray Bill”, was created as a result of the 1992 Westray coal mining disaster in Nova Scotia where 26 miners were killed after methane gas ignited causing an explosion. Despite serious safety concerns raised by employees, union officials and government inspectors at the time, the company instituted few changes. Eventually, the disaster occurred.

After the accident the police and provincial government failed to secure a conviction against the company or three of its managers. A Royal Commission of Inquiry was established to investigate the disaster. In 1998, the Royal Commission made 74 recommendations. The findings of this commission (in particular recommendation 73) were the movement that led to Bill C-45.

What are the main provisions of Bill C-45 (Section 217.1 in the Criminal Code)?
Bill C-45 (Section 217.1 in the Criminal Code):

Created rules for establishing criminal liability to organizations for the acts of their representatives.
Establishes a legal duty for all persons “directing the work of others” to take reasonable steps to ensure the safety of workers and the public.
Sets out the factors that courts must consider when sentencing an organization.
Provides optional conditions of probation that a court may impose on an organization.

Who does this Criminal Code affect?
This Criminal Code affects all organizations and individuals who direct the work of others, anywhere in Canada. These organizations include federal, provincial and municipal governments, corporations, private companies, charities and non-governmental organizations.

Who is responsible for enforcing this Criminal Code?
Police and crown attorneys enforce Bill C-45. The police and crown are responsible for investigating serious accidents and will determine whether any charges should be laid under the Canadian Criminal Code. The criminal code is a very different set of rules, and should not be confused with “regular” occupational health and safety laws (OH&S) and how they are enforced.

Who is responsible for enforcing occupational health and safety laws?
Depending on your jurisdiction, the Ministry (or Department) of Labour or Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) enforces OH&S laws. Across Canada each province, territory and the federal government are responsible for enforcing their own individual set of occupational health and safety laws. Each jurisdiction employs inspectors who visit workplaces to ensure companies are complying with their OH&S rules. In the unfortunate event of a serious accident, these inspectors conduct an investigation and determine if a charge should be laid under the appropriate section(s) of the OH&S act or regulation. An accused individual or company may then need to appear in court where a fine or other penalty could be imposed if they are convicted. The police are not normally involved in this process.

Does Bill C-45 (Section 217.1 in the Criminal Code) impact on other legislation?
No. Bill C-45 is a separate piece of legislation that applies to the Canadian Criminal Code only. It does not intrude upon, or override, other existing federal, provincial or territorial occupational health and safety statutes and regulations. In the event of a conviction; however, Bill C-45 does require the courts to look at any penalties imposed by other jurisdictions in determining a sentence.

Can a company be charged under a provincial OH&S act and the Criminal Code at the same time?
Not likely. According to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, a party cannot be charged for the same offence twice—whether found guilty or acquitted. This rule against multiple convictions for the same offence is known as “double jeopardy”.

What types of offences will be targeted?
It is unclear at this time. To date we are only aware of two cases, where individuals were charged under the new provisions in the Criminal Code. In both cases, these charges were later dropped.

Note: At the time the law was being discussed in parliament, the government commented on its intentions for the Bill stating that:

“the criminal law must be reserved for the most serious offences, those that involve grave moral faults… the Government does not intend to use the federal criminal law power to supplant or interfere with the provincial regulatory role in workplace health and safety”
These comments may serve to help guide authorities in their application of the law, but they do not in of themselves constitute the law. Once a law is passed, it is up to the police, crown attorneys and the courts to interpret and apply the law based on the Criminal Code and previous cases under common law.

Has anyone been charged?
Yes. To date there have been three cases where charges have been laid, though, only one case resulted in a conviction. The other two cases were withdrawn.

On March 17, 2008 a paving company (Transpave) was convicted of criminal negligence and fined $100,000 in the death of an employee. The conviction was based on the new provisions of Bill C-45 in the Criminal Code of Canada.

On April 19, 2004 near the city of Newmarket, Ontario a worker was killed after the ground around him collapsed while digging a ditch at a residential construction site. The construction site supervisor was charge under section 217.1 of the Criminal Code with one count of criminal negligence causing death. In March 2005 the charges of criminal negligence against the site supervisor were dropped in an apparent plea bargain which saw the supervisor agree to three of eight charges under the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act.

In the other case, in June 2002 near Calabogie, Ontario, two people were killed when a gate to a hydroelectric dam was opened, causing a flood. Two supervisors were acquitted of criminal negligence causing death in 2006.

How can I ensure a safe workplace and limit my liability?
Employers can limit their liability and reduce the chances of being charged under the provisions of the Criminal Code by implementing an effective workplace health and safety program.

You will want to know:

what your legal obligations are under occupational health and safety laws and standards,
what hazards exist in your workplace, and
how to effectively reduce or eliminate them.

You will also want to ensure employees are aware of the company’s health and safety program, are informed of any risks, and receive appropriate training and protective equipment.

Below are some OSH Answer documents that may help. They are available online. You may also want to consider hiring a health and safety consultant to assist you with this process. http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/hsprograms/

OH&S Legislation in Canada - Introduction
OH&S Legislation in Canada - Basic Responsibilities
OH&S Legislation in Canada - Internal Responsibility System
OH&S Legislation in Canada - Due Diligence
Elements of a Health and Safety Program

Basic OH&S Program Elements
Job Hazard Analysis
Risk Assessment
Inspection Checklists - General Information
Guide to Writing an OSH Policy Statement
For further information, review our other OSH Answers documents at:

http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/hsprograms/

Where can I find a copy of the Criminal Code?
Criminal Code of Canada:

http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/C-46/index.html
Plain Language Guide: Bill C-45 - Amendments To The Criminal Code Affecting The Criminal Liability Of Organizations:

http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/dept-min/pub/c45/
Document last updated on December 1, 2008

WCB Guidelines for Cold Water Immersion

WCB offers the following scenarios and guidelines as critical information for those working near, in or on cold water.

A True Story

On a November night, a crab fishing boat was off B.C.‘s north coast. The crewmembers were re-baiting a crab pot on deck when the vessel took a port turn. They had been pulling traps on the starboard side, leaving the buoy line in the water. The line became caught in the propeller and started to pull the trap off the table. One of the crew reached for the trap as it slid over the side of the boat and was pulled into the water with it. As he entered the water, he let go of the trap and remained at the surface. Lines and floating objects were thrown well within his reach but he made no attempt to hold onto them.

The crewmember was finally pulled on board after about 11 minutes in the water. He was unconscious and could not be revived. Neither he nor the other crewmembers were wearing a personal flotation device (PFD), life jacket, or immersion suit. The water temperature was 9°C (48°F).

Cold water is deadly

Drowning is the number one cause of death in B.C.‘s fishing industry. It is also a major cause of death wherever people must work on or near the water, such as on tugboats. One of the reasons for these high fatality rates is the cold temperature of our waters. Accident investigations have shown again and again that a person’s physical fitness or ability to swim in warm water will not save him or her from drowning in cold water. Hypothermia can be a factor but that takes time - usually more than 30 minutes. The killing factor is often that first shock of cold water on the body.

Cold water is defined as water below 25°C but the greatest effects occur below 15°C. Our waters are usually below 15°C. As the fatal crab fishing accident shows, the effects are so powerful that you may not be able to help yourself. Exposure to cold water changes how your body functions. The first shock takes your breath away. Within a few minutes, your hands are so cold you cannot hold onto anything. You cannot pull yourself out of the water. Swimming becomes difficult or impossible as your breathing and muscles are affected by the cold. Eventually hypothermia sets in. Even if you are rescued, you may still die.

Keep yourself safe by being aware of what could happen to you in cold water. Know what to do to prevent you or other crewmembers from falling into the water and what to do if that occurs.

What happens when you fall into cold water

The effects of cold water on the body happen in four stages (described on pages 2 - 3). Cold shock (stage 1) and swimming failure (stage 2) are responsible for more drowning fatalities in B.C. than hypothermia (stage 3) or post-rescue collapse (stage 4).

Anyone who works on, near, or over the water is at risk

Ironworkers were using a jet boat to pull a cable across a fast-moving river. The cable became lodged on the river bottom, anchoring the boat by the stern. Water poured onto the boat, and the two workers jumped into the river. Neither was wearing a flotation device. Only one was able to swim to shore.

If you work on or near lakes, rivers, or the ocean, you could be in danger. Lakes and rivers in B.C. are usually at temperatures similar to the ocean (below 15°C) and may be even colder in winter. Use safe work practices wherever you are.

Always wear a PFD, life jacket, or immersion suit when working on or near water (wherever there is a risk of drowning).
Ensure that the equipment used for a specific procedure has been designed to perform that procedure.
Make sure you have an effective means to call for help when working in remote locations.
Use fall arrest equipment when working on bridges or over the side of vessels.

Cold shock

Cold shock occurs immediately - as you enter the cold water. It lasts three to five minutes but it can result in quick drowning because of the way the body reacts. You cannot control these reactions:

A large intake of breath
A rapid increase in breathing rate (up to four times as fast)
A reduced ability to hold your breath (to as little as 10 seconds)
A massive increase in heart rate and blood pressure

Drowning may result from cold shock reactions. If your head goes below the surface, you might breathe in water with that first large intake of breath. As little as half a cup of water in your lungs can cause drowning. Problems with breathing can lead to panic, which only reduces your chance of survival.

You are most likely to survive stage 1 if you:

Do not inhale water
Stay afloat
Keep your head above water
A PFD, life jacket, or immersion suit is essential.

Swimming failure

Swimming failure occurs after you have been in cold water for 5 to 30 minutes. Its effects include:

Loss of manual dexterity
Inability to match breathing rate to swimming stroke
Loss of coordination in the muscles in your arms and legs as they get cooler, increasing your swimming angle
Increased swimming angle, requiring more energy to keep your head above water

Drowning

Being a good swimmer in warm water will not help you in cold water. In warm water, a swimmer takes one breath per stroke. In cold water, the breathing rate and stroke rate increase but not together. Your muscles and joints also get stiffer in the cold water and your strokes get shorter. These changes result in an increase in the body’s swimming angle, with more of your body farther under the water instead of near the surface. There is now more drag on your body, and you must use more energy to swim. Finally, your swimming strokes become totally uncoordinated and ineffective, and you may drown.

Hypothermia

You have probably already heard about the effects of hypothermia. Hypothermia is the cooling of your body’s core. It affects your brain, heart, and other internal organs. Your body begins to cool as soon as you enter the water, but the full effect of hypothermia usually takes at least 30 minutes. The effects of hypothermia are:

A reduction of blood flow to the hands, feet, and surface of the body
Intense shivering, in the early stages, as the body tries to maintain body core temperature
Lack of shivering in the later stages
Loss of consciousness
Heart failure

The body loses heat four times faster in water than in air. As the body cools, the will to survive decreases. Eventually you lose consciousness and drown, or your heart fails.

Post-rescue collapse

The effects on your body after you are pulled from the water can include the following:

Loss of hydrostatic pressure from the water causes a sudden drop in blood pressure. This can cause heart or brain failure.
Your heart is cold and cannot pump cold blood effectively to maintain blood pressure.
Your lungs are damaged from the water you inhaled. This can cause a pneumonia-like illness.
Fatal bleeding from injuries may occur as your body warms up and your blood flows more freely. You may have internal injuries or injuries to your head and neck that you and your rescuers are not aware of.

People should be recovered from cold water horizontally rather than vertically. Rescue may not mean survival, however. Up to 20 percent of all survivors die during rescue or shortly after.

How to avoid cold water immersion

The key to dealing with the risks of sudden, unexpected cold water immersion is to stay out of the water. If you do fall in, do not breathe in water, do not panic, and keep as much of your body out of the water as possible.

Stay out of the water

Arrange the vessel’s decks and work procedures to reduce the risk of crew entering the water. Install guard rails where it is practical and where they do not create hazards associated with the fishing process. For example, salmon trollers could set up rails along the sides of the vessel since fishing takes place at the stern.
Keep work areas free of slipping or tripping hazards. Many people have fallen overboard while drawing water with a pail or urinating over the rail when the vessel was under way. When doing either of these activities, hold onto the vessel with one hand at all times.
Wear an immersion suit, PFD, or life jacket
If there is a risk of entering the water, be prepared to stay afloat to survive the effects of cold shock, reduce the need to swim, and give rescuers time to react. Wearing a flotation device can be the difference between living and dying because it can hold your head above water. It also helps to maintain your body temperature. Immersion suits also provide a large, bright target for rescuers to see.

Using a PFD, life jacket, or immersion suit

Many different types of PFDs, life jackets, and immersion suits are available. For example, PFDs with automatic inflators provide excellent flotation in a small, lightweight, unrestrictive package. Immersion suits (survival suits) are required by provincial regulation for each crewmember on every commercial fishing vessel. Carrying immersion suits is good policy for all vessels and anyone working on or near cold water. Remember to stow them in an accessible location and to practise putting them on.

Immersion suits may be too bulky to work in, but they save lives when the crew or other workers have enough warning to get the suits on before they find themselves in the water. An immersion suit helps you conserve body heat and keeps you afloat, greatly increasing the likelihood that you will survive. See WorkSafe Bulletin WS 04-06 for more information on immersion suits.

Develop and practise rescue procedures

A person who is unprotected by a flotation device can drown very quickly - in as little as three minutes. The master of a vessel must ensure that suitable equipment is on board and that the crew regularly practises emergency procedures to rescue a crewmember overboard. Every vessel should have the means for a person to get back on board as soon as possible. All crewmembers should know how to:

Get back on board quickly if they fall in the water
Recover someone quickly who has fallen overboard
Perform first aid safely on someone who may be suffering from near-drowning or hypothermia
Abandon ship safely

If you must abandon ship, try to avoid entering the water. Develop procedures that allow crew to go directly into life rafts to avoid getting wet. Make sure to put on immersion suits, PFDs, or life jackets.

The effects of sudden, unexpected cold water immersion are deadly. Be prepared!

Check out this link to a great Canadian website with valuable information on choosing and wearing PFDs. www.wearalifejacket.com

Avoiding Foot Entrapment

You can’t clearly see what’s under the water. Rocks, logs and other obstacles can be waiting there to trap a dangling foot. When this happens in moving water, there usually isn’t time to remove the foot. The current pushes the swimmer down, often holding their head underwater and usually resulting in a drowning. Having on a PFD usually doesn’t save you; the force of the water can overwhelm that flotation.

Years ago I saw a whitewater safety film that vividly illustrated this accident scenario. In an enactment of a foot entrapment, a panicked swimmer is flailing around in swift current. His foot is caught and he is forced down, face forward. Then, the scene switches to a camera suspended above the stream. The swimmer is horizontal, arms outstretched, completely submerged, yet visible through the clear water. I can still perfectly picture that scene; it has kept my feet up high ever since!

Saving someone in this situation is very difficult and rarely successful. You have only a very few minutes to reach a person whose head is under water. Sometimes a line stretched across the stream can help support the victim’s head above water until a rescue to remove the foot can be made. This technique, along with wading out to the victim assisted by a paddle or with the help of other boaters, is illustrated and explained in the Whitewater Rescue Manual by Charlie Wallbridge and in Swiftwater Rescue by Ray. These are advanced techniques that are best learned and practiced while taking a swiftwater rescue class. See our Safety and Rescue Discussion Group article for tips on finding swiftwater rescue instruction.

As with most accidents, prevention is the best solution. When you find yourself in the water, it’s usually best to assume the “swimming safety position”: on your back, with feet up and facing downstream. This allows you to look downstream and push off any rocks or other obstacles with your feet. You can backstroke at an angle to the current and work your way to shore or into an eddy. If the water is deep enough and you need to move more quickly, you can roll over on your stomach and swim aggressively to avoid danger or get to shore. Again, always keep your feet up to avoid entrapment.

The basic rule is: never stand up or put your feet down in the water, unless the water depth is below your knees or the water is calm. Sometimes swimming is unavoidable. However, staying calm, working to self-rescue and remembering this basic rule can usually keep you out of trouble.

Re-printed from NRS e-news. For more great articles on safety and rivers, see the NRS website archives.

Know the Ropes

Until high-quality synthetic fibers like polypropylene, nylon and polyester were developed in the 1950s and 60s, most ropes used for outdoor activities like boating and climbing were made from natural fibers. As you can see from the information below, synthetics have revolutionized safety and rescue rope application and techniques. Information in this article was provided by Sam Morton, Rescue/Safety Manager for Sterling Rope Company.

Rope Construction
The rope construction used for most modern rescue and climbing ropes is referred to as “kernmantle.” The braided sheath (mantle) surrounds and protects the twisted parallel core (kern) fibers.

Ropes for different applications have their own unique design for maximum performance. Matching design with construction becomes a balancing act that leads to many considerations: how much it can stretch, its ability to absorb impact, strength, handling qualities and durability.

Important characteristics for ropes used in many boating applications are: ability to float, visibility and strength. Water has a specific gravity (SG) of 1.0, so anything with an SG less than that floats in it and those with a higher SG sink in it. Polypropylene and its derivatives have a specific gravity less than 1.0, making them ideal for throw ropes. Our floating rescue ropes are all brightly colored, in yellow, red or a combination of the two colors.

Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWP) fiber has an extraordinarily high tensile strength and relatively low stretch. Dyneema® and Spectra® are trade names for this fiber. Pound for pound, it’s stronger than steel. It’s used in our high-strength rescue ropes, increasing the strength of similar diameter standard polypropylene ropes over 2.5 times. It also has a SG less than 1.0, so it floats. You’ll notice that this fiber is only used as the core (kern) of our ropes. The main reason for this is that UHMWP is very slippery and won’t hold a knot. Polypropylene, which does hold a good knot, is used for the sheath (mantle) of these high-strength ropes.

Not all rescue ropes need to float. Our ½” Sterling Static Rope, which is also used in the NRS Z-Drag Kit, is made of 100% polyester fiber. Important characteristics of polyester for this application are that it is hydrophobic (fibers don’t absorb water, which can weaken a rope) and it has very low stretch. The low stretch factor makes this rope very efficient in a Z-drag application. The definition of “static rope” is a rope with a maximum elongation of 6% at 10% of its minimum breaking strength.

NFPA Certified
A term you see on some of our ropes is “NFPA Certified.” The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is a non-profit organization that sets standards for much of the equipment used by fire fighting and rescue agencies. They don’t do the actual testing; that is done by third party organizations such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL). Many rescue agencies require the use of NFPA Certified rope and hardware in their work.

Care and Storage of Rope
Rope used during boating gets wet, of course, and gets dirty. After a trip, rinse your ropes in clean water and allow to dry before putting them away. Store your ropes in a cool, dry place away from chemicals and direct sunlight.

Regularly inspect your ropes. Do this visually and by sliding the rope through your hands. If the rope is excessively abraded or you have core coming through the sheath, it is time to retire the rope.

Knots and Strength Loss
The fibers in ropes, in the kern and in the mantle, are oriented to line up with the length of the rope, for maximum strength. The measure of this strength is commonly referred to as “tensile strength.” They have low flexural strength, meaning they are not strong along their horizontal axis, which is why ropes lose significant amounts of strength when tied in knots. This loss of strength occurs when a rope is bent, as in a knot or going through a carabiner or pulley. Four inches is the magic number for maintaining full strength in a rope. Any bend tighter than four inches reduces the rope’s strength. Common knots used in rescue situations can reduce a rope’s strength by 20-40%.

Know the Knots

At the basic level, here’s a selection of knots, bends and hitches that anyone working in high risk environments like swiftwater, surface ice or with rope systems should know. You should be able to tie them quickly and properly, and recognize them when others have tied them into systems.

the “Family of 8’s”
double fisherman’s
muenter

You should also understand the following concepts and systems:

tensile strengths of rope and webbing
anchors (simple to complex)
mechanical advantage (3 to 1, 4 to 1, pig rig)

Here’s one of our favourite online references for practicing your knots - the illustrations move!

Animated Knots by Grog

But our instructors all agree: don’t get caught up in the fancy stuff. Practice your knots so that you tie them quickly, and recognize them when others tie them, and you’ll be in a good position to maximize your learning during a course, or contribute to rope work on the job.

Safety Guide for Operations Over Ice

This occupational health and safety guide published by the Treasury Board of Canada is intended to provide information to assist departments and agencies in establishing programs for the prevention of work-related accidents, injuries and illnesses. It is of wide interest and applicability to those who work on surface ice, including frozen lakes, rivers and ice bridges.

1. Introduction
1.1 General
1.1.1 Ice covers are used for transportation routes, as a surface on which structures can be erected, and for the temporary storage of materials.

1.1.2 This guide is concerned primarily with fresh water ice bridges, which are intended to support a gross vehicle weight of no more than 25 tons (22.5 tonnes). An ice bridge can be a natural untouched ice cover, a built-up, or a combined reinforced and built-up crossing route.

1.1.3 When loads are expected to exceed 25 tons (22.5 tonnes) or when operations will be conducted over salt water ice covers, advice should be sought from the Geotechnical Section, Division of Building Research, National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0R6.

1.1.4 Information on the safe use of ice covers for aircraft operations is available from Transport Canada.

1.2 Purpose
1.2.1 The purpose of this safety guide is to:

(a) specify rules of good safety practice for all Public Service employees engaged in operations on ice covers;

(b) provide information on the thickness of ice required to support moving and stationary loads;

(d) outline approved methods for the preparation and maintenance of ice bridges.

2. Properties of ice covers
2.1 Ice formation
2.1.1 Ice forms on fresh water when the surface temperature falls to zero degrees Celsius, or at lower temperatures if dissolved impurities are present. While the underside of the ice cover in contact with the water will remain close to the melting temperature, the upper surface will be nearer to the surrounding air temperature.

2.1.2 The date of annual freeze-up, the rate of ice growth, and the quality of the ice cover depend on various factors such as air temperature, solar radiation, wind speed, snow cover, wave action, currents, and the size and depth of the water body. Generally, small lakes and slow-moving streams freeze over earlier than larger lakes or fast moving streams.

2.1.3 While there are many different types of ice, the two types of major concern are:

(a) clear ice - formed by the freezing of water;

(b) snow ice - formed when water-saturated snow freezes on top of ice, making an opaque white ice which is not as strong as clear ice.

2.2 Ice colour
2.2.1 The colour of ice, which may range from blue to white to grey, provides an indication of its quality and strength:

(a) clear blue ice is generally the strongest;

(b) white opaque ice (snow ice) has a relatively high air content, and its strength depends on the density: the lower the density the weaker the ice; but high density white ice has a strength approaching that of blue ice;

(c) grey ice generally indicates the presence of water as a result of thawing, and must be considered highly suspect as a load-bearing surface.

2.3 Ice thickness
2.3.1 The other major factor determining the bearing capability of ice is its thickness. Care must be taken when determining the thickness of ice covers to ensure that the readings are properly taken and are an accurate representation of the area under consideration.

2.3.2 Currents have a distinct bearing on the temperature required to form ice. Rivers and channels with strong currents may remain open all winter despite low air temperatures. Springs can cause currents, and also be the source of warmer water; currents can also cause variations in ice thickness without changing the uniform surface characteristics.

2.3.3 When selecting the site of an ice bridge, currents and springs should be located and avoided. Frequent checks of the ice thickness should be made in areas suspected of being affected by currents.

2.3.4 Ice under an insulating snow blanket thickens very slowly even in low temperatures. A heavy snow cover, before significant ice growth, may cause the ice to remain unsafe throughout the winter.

3. Bearing capability of ice
3.1 General
3.1.1 The load bearing capacity of ice covers depends on the quality of ice, its thickness, ice and air temperatures, temperature changes and solar radiation.

3.1.2 Clear blue ice is the standard of quality against which other types of ice are compared. White opaque ice, or snow ice, is normally considered to be only half as strong.

3.1.3 Ice covers may consist of alternate layers of clear ice and snow ice, and each layer should be measured so that the effective thickness may be calculated. For example, an ice cover with a total thickness of 8 inches (20 cm) consisting of a 4 inch (10 cm) layer of clear ice and a 4 inch (10 cm) layer of snow ice would have an effective thickness of 6 inches (15 cm).

3.1.4 The strength of ice is generally increased by low temperatures. The increase is progressive from zero to minus eighteen degrees Celsius and remains fairly constant below this point. However, a marked drop in temperature can temporarily cause internal stress in an ice cover and reduce its bearing capacity. This can often occur during overnight periods when the temperature is much lower than the preceding average for the day.

3.1.5 The removal of snow from an ice cover during periods of low temperature has an effect similar to a marked temperature drop. The bearing capacity of ice should be considered to be reduced by 50 per cent for 24 hours after these conditions.

3.2 Determining ice thickness
3.2.1 Prior to use, the ice should be measured to determine whether its effective thickness is adequate to support the expected load. The graph presented in Appendix A should be used as a guide to the required thickness for the loads involved.

3.2.2 To initially determine effective ice thickness, the rule of thumb “one inch (2.5 cm) of clear blue ice for every thousand pounds (450 kg)” may be used.

Caution
Ice that is less than six inches (15 cm) thick should not be used for any crossing. Because of natural variations, thickness may be less than 2 inches (5 cm) in some areas.

3.2.3 The effective thickness can vary considerably in an ice cover. In particular, dangerously thin areas can occur due to currents in the covers of rivers and estuaries, and on lakes near the inlet or outlet of rivers and streams. Careful attention should be given to reduced ice thickness close to shorelines and around ridges and leads.

3.2.4 The thickness can be determined by drilling test holes spaced at a maximum of 50 feet (15 m) apart in rivers, and 100 feet (30 m) apart on a lake.

3.2.5 Crossings should be checked for ice thickness once a week when average air temperatures vary between -15 and -5 degrees Celsius; and daily when the temperature is above -5 degrees Celsius. Checks can be less frequent when ice thickness substantially exceeds requirements. A new hole should be drilled for each ice measurement.

3.2.6 Ice that is no longer supported by water, due to lowering water levels, may be too weak to support the loads to be applied; conversely, a rising water level can result in the formation of two ice layers with an intervening water layer. Ice thickness tests will reveal these conditions.

3.3 Parked and stationary loads
3.3.1 Ice behaves elastically under moving loads; that is, the ice is depressed while loaded but recovers its original position after the load has passed.

3.3.2 With a stationary load the ice surface will sag continuously and may fail, depending on the strength of the ice cover. The safe bearing capability for stationary loads should be considered to be 50 per cent less than that for moving loads.

3.3.3 The sequence of failure for stationary loads is as follows:

(a) radiating cracks form at the bottom of the cover immediately beneath the load (and ultimately propagate through the cover);

(b) circular cracks form at the upper surface of the cover at some distance from the load (noticeable sagging of the ice may occur);

3.3.4 The initial radial cracks may not be of immediate concern if the load bearing capacity of the ice is substantially higher than the load. However, prolonged application of the load should cause concern about possible ice failure.

3.3.5 Stationary loads should be moved under any of the following conditions:

(a) when radial cracks develop;

(b) if noticeable sagging is observed;

(d) if continuous cracking is heard or observed;

(e) if water appears on the surface of the cover.

3.3.6 The accumulation of drifted snow, often caused by stationary loads, may mask the indicators listed in paragraph 3.3.5 as well as increase the static load on the ice. Vehicles should be parked at least 5 lengths apart and in such a way that snow drifts do not interfere with other vehicles.

3.4 Effects of speed
3.4.1 When a vehicle travels over an ice cover, a hydrodynamic or resonance wave is set up in the underlying water. This wave travels at a speed that depends upon the depth of the water, the thickness of the cover and the degree of elasticity of the ice. If the speed of the vehicle coincides with that of the hydrodynamic wave, the stress on the cover due to the wave reinforces that due to the vehicle, and can increase the maximum stress in the ice to the point of failure. The wave action tends to crack the ice in a checkerboard pattern.

3.4.2 Particular care should be exercised when approaching or travelling close to shore, or over shallow water, because of more severe stressing of the cover due to reflection of the hydrodynamic wave. Roads and vehicle approaches should meet the shoreline at an angle of not less than 45 degrees.

3.4.3 If the weight of a loaded vehicle is one-half or less than that determined from Figure 1 as safe for the thickness of the ice being used, speed is not critical. When the weight is greater, and for ice thickness less than 30 inches (75 cm), speed should be carefully controlled and in general be kept below 10 m/h (15 km/h).

3.5 Cracks
3.5.1 The ice usually has many cracks made by thermal contraction or movements of the ice cover. Except at the thaw period cracks do not necessarily indicate a reduction in the load-bearing capability of the cover.

3.5.2 A dry crack with an opening of less than 1/8 inch (0.32 cm), which does not penetrate very deeply into the ice cover, will not cause serious weakening. Where a single dry crack in excess of one inch (2.5 cm) is noted, loads should be reduced by one third; for intersecting cracks of this size the loads should be reduced by two thirds. Dry cracks should be repaired by filling with water or slush.

3.5.3 A wet crack indicates that the crack penetrates completely through the ice cover and therefore affects the load bearing capacity, which should be reduced by one-half in the case of a single wet crack. If two wet cracks meet at right angles the reduction is to one-quarter of that for a good cover. Most wet cracks refreeze as strong as the original ice cover; however a core sample should be taken to ascertain the depth of healing.

3.5.4 Due to normal thermal contraction, cracks sometimes form at the middle of a road in the direction of travel; but these do not seriously reduce the bearing capability if they remain dry. If cracks form parallel to the road, at the sides, they do indicate over-stressing (perhaps by snow deposits from clearing operations) and possible fatigue due to excessive traffic. If such cracks develop, particularly if they are wet, road use should cease at once, and not be recommenced until the cracks are healed.

3.5.5 Fluctuating water levels may produce cracks near and generally parallel to the shoreline. These cracks are often accompanied by a difference in the levels of the floating and the grounded ice. If these cracks are wet, loads should be reduced accordingly. With extreme level differences, appropriate bridging repair (flooding, reinforcing) may be necessary.

3.6 Spring thaw
3.6.1 Ice covers will begin to decay in the spring as the ice warms and begins to melt. The ice will thaw in the sunlight, but in the early spring may refreeze at night. Intensive thawing begins only in atmospheric temperatures above freezing.

3.6.2 Snow is a poorer thermal conductor than ice. A covering of 3 to 4 inches (7.5 to 10 cm) of clean snow on an ice bridge will reduce significantly the solar radiation penetrating the cover, thus prolonging the period of use.

3.6.3 Travel over an ice bridge displaying water on the surface should be executed with great caution and only if absolutely necessary. If mild weather continues and the water disappears, it may indicate that the ice is honey-combed, in which case the use of the area as an ice bridge should be discontinued immediately.

3.6.4 If the average air temperature has been above zero degrees Celsius for three days or more, then use of an ice-bridge should cease.

4. Preparation of ice bridges
4.1 Building techniques
4.1.1 A marked route over a natural ice cover can be utilized as an ice bridge, but since this may not provide sufficient strength for repetitive use, various techniques may be used to increase the safe load-bearing capability.

4.1.2 When temperatures are low and early winter use is not required, ice thickness can be increased by keeping the intended crossing snow-free, or by compacting the snow so that its normal insulating qualities are diminished. The natural rate of ice growth will thus be accelerated and the required thickness will eventually be reached.

4.1.3 If there is a need for a bridge when temperatures are not low enough to obtain the necessary natural thickness by the time of required use, the ice thickness can be increased by flooding: adding water on top of the existing ice cover.

4.2 Flooding
4.2.1 The flooding operation is normally carried out with small lightweight pumps, rather than larger pumps which are less portable.

4.2.2 Flooding may be started as soon as the natural ice is about 3 inches (7.5 cm) thick and strong enough to bear the weight of persons and pumps. The initial flooding should be limited to a depth of about one inch (2.5 cm).

4.2.3 Subsequent floodings for “lifts” should be limited to that depth of water that will freeze within 12 hours. As a rule of thumb, an average air temperature of -18 degrees Celsius will freeze 2 inches (5 cm) of water overnight. With average temperatures of -31 degrees Celsius or lower, lifts may be increased to 3 1/2 inches (9 cm). Wind or snow on the surface will increase or decrease the freezing rate respectively.

4.2.4 Thicker lifts can lead to a layer of water between the old ice surface and the new layer of ice. When covered by succeeding lifts of warm water, this layer may not freeze until well after the bridge has been completed. Such lifts may also overload and crack the existing ice cover.

4.2.5 To achieve maximum strength in the bridge, any snow cover should, if possible, be removed before each flooding operation. However, dragging or packing the snow to an even thickness and then flooding - “slushing” - provides a thicker sheet in less time but the resulting ice is not as strong.

4.2.6 If banks of snow are constructed on each side of the bridge to contain the flooding, they should be at least 150 feet (45 metres) apart; however, a 200 foot (60 metre) wide bridge is preferable.

4.2.7 Snow banks may leak after freezing has begun so that a crust of ice is formed with an air-filled void between it and the initial ice cover.

4.2.8 Flooding should take place from the bridge centre line, letting the water feather out to seek its own level. This method also provides a wider bridge surface.

4.2.9 Ice formed by the flooding process will be stress-free if each lift is allowed to become completely frozen before the next flooding.

4.3 Reinforcement
4.3.1 An ice bridge built in more temperate climates or intended for repeated use may be reinforced with grasses, brush or logs. Such a bridge can then take a greater load for the same thickness, being held together by the reinforcing inclusions. It can heal itself more easily after cracking and is less likely to fail catastrophically.

4.3.2 One disadvantage to reinforcement is the added time and effort required for construction. Another is the effect of local radiational heating of the reinforcing inclusions, particularly during the spring thaw, which will increase the rate of decay of the bridge.

4.3.3 It is preferable to locate the reinforcing items in the bottom portion of the final ice bridge; they should be placed and frozen in as early as possible.

4.3.4 Reinforcing logs, properly placed in an ice bridge, will make possible a reduction of ice thickness of up to 25 per cent.

4.4 Maintenance
4.4.1 On completion, the following rules should be observed in order to increase the safety and life of the ice bridge:

(a) The bridge must be kept clear of excessive snow, and the snow banks kept well back, with slopes of no more than a ratio of 1 to 5. The weight of snow banks can weaken the ice underneath and form relatively deep ditches by slow sagging, and therefore should be levelled out if higher than 3 feet (1 metre) or two thirds of the ice thickness, whichever is the larger.

(b) A covering of 3 to 4 inches (7.5 to 10 cm) of compacted snow will give good traction and will also provide a cushion. Glare or snow-free ice breaks up rapidly under traffic in extreme cold.

(c) The surface should be kept clear of dirt or other dark material, such as oil spots, which will absorb solar radiation and melt into the ice. Puddles of water also absorb heat from the sun and should be “repaired” by filling with snow.

(d) The ice bridge should be checked for cracks daily and on foot, and its thickness measured as outlined in article 3.2. A longitudinal crack more or less down the centre line may occur, particularly if the ice thickness has been increased by flooding. If dry, this crack is not serious. Wet cracks should be repaired immediately and loads reduced until the refreezing process is completed (see article 3.5).

4.5 Operating precautions
4.5.1 Following are a number of general precautions which should be taken when testing for ice thickness or crossing ice covers:

(a) All persons involved in operations over ice covers should be familiar with the hazards involved, the precautions to be taken and the basic rescue techniques required in case of a breakthrough.

(b) Single persons or single vehicles should not venture onto an ice cover when there is no help at hand.

(c) When testing, persons on foot should carry long poles, to be used as an aid to rescue in case of a breakthrough, or alternatively be securely roped together, with minimum spacing of 50 feet (15 m).

(d) Light vehicles used during test periods and initial build-up should be equipped with an extended frame of logs to provide support if the vehicles break through the ice cover.

(e) A rope at least 50 feet (15 m) long, or equivalent to water depth, with a float, may be attached to test vehicles as an aid to marking and recovery.

(f) Vehicle doors and cab hatches should be removed or lashed open; seat belts must NOT be worn.

(g) Adequate spacing must be maintained between vehicles; it is recommended that an interval of at least 100 feet (30 m) be observed.

(h) Vehicle speed should not normally exceed 10 m/h (15 km/h) in order to avoid the effects of the hydrodynamic wave, nor should speed be less than 1 m/h (1.5 km/h) in order to avoid the effects of stationary load.

(i) Where practicable, precautionary and speed limit signs should be erected at each end of the ice bridge, and the route across the ice cover clearly marked.

(j) Where practicable, precautionary and speed limit signs should be erected at each end of the ice bridge, and the route across the ice cover clearly marked.

(k) Equipment required for rescue operations, such as “mats” (chained or wire-linked small logs or heavy planks as a platform for rescue vehicles) jacks, hoists, etc., should be available near by.

(l) Frequently it is the second vehicle in a convoy which encounters ice failure problems. Before a second heavily loaded vehicle proceeds along the ice bridge, it is advisable to have it preceded by a more lightly loaded vehicle to check the route.

(m) For a period of 24 hours after a marked drop in temperature, or following the removal of snow from the ice cover during periods of low temperature, loads should be reduced by 50 per cent and night-time travel should be discouraged.

5. The use of snowmobiles on ice covers
5.1 General
5.1.1 Drownings resulting from snowmobiles going through ice are the greatest single cause of fatalities arising out of the use of these machines. However, snowmobile operations over ice covers can be conducted safely by using common sense and observing the basic precautions.

5.1.2 As the total load - machine, operator and ancillary gear - may weigh approximately 500 pounds (225 kg) or more, a substantial thickness of ice is required for support.

5.1.3 Difficulties in control, steering and stopping are increased on snow-free ice, particularly at higher speeds.

5.2 Operation precautions
5.2.1 The following is an outline of some of the basic precautions:

(a) Where there is an alternative, single machines should not be operated unaccompanied over ice covers.

(b) Should single machine operation be unavoidable, the shore base should be notified of the route to be taken, the destination and probable time of return.

(d) Operators should know of and avoid locations where currents or springs may cause dangerous thinning of the ice cover.

(e) Fog may indicate the proximity of open water; speed should be reduced and great care taken.

(f) When unexpectedly encountering open water normal action is to slow down, brake gently and turn away; otherwise, turn as sharply as possible. If a turn cannot be made in time or a skid results, the operator should roll off the machine.

(g) Glare from the sun and ice may obscure obstacles or dangerous areas; anti-glare sun glasses should be worn under these conditions.

(h) Operations at night or at high speeds should be restricted to well-marked and known safe trails or crossings.

(i) Unless essential, snowmobiles should not be operated on ice bridges or roads with other types of traffic.

(j) Avoid operating over slush or water-covered ice; but if unavoidable, ensure that the tracks are cleared of ice and slush.

References
Additional technical information concerning ice formation and its use is available in the following publications:

Publication CL1-7-71
Freeze-up and Break-up Dates of Water Bodies in Canada
Information Section
Central Service Directorate
Atmospheric Environment Services
Environment Canada

Technical Memorandum No. 56
The Bearing Strength of Ice
National Research Council

Research Paper No. 469, NRCC 11806
Use of Ice Covers for Transportation
National Research Council

Information and advice may be obtained also from the National Research Council of Canada, Division of Building Research, Geotechnical Section, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0R6.

This chapter replaces chapter 5-3 of PMM volume 12.

Enquiries
Enquiries should be directed to the responsible officers in departments headquarters, who in turn, may seek interpretation from the following:

Safety, Health and Employee Services Group
Staff Relations Division
Human Resources Policy Branch
Treasury Board Secretariat

Appendix A - Thickness of Good Quality Fresh Water Ice

Basic Ice Safety

Our Ice Rescue Technician course emphasizes that stress that “There’s no such thing as safe ice!”

With that in mind, if you must venture onto the ice, here are some very basic guidelines:

Be sure it is new, clear, hard ice, at least 4” thick, without any air bubbles, snow covering, or moving water underneath.
Before you go, be sure to carry a whistle to warn others of your distress should you fall through, as well as ice picks (small metal picks on a string that you wear around your neck or keep in your pocket) to help you escape and get back onto solid ice should this occur. These simple items are available for less than $15 at Canadian Tire across Canada.
Consider wearing a life jacket or float coat of some kind whenever on surface ice.
Should an animal fall through the ice, don’t attempt to rescue the animal yourself. Call 911 and wait for professional rescuers to arrive, who are trained and equipped for this type of incident. A large percentage of drownings are of people trying to rescue pets who have fallen into rivers or through the ice.
Remember, the leading cause of death among snowmobilers ... is drowning! Contrary to widespread belief, speed is not a sure bet for crossing surface ice and can actually cause you to break through in many conditions.
Finally, consider a two-day Ice Rescue course for $349, to learn more about operating safely on frozen bodies of water and how to rescue yourself if you break through.

Have a safe winter season!

Management of Water & Flood Incidents

This special opportunity is designed for emergency response and incident commanders at water and flood incidents to provide the underlying knowledge and skills to successfully manage single or multi-agency operations within the jurisdiction’s existing emergency response framework.

While it is not practical to expect managers to have the same level of technical knowledge and skills as specialist water rescue teams, it is imperative that those in a leadership role have the specific knowledge necessary to be able to manage these high risk events in a safe, effective and efficient manner. To this end, the course will cover the practical self-rescue skills required to safely operate in the ‘warm’ zone (shore-based) at moving water incidents. Skills will be taught in two river sessions (including one night session).

The course is specifically-designed to teach practical, operational skills to command-level fire, search and rescue, and police as well as emergency managers in all levels of government including municipalities and regional districts.

Details

Dates: April 19-23, 2010
Duration: 5 days (including evening activities) (~48 hours)
Format: 4 days in the classroom, one day on the river and evening activities. Final course dinner (Thursday evening) with Friday afternoon departure.
Pre-requisites: None
Cost: $925

Instructors

Battalion Chief Tim Rogers, Charlotte Fire Department, North Carolina
One of the senior experts in the US on flood management and water-related disaster management. Tim’s resume lists at least seven major hurricanes in which he has played a major operational role, both at the state and national level. His incredible breadth of knowledge is matched only by his sense of humour and ability to communicate complex ideas. Read Tim Roger’s full bio.

Paul O’Sullivan, Managing Director, Rescue 3 UK
With recent record flooding events in the UK, swiftwater and flooding expert Paul O’Sullivan is seeing the benefit of years of dedication to improving Britain’s ability to respond to such emergencies. Paul’s work has lead to major international awards and he is in high demand as a consultant and lecturer across Europe. Read Paul O’Sullivan’s full bio.

Required Gear

The following PPE will be provided at no charge (or bring your own if you prefer):

Drysuit
PFD
Helmet

Participants must provide:

Footwear (neoprene boots or running shoes - slightly big is best)
Thermal top, pants and socks
Neoprene gloves (optional)

Course Content

The MWFI course will combine both theory and practical elements. The course is not designed to create technical rescuers but rather to develop the specific skills and knowledge to manage rescue personnel in a safe and effective manner in a moving water environment. Self-rescue skills will be taught in two separate river sessions. If the practical component is cause for concern, please see our website for an explanation of “Our Approach which includes “Challenge by Choice”.

Theory Sessions

Water and flood dynamics & hazards
Principles of water safety & rescue
Flood theory
Use of the SEA DEPTH model for flood management
Resources for flood events
River & flood search considerations and management
Water rescue training levels
Response capabilities – team typing, inter-agency cooperation/unified command
Drowning
Water rescue tactics – use of the TEMPO model
PPE for working in, on or near water
Pre-planning for water incidents
Specialist equipment considerations
Water rescue scene size-up and safety controls
Incident command at water rescues
Special considerations i.e. weirs, vehicles in water etc.
Medical and welfare issues including decontamination

In-Water Sessions

Survival swimming & self-rescue
Reach rescues
Throwline use
Shallow water crossings
Inflated fire hose
Overview of swiftwater rescue technician capability
In-water night operations
Searching water & floods

Course Timetable

Day 1: Theory Session
Morning: Fundamental Knowledge 1
Afternoon: Fundamental Knowledge 2
Evening: Brewery Tour and Tasting

Day 2: Practical Session
Morning: Personal Rescue Skills, Basic Rescue Protocols
Afternoon: Overview of Rescue Techniques
Evening: Night Water Rescue Operations

Day 3: Theory Session/Practical Session
Morning: Theory: Pre-Planning, Incident Size-up and Incident Management
Afternoon: Theory: Water and Flood Search Operations/Practical: Search Exercise
Evening: Assessment Task: Search and Rescue Incident Management Exercise

Day 4: Theory Session
Morning: Flood Management
Afternoon: Table Top Flood Management Exercise and Assessment
Evening: End of Course Dinner, Debrief and Networking Opportunity

Day 5: Theory Session
Morning: Wrap-up session
Afternoon: Departure

Take-Aways

Rescue 3’s Management of Water and Flood Incidents Manual

Personalized skill sheet (training record) witnessed by the instructor (valuable document for risk management)

Certificate of Completion

Registration of training record in Rescue 3’s International database

Wallet card with personal Rescue 3 registration number and date of certification

Accommodation

The theory sessions, evening activities, brewery tour, and final dinner will be held at the Howe Sound Inn and Brewery in downtown Squamish, BC at 1-800-919-ALES (2537). The hotel is offering a discounted rate of $89 (single) for course participants. The hotel is small, with limited rooms, so please book early. Other recommended accommodation in Squamish includes the Mountain Retreat Hotel at 1-866-686-7387.

What makes Raven Rescue different from other training providers?

We believe there is a certain set of skills and knowledge that everyone needs to know if they are working in high-risk environments like moving water and surface ice. You need to know how to evaluate a location for potential risks, how to work safely in the environment, and what to do if yourself or a colleague gets in trouble—and you’ve got to know how to perform a rescue safely and fast. However, a team of emergency personnel responding to an incident where someone is already in trouble is going to emphasize different skills than a fisheries biologist who works alone in moving water or on frozen rivers, day-after-day.

Proven Curriculum

We start with a proven curriculum, developed by Rescue 3 International—the global leader in technical rescue training for high risk environments on land, in the water and in the air. This curriculum is developed by leaders in the field of technical rescue and constantly refined and updated by a world-wide cadre of over 700 instructors in 33 different countries. Obviously, with more than 90,000 students who have taken Rescue 3’s courses worldwide, we’ve refined our approach until it is the absolute best in the business.

Customization

The next step is to tailor our approach to the individual client to make sure the skills and knowledge they learn are taught in a way that makes them relevant to their unique work environment. There’s no sense spending valuable training time learning techniques that have absolutely no relevance to what you do every day. Emergency responders will obviously spend more time on Incident Command Systems than a water quality technician would. And conversely, an oilfield worker would be taught more about the analysis of ice structure, thickness and strength because they often have to work on it for days in a row, whereas emergency personnel already know the ice is unsafe when they arrive on-scene where someone has fallen through. As well, first responders would focus more on performing go-rescues than a water quality specialist who would want to emphasize self-rescue. Again, every student is taught all the skills and knowledge required for certification, but the emphasis is different depending on the person’s job description.

Client-Orientation

We are able to take the standard curriculum and adapt it because we employ only top-notch, professional instructors who are not only extremely competent rescue technicians, but also gifted teachers. We believe our people are one of our strongest assets, and you won’t find a blow-hard cowboy in the bunch. Our instructors are personable, respectful and customer-oriented. They focus on giving clients the very best training possible, given their unique needs and the environment they work in.

Challenge by Choice

We also recognize that in every group, there is a range of abilities. Some people are going to excel at the skills we teach, others are going to find them overwhelming and beyond their comfort level. For that reason, we support “Challenge by Choice” which means that if at any time, a student feels that they are unable to perform a skill as requested, they have the option to observe only. This decision is noted on the student’s personalized skill sheet and provides a detailed snapshot of each individual’s abilities, strengths and weaknesses following a course. Supervisors can use this information to determine the range of activities to which each employee is best-suited. Some trainers claim this approach is not rigorous enough, but we believe caution is the sign of a safe employee and that knowing personal limits is critical to operating safely in high risk environments.

Unparalleled Documentation

Court cases prove time and time again that training isn’t worth much if you can’t prove it, so we provide extensive documentation of each student’s training. First, each student is assigned a certification number so that they can access their training record at any time in the future, for employment or legal reasons. Then, each person receives a skill sheet (training record) that lists the specific skills and knowledge taught, the relevant NPFA standard, and whether the student performed or observed each skill. The instructor signs and dates the record and adds any concerns he has about the individual’s skill level or abilities. This becomes an invaluable training record that should be kept in a personnel file and should form the basis for decisions regarding the types of activities the individual is suited to perform. Then, each skill sheet is entered into a database maintained by Rescue 3 International. The training record can be accessed at any time, with only a phone call or an email, by simply quoting the individual certification number. Students also receive a wallet card with their certification number and certification expiry date, and a framable Certificate of Achievement. It is this high-level of record-keeping that is needed to demonstrate “due diligence” by employers and is one of the many ways our approach is unmatched by other training providers.

Professional Qualification

And finally, it is important to have a rigorous standard for individuals like our instructors, private rescue consultants and standby rescue specialists who need to be able to prove their proficiency to third parties. For these highly-motivated people, we provide Professional Qualification Workshops where students are tested against set criteria and must perform to a specific standard. Upon completion of this course, an individual is certified as having met all the criteria for the NPFA’s 1670 and 1006 standard. This is a long process as true competence takes many years and many hours of training and practice to achieve. The majority of our clients in emergency response are more than satisfied with the comprehensive nature of training achieved through our NFPA 1670 compliant courses. For more information on Professional Qualification Workshops, please contact Rescue 3 International.

Starting a Swiftwater Rescue Team

The pelting rain is so strong that windshield wipers can’t keep up. The painful, terrified scream of a youthful voice echoes from what was once a road, but is now a raging river. Perched atop a brown Suburban sits little Emily, clutching the roof rack and calling for help while deafening water pounds past the semi-submerged car.

What has happened here? Did a dam break? Is it the freak storm of the century? Or is this only one in a string of flooding events that have besieged Emily’s community?

The real question is how prepared are you to deal with a situation such as the one described above?

With the exception of fires, swiftwater and flood events are the most common and widespread of natural disasters and threaten communities in virtually every corner of the planet. Unfortunately, it is routine for those of us in the rescue profession to hear from unprepared agencies immediately following a swiftwater rescue or flood that caught them off-guard. It might have been a major event, but more often it was a simple rescue that went bad because the rescuers lacked the knowledge, skill and equipment to deal with it. Frequently the story will include a close call that almost cost the life of a rescuer.

The good news is that in recent years many more agencies are beginning to realize the need to plan ahead for swiftwater and flood events. Whether you work for a large metropolitan department or a small volunteer organization, if you are thinking about starting a swiftwater rescue program for your agency, this article will outline some important considerations that will enhance your success.

1.Community Needs Assessment
2.Program Design
3.Training
4.Management Systems
5.Sufficient Personnel
6.Equipment

Once you have addressed these six topics, you should have a good idea what kind of a swiftwater rescue program is needed in your area as well as the steps required to make it a reality.

Community Needs Assessment

The first question that must be asked is how much of a need exists in your area for a swiftwater rescue program. While most of us would like to train and equip a fully-staffed specialty team for every hazard from HAZMAT to confined space rescue, this goal is simply not in the budget for most departments. Therefore, prioritizing your department’s rescue needs is vital. Creating a realistic needs assessment for swiftwater rescue can really help to focus your efforts, as well as answering a number of questions from the number of personnel, to the level of training and type of equipment that will be needed.

It is necessary to both research past occurrences and anticipate future needs. In order to do this you will probably have to do a little sleuthing. Start out by looking for information on past incidents. One great resource is Environment Canada or your provincial environment ministry, which will have historical records of flood events. Your local newspaper and other media archives may also hold a wealth of information. While it is helpful to document information about the big events, it is also vital to start a database of any documented rescues. You may find that a single feature in your community as innocuous as a popular jumping spot or short stretch of river has been responsible for numerous deaths or near misses over a period of several decades.

In addition to official records, there may be one or more organizations that have institutionalized knowledge relevant to your research. Seek interviews with those involved. The most obvious organization to research is your own, but include all standard first response agencies; local police, fire, search and rescue, etc. There could also be other less obvious sources of information such as local, provincial or national parks services, Coast Guard, provincial emergency management, recreational clubs and private guides. Your research should also include statutory roles and responsibilities of the various agencies, as well as their response capabilities and guidelines. What you are attempting to do is establish a realistic picture of the frequency and severity of swiftwater rescues and flood events in your community, as well as assess current rescue capabilities at the local level.

Designing Your Swiftwater Rescue Program

Armed with the information in your needs assessment, it is time to determine where your department fits into the whole scenario and how prepared you are at present to fill any identified needs.

If you find that flooding and swiftwater rescues are virtually unheard of, or that another department or agency already has swiftwater rescue adequately covered, then why create a redundant system? In this case, be willing to accept that your energies might be better spent on other priorities. However, for the rest of you, once a need is identified and you have made a conscious decision to fill it, the real work is just starting.

Before we start talking about the fun stuff (training and toys) it’s important to note that there are a number of ways that we can address the issues identified in a needs assessment. While creating a service delivery model is important, it is equally important to remember that preventing the need for rescue is one of the best rescue tools. Although arguably not as sexy as starting a specialty rescue team, public education is a very effective place to invest your time and money. One related example is in the area of pool drowning. One community took note that backyard pools were the leading cause of drowning and wisely chose to invest in programs aimed at increasing public awareness of pool safety. Had this community chosen to address drowning solely by improving response capabilities, there is little doubt the outcome would have been less impressive.

Another avenue is the creation of new laws and regulations. The State of Arizona has had such a problem with motorist attempting to cross flooded streets that it passed what is universally referred to as the “stupid motorist law”. Under this law municipalities and rescue agencies can charge people for the cost of being rescued if they fail to observe posted warning signs. Such approaches have proven to be very successful.

Unfortunately, even with community education and regulations, emergency response capabilities are a necessity. However, the level of service can vary, based on the results of your needs assessment, as well as the amount of time, energy and budget you’re able to commit (see “Training” below)

While public education, laws and effective emergency response can be used alone, the combination of the three works extremely well. The trick is identifying the problems through your needs assessment and creating an appropriate response model utilizing a combination of the three that maximizes program effectiveness to create the best results.

Training

Once you have designed your program, it’s time to start thinking about training. The first step is selecting an operating level, kind of like determining your scope of practice. The National Fire Protect Association (NFPA) 1670 Standard on Technical Rescue suggests that each agency should select from one of three operational levels: Awareness, Operations or Technician.

The Awareness level is the most basic of the three operational levels. Agencies choosing this level are focussed more on training their members what not to do in a rescue situation. Awareness training introduces them to many of the hazards associated with swiftwater rescue, and the knowledge they receive is more theoretical in nature (delivered in a lecture setting as opposed to through in-water practice). Thus personnel trained to this level are not classified as rescuers, but the training does help insure that they are not added to the list of casualties. This is an excellent approach for those communities with very infrequent swiftwater rescue occurrences.

So what can an Awareness level organization do for the victims? Awareness personnel have the knowledge to call in the appropriate resources, as identified in your needs assessment. In the event that absolutely no swiftwater rescue resources are available, then you may want to consider training up to the Operations level. Short of that, Awareness level training is more vital than ever. Without training, would-be rescuers are far more likely to improvise if they know no other help is on the way, which can lead to disastrous results. Awareness level training is intended to help the non-rescuer fight the natural urge to do something, if it is dangerous.
The next step up is the Operations level. This level is designed for those organizations that want to allow their members to perform low-risk rescues – a compromise between the extremes of no rescue and a high-risk capable team. In short, Operations level rescuers are trained for shore- and boat-based rescues. These capabilities are comparatively inexpensive to train for and offer a good level of success for the investment.

The third and most complex level is Technician. Technician level organizations offer the most capability. It encompasses all of the Operations skills, as well as a full range of in-water contact rescue capabilities and full knowledge of technical rope systems. The ability to utilize ropes in the swiftwater environment involves training beyond that required for standard Rope Technicians. Not surprisingly, the Technician level involves far more training and specialized equipment then the Operations level. However, the payoff is that the Technical level offers top-notch capability.

Keep in mind that there is a world of difference between open water and swiftwater. Resources such as a boat or a dive component require additional training for a swiftwater environment. For example, a Public Safety Diver Certification is required for swiftwater divers, as standard divers have no business in swiftwater, much less floodwater.

When deciding on which of the three levels to choose, it is important to be realistic in your expectations. Because of the expense of training someone to the Technician level, it is common for agencies to want to focus on a small number of personnel and form a specialty team. While there is no question that having Technician level team can save lives, most successful swiftwater rescues occur immediately or not at all. If you anticipate other resources arriving ahead of your swiftwater team, you may want to consider including them in your formula. Many agencies have found that providing all first responders with some level of training is the most effective solution

Does that mean that if you decide that your goal is Technician level capabilities that everyone must be trained to the Technician level? The answer is a resounding no. Most experts agree that more Operations level personnel are needed to assist a fewer number of Technician level personnel. Generally, a ratio of three Operations people to one Technician has proven adequate. Further, Awareness level personnel can provide many non-Operational support and logistical functions. This formula is not much different than the one used by most fire departments for staffing ALS engine companies. One paramedic per engine is plenty.

Most agencies choose not to form a centralized swiftwater specialty team, rather they spread knowledge and skill levels throughout the organization. The term “team member” then becomes a reference to any personnel trained above the awareness level. Also keep in mind that the operating level (Awareness, Operations, or Technician) is a target for the organization as a whole, not a description of the minimum training for each and every member of the organization.

One final point on training, remember not to leave management out of the training loop. Having department management trained to at least the Awareness level is vital to having a good team. This will provide a baseline understanding of the challenges facing the field rescuers, and when managers show up to “help”, they need to know enough to stay out of harm’s way. Further, anyone filling the Incident Safety Officer role must be trained to the level of the rescuers.

Management System

After you’ve decided on the level of training, it is time to start thinking about how you plan to manage a swiftwater rescue emergency. Hopefully you already utilize a Management System on emergency scenes, but regardless of whether you do or not, here is something you might want to think about.

To start with you may want to consider adopting an Incident Command System (ICS) if you haven’t already done so. The United States is quickly moving toward a single, comprehensive national incident management system at the state, territorial, tribal and local levels. Given that there could soon come a day when such a national approach is adopted in Canada and given that the NFPA 1670 standard has emerged as the de-facto global standard for technical rescue incidents, it makes sense to get ahead of the curve by using NPFA standards as the basis for all management decisions today.

Sufficient Personnel

No matter how you go about it, insuring the response of an adequate number of rescuers is a major commitment. Vacations, illness and injuries can render a program useless if there is not an ongoing commitment to keeping the number of trained personnel up to par. Make sure you have enough trained and equipped personnel to handle a swiftwater rescue incident on every shift every day of the year. As we all know rescue incidents don’t wait for 9 to 5 Monday through Saturday. The rescuers selected also need to be willing to take the time and effort to remain current and practiced on the demanding skills and techniques that will be required of them. Many agencies have turned to incentive pay in order to recruit sufficient numbers.

Equipment

Now it’s time to give our rescuers the tools they need. It is suggested that you hold off on purchasing equipment (other than the personal protective equipment needed for training) until after your team has completed their initial training. Time and again well meaning purchasing agents have ordered equipment only to receive a brand new wish list of equipment from freshly trained personnel. Worse yet, the equipment bought before the training may even be unsuitable or even unsafe for the intended use. During training, personnel will get a chance to use many types and brands of equipment and will acquire the knowledge to make educated decisions about the equipment that will best meet their specific needs.

While an initial investment in equipment will be necessary, do not go overboard. Allow the team to gain some experience and plan to reinvest on a regular basis. This will give them the ability to identify those items truly useful to their specific needs, and will serve them better than a one-time investment. Further, the one-time investment does not take equipment turnover into account.

The next question that needs to be asked is: does your team need a boat? In most swiftwater and flood environments a boat will improve your capabilities ten-fold. One of the biggest decisions that may face your new team is whether or not to purchase one, and one of the most common questions asked is what type of boat is best. Sorry, but there is no “best”. Each community is different and you will need to research this yourself as it is a complex decision beyond the scope of this article. There are an infinite number of watercraft (and not all of them are even classified as boats) that could best fit your needs, so do your research carefully.

Conclusion

After fighting to start your team, it will still be the ongoing struggle to keep the team viable over time that will ultimately prove to be your greatest challenge. Ongoing operational costs, recruitment and skill retention are all very real challenges that can render all your efforts useless within a few short years.

Be honest with yourself about your ability to keep up with the ongoing demands of running a successful swiftwater rescue program. But if you do and the rain falls, or the waters rise, and your team makes what would have been an extremely dangerous rescue look easy, you’ll know that it has all been worth it.

Phil Turnbull has 32 years experience in the field of fire rescue, 23 of which he has served as a Chief Officer. Phil is also a swiftwater rescue Instructor Trainer for Rescue 3 International.

The History of the PFD

On a recent business trip to London’s British Museum my daughter and I came across several rooms of massive limestone slabs. They showed narrative scenes carved in low relief and had once decorated the palaces of Assyrian kings. The carvings depicted battles, hunting expeditions and other memorable events of the Assyrian Empire who dominated the near east for several hundred years until its collapse in 612 BCE. The empire once stretched from the Mediterranean Sea to Egypt, Syria, parts of Iran and Turkey.

Inflated Goat Skins

I was particularly drawn to a couple of scenes that were carved sometime between 865-860 BCE. These reliefs depicted the Assyrians’ enemies struggling to cross the Euphrates River while under attack by Assyrian archers.
Being in the water rescue business, what fascinated me was that these soldiers were swimming the river supported by inflated goat skins. The scenes show an amazing amount of detail; you can clearly see the soldiers swimming with one arm while holding the inflated goat skin around them with the other.

As I stood there mesmerized by these scenes, I began to wonder if I was looking at evidence of the first personal flotation device (PFD). This then led me to reflect on how far water safety had advanced from the PFG (personal flotation goat) to the wide variety of the modern PFD (personal flotation device) on the market today.

Down with the Ship

When I returned home I began to research the origins of the modern day PFD. Aside from the Assyrian carvings, there were relatively few references to life preservers before the 19th century. One of the few I found states that “in earliest years of development [life preservers] were nothing more that a wood plank used by Norwegian seamen, an empty barrel or even a vest of cork blocks.” This left me seriously wondering what happened to the PFG. Was it an invention which came before its time, which, like many such ideas, was buried in the archives of history? Even so, there had to have been a need for some form of flotation device.

Throughout the ages one of the greatest obstacles to mankind has been water. Whether it’s a river or an ocean, people invariably needed to cross bodies of water, and, unlike today, many lacked the ability to swim. For example, prior to 1900, over half of the sailors in the British Navy did not know how to swim. This fact was portrayed in the recent hit movie Master and Commander. The movie, which is about a British ship in the late 1800s, shows how the sailors would lower nets into the water so that the sailors who couldn’t swim would be able to enter the water to bathe with relative ease.

So, despite the brief use of the Personal Flotation Goat, it seems that for a majority of man’s history our forefathers found themselves in water without the skills or equipment to keep themselves safe.

Wood to Steel

According to one historical theory, the modern precursor to the PFD came about because of technological advancements. One important development was the transition in the construction of seagoing vessels from wood to steel. If a sailor on a wooden ship went into the sea, it was usually the result of a catastrophic occurrence such as a shipwreck, an attack by pirates, or an assault from an enemy nation. If this happened, the sea would most likely be filled with debris that could be used for flotation. However, with the invention of more durable hulls, floating debris could no longer be counted on to save someone’s life. Therefore, sailors started to carry something that floated with them in the event they inadvertently entered the water.

Mr. Guerrin’s Waistcoat

This change in boat construction coincides with the apparent evolution of the PFD. Though the Norwegians used wood planks and cork blocks, the earliest evidence of anything resembling a modern version of the PFD appeared in the 1800s.
According to the United States Patent Office, Napoleon Edouard Guerin of New York City, New York was issued a patent for “Improvement in Buoyant Dresses or Life-Preservers” on November 16, 1841. Mr. Guerin’s design was for a jacket, waistcoat, or coat made of cotton or other material (double layered) that could receive eighteen to twenty quarts of rasped or grated cork (a profile of the rasp was even included in the patent drawings.) As you can see from the picture, the modern PFD greatly resembles Mr. Guerin’s waistcoat.

From historical accounts, it seems that Mr. Guerin’s invention was right for the times. In the United States in the early 1800’s, the waterways were one of the main means for traversing the country. Because of the growing number of customers and commercial carriers accidents were an increasing in number, including dramatic and deadly steamboat explosions.

Kapok, Balsa and Cork

As a result, Congress passed requirements in 1852 that all steamboats or commercial carriers had to carry a PFD for every passenger on board. They also created a Board of Supervising Inspectors to see that this law was carried out. This board was also responsible for specifying the material and design for the PFD. They wrote a number of regulations, such as one that said a PFD should be “furnished with ready and suitable means for secure attachment to the body of the person, or enable people to hold themselves securely hereto.” Throughout the coming years, the Board continued to amend regulations. They made changes like adding a requirement for shoulder straps, eliminating the use of loose granulated cork, and banning the use of metal components because those pieces might be damaged through carelessness or oxidation.

Components such as material, buoyancy, form and even shape of the PFD continued to change over the next 75 years. Kapok, a natural fiber which comes from the seed of a tropical tree, was first used for buoyancy in 1902. However, it was banned in 1904 when it was found to be flammable and tended to lose buoyancy rapidly when compressed during storage. Even so, the developers of kapok didn’t give up and reintroduced a significantly modified version in 1918. Additionally, in the 1920s, balsa wood was approved for use in PFDs. It was lightweight, highly buoyant and had a long useful life.

Even with the introduction of kapok and balsa wood, the use of cork-block remained the standard against which all other PFDs were measured. This changed in 1928 when the British passenger steamer, Vestris sunk, and many of the passengers on board perished. The following year the International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea convened in London to hear testimony from rescuers. They testified that they found many bodies floating face down even though they were wearing cork life vests. As a result, it was recommended that kapok life jackets be required for the merchant marines because they kept an unconscious individual’s face and head above water. Even with this recommendation, cork vests remained the mainstay on most vessels until WWII.

Mae West and the Inflatables
The onset of World War II spawned extensive development in many areas from medicine to nuclear physics. Water safety was no exception. The first inflatable jackets came into use and were worn by air crews, sailors and submariners. One of the most famous types of inflatable PFD was worn around the neck with an inflatable bladder on the front and was activated either with a CO2 charge or by oral inflation. The Royal Air Force called it the “Mae West” after a famous actress of the time. The nickname came from the fact that, when inflated, the Mae West resembled a certain part of the actresses anatomy for which she was quite famous. With the research and developments derived from military technology, the modern PFD was born.

During the same area, legislation was also being passed concerning PFDs. In 1940, the United States passed the Motorboat Act. This act required that all vessels, (not just commercial crafts) carry some form of PFD for passengers and crew. It soon became apparent that the bulky and uncomfortable PFDs designed for large rivers and seagoing vessels did not adapt well to the ever increasing number of recreational boaters. As a result, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) recommended that the designs for PFDs used in recreational vessels be able to support a person for shorter periods of time than those required for seagoing vessels. Their logic was that if the PFD was less bulky and more readily available, people might use them more frequently.

Specialty Jackets
However, in 1964 the USCG determined that many of the recreational boaters’ needs were still not being met. They developed a “special purpose” category to offer minimum restriction while still accommodating boaters’ specific needs. Some examples of “special purpose” PFD’s that have been developed for this category include the Rescuer PFD (or live-bait jacket), water skier lifejackets, kayaker lifejackets and ocean survival suits. The USCG currently has five types of flotation device classifications in use today. They are as follows:

Type I: offshore lifejacket for extended survival in rough open water that will turn a person face-up.
Type II: the classic PFD for calm inland waters and is less bulky and less expensive.
Type III: the most comfortable PFD with styles for different boating activities and sports.
Type IV: a throwable device such as a cushion, ring or horseshoe buoys.
Type V: special use device that include vests, deck suits and hybrids for restricted use.

Light and Easy

In the 1960s, synthetic foams were introduced and quickly began to be used by PFD manufacturers. It allowed designers more flexibility in the form, style, and shape of the PFD. While some worn today may resemble the cork vest of 150 years ago, research and development as well as technological advances are making today’s lifevests more reliable, lighter, and easier to maintain.

While I am still not quite sure why the personal flotation goat didn’t sweep the globe in 800 BCE and become a mainstay on every river and sea traveling vessel, it is fascinating to see the correlations between modern technology and ancient adaptation. The fact that these ancient limestone slabs have survived for so long leads me to wonder what other form of flotation devices have been used over the past several thousand years and were lost to history.

However, what little we do know about the evolution of the PFD over the centuries is a testament to human creativity and adaptation. It amazes me that with this wonderful device readily available, people still choose to ignore it and as a result lose their lives. However, I can’t even begin to fathom how many people have been saved by the PFD and couldn’t imagine doing my job without one. And to think…it all began with a dead goat.

J. Michael Turnbull is the President of Rescue 3 International, the global leader in technical rescue training on land, water and in the air.

Check out this great Canadian website for a modern take on the “PFG”. Lots of information on choosing and wearing PFDs. http://www.wearalifejacket.com

How does my organization host a course?

If you’d rather that we send an instructor to you, on dates of your choice, it’s easy to set up. Before you get in touch to discuss the details, please review the following requirements for hosting a course, to ensure you qualify for a 10% discount.

Identify participants. Our minimum class size is 12, so it’s in your best interests to fill all the spaces. However, if you can’t get 12 people, and you still want the course to go ahead, you will still be charged for 12 spots which means you will pay slightly more per person. This can still be significantly cheaper than sending your personnel to a public course after you factor in travel, meals, accommodation as well as time away from work. The maximum for one instructor is 15 people. For larger groups, a second instructor is available at a rate to be determined.

Book a classroom. We don’t need anything fancy - just a quiet space where participants can all be seated at tables. In addition, we need a TV, DVD player and either a whiteboard or flipchart. Drinking water and perhaps coffee and tea are always appreciated by the participants and the instructor.

Identify possible training sites within an hour’s drive that have appropriate swiftwater, surface ice or climbing sites. Please call for more details.

Determine who requires rental gear. Depending on the course, we can provide:

goretex drysuits ($40/day)
helmets (no charge)
lifejackets (no charge)
harnesses (no charge)

Gather sizing information for anyone who needs gear.

Sm (100-149 lbs)
Med (150-174)
Lrg (175-199)
XL (200-224)
XXL (225+)

Footwear and gloves are each participant’s responsibility. For more information on required gear and recommended clothing, please see our FAQ on preparing for a course for anyone who needs gear.

Register all participants via our online Registration form, at least two weeks prior to the course. You will need first and last names and whether they are taking the course for the first-time or are re-certifying (required every 3 years). You will also be asked for sizing information (above) for those requiring gear and you will need to select a method of payment. We can accept POs and are happy to invoice your organization.

Provide contact information for billing. We require billing information two weeks prior to the start of the course. If we are able to submit one invoice for the entire group, we will discount the course fees by 10%. Please be aware that if your location is more than four hours travel time from where we have an instructor based, a mileage fee will apply. Please review our cancellation policy.

Act as our go-between to ensure that members of your group have all the information they need. Detailed FAQs (answers to “frequently asked questions”) are available on our website.

Provide us with driving directions to the classroom location and desired start time. (Courses run 8 hours/day.) We also appreciate recommendations for reasonable accommodation, or billets for our instructors.

Arrange to meet our instructor upon arrival so that you can review logistics and possible training sites in advance of the course.

Ensure payment is received within 30 days.

How do I prepare for a swiftwater course?

Q. How is the course organized?

Swiftwater Awareness - 4 hours of theory in a classroom setting.
Swiftwater Operations - One day in a classroom, followed by one day on the river.
Swiftwater Rescue Technician - Level One - One day in a classroom, followed by two days on the river.
River Rescue for River Runners - 4 hour classroom session, followed by one day on the river.

Q: Do I have to attend the whole course?

100% attendance is required to receive certification. Anyone more than 30 minutes late (without prior arrangement) will not be allowed to continue the course. This is for safety reasons and in the interest of fairness to other students.

Q. How long does the course run each day?

Courses run approximately 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. with a break for lunch. The exception is Swiftwater Awareness courses which are only four hours in length with various start times.

Q. Will I get a confirmation that the course is going ahead?

Approximately 7-10 days before the course, you will receive an email to confirm details such as classroom location, start time, the instructor’s name and contact information for any last minute issues.

Q. What do I need for the classroom session?

Be prepared for note-taking.
Dress for the weather as you go outside in the afternoon for dryland rope practice.

Q. I’m renting equipment from Raven Rescue. When and where do I get it?

The instructor will provide rental gear on Day 1. Charges will apply if equipment is lost or damaged. Please follow instructions for putting on and taking off gear.

Q. What do I need for the river sessions?

Full wetsuit or drysuit (goretex drysuits available for rent from Raven Rescue)
Water-sports or hockey helmet (available at no-charge from Raven Rescue)
PFD (lifejacket) - Type III or IV (available at no-charge from Raven Rescue)

Q: What do I wear under a drysuit?

Fleece, wool or “wicking” pants and top
Wool or “wicking socks”
NO COTTON as it gets cold and wet quickly

Q: What kind of footwear do I need?

Neoprene boots with a good walking sole
Old running shoes that are a bit big so they fit over the drysuit socks (these work great)
Fishermen’s wading boots (felt-bottom)

Q: Are there any nice extras to bring?

Neoprene gloves

Q: What about lunch?

You are responsible for your own food. Please bring:

Lots of drinking water
Hot drink in a thermos (optional)
A good lunch and snacks as needed

Q. What else do I need for river sessions?

A full change of clothing
A towel
Appropriate outdoor gear if the weather is wet or cold.

Q. What if I’m not a strong swimmer or scared of moving water?

In order to receive a certification you are not required to do anything that seriously frightens you (a little nervous is normal). We proceed in small, simple steps that gradually build your ability to perform higher-level skills. However, if at any point you believe you have reached your limit, we support “Challenge by Choice.” If you wish to observe a specific activity only, please advise the instructor immediately. This will be noted on your skill sheet and should be shared with your supervisor so that they can make an informed decision about the activities for which you are best-suited. However, if you do not complete sufficient skills to your instructor’s satisfaction, your certifcation may be downgraded to a lower level. Raven Rescue recognizes that caution and knowledge of personal limits is a sign of a safe worker.

Q. What kind of paperwork do I receive?*

A Certificate of Completion.
A wallet card with your own Rescue 3 registration number & date of expiration.
A personalized skill sheet (training record) documenting the skills & knowledge you performed or observed. You should give a copy of this to your supervisor as it is proof you have taken the course. Keep your copy in a safe place.
Registration in Rescue 3’s student database so that your credentials can be verified with a phone call or email.
A detailed manual for future reference.

Q. How long do I have to wait for my certification or paperwork?*

Your instructor will provide your paperwork at the conclusion of the course. No waiting for it to arrive by mail.

Q. What if I lose my paperwork?*

Your certification is granted by Rescue 3 International - the global leader in technical rescue training. Part of what sets us apart is the attention we pay to record-keeping. Every student is entered into the Rescue 3 database, and in the future, if you ever need to verify your credentials for employment or legal reasons, all it takes is a phone call or email to Rescue 3 to obtain a copy of your training record.

Q. How long is my certification valid?*

Certification is valid for three years from date of issue. We offer discounted rates for re-certs. You are encouraged to audit courses - at no charge - any time during your certification period, if you wish to refresh your skills.

* Does not apply to RRRR which is not a Rescue 3 certification course.

How do I prepare for a boat handling course?

Q. How is the course organized?

Motorized Swifwater Boat Operator: One day in a classroom, followed by two days on the river. Optional night session.
Boat Handling and Safety Sessions - As determined based on client goals.

Q: Do I have to attend the whole course?

Q. How long does the course run each day?

Courses run approximately 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. with a break for lunch.

Q. Will I get a confirmation that the course is going ahead?

Q. What do I need for the classroom session?

Be prepared for note-taking.
Dress for the weather as you go outside in the afternoon for dryland rope practice.

Q. I’m renting equipment from Raven Rescue. When and where do I get it?

The instructor will provide rental gear on Day 1. Charges will apply if equipment is lost or damaged. Please follow instructions for putting on and taking off gear.

Q. What do I need for the river sessions?

Full wetsuit or drysuit (optional) (goretex drysuits available for rent from Raven Rescue)
Water-sports or hockey helmet (available at no-charge from Raven Rescue)
PFD (lifejacket) - Type III or IV (available at no-charge from Raven Rescue)

Q: What do I wear under a drysuit?

Fleece, wool or “wicking” pants and top
Wool or “wicking socks”
NO COTTON as it gets cold and wet quickly

Q: What kind of footwear do I need?

Neoprene boots with a good walking sole
Old running shoes that are a bit big so they fit over the drysuit socks (these work great)
Fishermen’s wading boots (felt-bottom)

Q: Are there any nice extras to bring?

Neoprene gloves

Q: What about lunch?

You are responsible for your own food. Please bring:

Lots of drinking water
Hot drink in a thermos (optional)
A good lunch and snacks as needed

Q. What else do I need for river sessions?

A full change of clothing
A towel
Appropriate outdoor gear if the weather is wet or cold.

Q. Do I have to go into the water for this course?

In order to be checked off as having performed all requisite skills and knowledge for certification, it is necessary to demonstrate the ability to self-rescue in moving water (see below).

Q. What if I’m not a strong swimmer or scared of moving water?

Q. What kind of paperwork do I receive?

A Certificate of Completion.
A wallet card with your own Rescue 3 registration number & date of expiration.
A personalized skill sheet (training record) documenting the skills & knowledge you performed or observed. You should give a copy of this to your supervisor as it is proof you have taken the course. Keep your copy in a safe place.
Registration in Rescue 3’s student database so that your credentials can be verified with a phone call or email.
A detailed manual for future reference.

Q. How long do I have to wait for my certification or paperwork?

Your instructor will provide your paperwork at the conclusion of the course. No waiting for it to arrive by mail.

Q. What if I lose my paperwork?

Q. How long is my certification valid?

How do I prepare for a rope course?

Q. How is the course organized?

Day 1 is a classroom session. The remaining days are outdoors at various sites. You must attend the entire course in order to receive your certification. TRR-Operations is 3 days in total. TRR-Technician is five days in total.

Q. How long does the course run each day?

The course runs approximately 8 hours/day with a break for lunch. We usually start at 8:30 or 9:00 a.m. and finish up around 4:30 - 5:00 p.m. Anyone more than 30 minutes late (without prior approval from the instructor) will not be permitted to continue the course.

Q. Where and when?

Approximately 10 days before the course, we will contact you by email to provide details such as start time and classroom location.

Q. Are there any pre-requisites?

Other than the general pre-requisites listed on the course description (age, physical fitness etc.) no prior rope experience is required. However, our TRR-Technician course proceeds fairly quickly from basic to more advanced skills and therefore, some basic rope knowledge is an asset. Our SRT 1 and SRT A courses provide a good introduction to rope skills for those interested in TRR, but again, are not mandatory.

Q. Do I get a manual in advance for pre-reading?

Pre-reading is not required. You will receive your manual on Day 1 during the classroom session.

Q. What do I need for Day 1 (the classroom session)?

Come prepared for note-taking.
Dress for the weather as you may go outside in the afternoon for basic rope practice.

Q. What do I need for the outdoor training sessions?

Climbing or fire helmet
Full-body harness (or both a sit harness & a chest harness)
Pants made of durable material
Boots (hiking boots are fine)
Leather-palmed gloves (work gloves are fine)
Appropriate outdoor gear including sunscreen
Lots of drinking water
A good lunch
A hot drink in a thermos if the weather is wet/cold

Q. I don’t own a harness or climbing helmet. Can I rent them?

With advance notice, we can provide both. Helmets are free, harnesses are $25/day.
We need your height and weight for sizing
Charges will apply if equipment is lost or damaged

Q. What if I’m scared of heights?

In order to receive a certification you are not required to do anything you are uncomfortable with. Raven Rescue recognizes that caution is a sign of a good rescuer and believes in “challenge by choice”. Please note that if you cannot complete enough skills to your instructor’s satisfaction, your certification could be downgraded to a lower level which could limit the type of activities you can perform. However, if you wish to observe a specific activity only, please advise the instructor immediately. This will be noted on your skill sheet, which you should review with your supervisor after the course, to determine the activities for which you are suited. Your supervisor should keep a copy of your skill sheet on file to demonstrate due diligence in training and record keeping.

Q. What kind of paperwork do I receive?

Upon the conclusion of the course (no waiting to get it in the mail), the instructor will provide:

A personalized Skill Sheet (training record) documenting the skills & knowledge performed or observed. This is a valuable training record. Please share it with your supervisor and keep it in a safe place.
A Certificate of Completion
A wallet card with your personal Rescue 3 registration number & date of expiration
You also take home your illustrated manual

Q. How long is my certification valid?

TRR certification is valid for 3 years from date of issue. We offer discounted rates for recerts.

Q. What if I lose my paperwork?

Q. What prior knowledge do I need before I take a TRR-Technician level course?

The course proceeds in small steps that build logically on each other, so you don’t need any prior rope knowledge. However, the Technician-level course proceeds quickly from low angle to high angle skills and covers a lot of material in five days, so some basic rope knowledge makes it a lot easier to keep up. If you have some familiarity with the following knots, hitches, bends etc. you will be able to focus on the more advanced skills:

the “Family of 8’s”
water knot (for tubular webbing)
double fisherman’s
mutner

If you’re really keen, it helps to have some familiarity with the following concepts and systems:

tensile strengths of rope and webbing
anchors (simple to complex)
mechanical advantage (3 to 1, 4 to 1, pig rig)
high line tyrolean (some idea of how these are built is nice)

Again, our instructors all agree: don’t get caught up in the fancy stuff. Practice your knots so that you can recognize them and tie them quickly, and you’ll be in a good position to maximize your learning in a TRR course.

How do I prepare for an ice rescue course?

Q. How is the course organized?

One day in a classroom, followed by one day on-ice.

Q: Do I have to attend the whole course?

Q. How long does the course run each day?

Courses run approximately 8 hours each day (ie: from 8:30 or 9 a.m. - 4:30 or 5 p.m.) with a break for lunch.

Q. Will I get a confirmation that the course is going ahead?

Q. What do I need for the classroom session?

Be prepared for note-taking and bring appropriate outerwear for the weather as you may go outside for dryland rope practice.

Q. I’m renting equipment from Raven Rescue. When and where do I get it?

The instructor will provide rental gear on Day 1. Charges will apply if equipment is lost or damaged. Please follow instructions for putting on and taking off gear.

Q. What do I need for the ice sessions?

Ice rescue suit, wetsuit or drysuit (goretex drysuits available for rent from Raven Rescue)
Water-sports or hockey helmet (available at no-charge from Raven Rescue)
PFD (lifejacket) - Type III or IV (available at no-charge from Raven Rescue)
Ice awls (available at hardware and outdoor stores for ~$15)

Q: What do I wear under an ice rescue suit, drysuit or wetsuit?

Fleece, wool or poly-propylene (pants and top)
If extremely cold, a down jacket is recommended
Balaclava or hat that fits under a helmet
Winter gloves with commercial dish gloves overtop or neoprene gloves
Wool or fleece socks
NO COTTON as it gets cold and wet quickly
“Hotshot” hand and foot warmers

Q: What kind of footwear do I need?

Neoprene boots with a good walking sole, or
Old running shoes that are a bit big so they fit over the drysuit socks (these work great).
Insulated boots are not recommended as they get very heavy when submersed

Q: Are there any nice extras to bring?

Hot Shots (pocket warmers)

Q: What about lunch?

You are responsible for your own food. Please bring:

Lots of drinking water
Hot drink in a thermos (optional)
A good lunch and snacks as needed

Q. What else do I need for the on-ice sessions?

A full change of clothing
A towel
Appropriate outdoor gear

Q. What if I’m nervous of being on ice?

Q. What kind of paperwork do I receive?

A Certificate of Completion.
A wallet card with your own Rescue 3 registration number & date of expiration.
A personalized skill sheet (training record) documenting the skills & knowledge you performed or observed. You should give a copy of this to your supervisor as it is proof you have taken the course. Keep your copy in a safe place.
Registration in Rescue 3’s student database so that your credentials can be verified with a phone call or email.
A detailed manual for future reference.

Q. How long do I have to wait for my certification or paperwork?

Your instructor will provide your paperwork at the conclusion of the course. No waiting for it to arrive by mail.

Q. What if I lose my paperwork?

Q. How long is my certification valid?

What are “Training Levels”?

The level of training you require depends on the degree of exposure you have to a particular hazard, such as moving water, surface ice or elevation. The rescue training industry, worldwide, recognizes three distinct training levels that qualify you to work in increasing proximity to a hazard. They are:

Awareness
Operations
Technician

Plus, we’ve added a fourth one:

Recreation

Scroll down to find your work environment (swiftwater, rope, ice, boat) and then read about the different training levels we offer.

Swiftwater

Recreation - A category we’ve added for those who want to learn basic safety skills for recreational pursuits in moving water, ie: whitewater kayakers. Our River Rescue for River Runners course falls into this category. It does not certify you to work on, in or near moving water. Recreational professionals who work on or in moving water, like raft guides or fish guides, must take a Technician level course (see below).

Awareness - Qualifies personnel to work in the “cold zone” more than 10’ from moving water. Our Swiftwater Awareness course includes a four-hour classroom-based introduction to the theory of swiftwater rescue. It provides an overview of the risks and hazards associated with moving water, and a summary of the techniques that can be used to self-rescue or rescue others. This course results in basic background knowledge for those who have front-line personnel who encounter moving water in the course of their work. It does not qualify you to work alongside or in moving water.

Operations - Qualifies personnel to work in the “warm zone” within 10’ of moving water but not in the water itself. Our Swiftwater Operations course is a two-day course including one day in the classroom and one day on the river. It provides the knowledge and skills necessary to work in close proximity to moving water, and to assist those certified to work in the water (from a shore-based position). The course covers basic hydrology of moving water and the risks associated with it. Participants practice shore-based rescue techniques using simple methods, and basic swimming techniques for self-rescue. It does not qualify you to work in moving water.

Technician - Qualifies personnel to work in the “hot zone”, or in moving water. Our Swiftwater Technician (commonly called SRT 1) is a three-day course that is the “standard-of-care” or minimum training recommended for those who work in moving water. The classroom session provides detailed knowledge of hydrology and hazards associated with moving water. The next two days are spent in moving water, learning skills including shallow water crossings, self-rescue and simple, effective techniques for the rescue of others.

Technical Rope

Awareness We do not provide a certification course in rope instruction at this level. On request, we are able to conduct 1/2 day info sessions for those interested in learning more about technical rope (low and high angle) systems and the type of training and equipment needed for employees to work safely when utilizing these systems.

Operations Qualifies personnel to work on terrain or with systems that have a low slope angle from 15 to 35 degrees (from the horizontal). Our three-day Technical Rope - Operations course is the “standard-of-care” or minimum training recommended for those who utilize low angle rope rescue skills in the course of their work, including over-the-bank extrication of victims and vehicles.

Technician Qualifies personnel to work on terrain or in situations requiring steep and high slope angles of 35 to 90 degrees. Our Technical Rope - Technician course is the “standard-of-care” or minimum training recommended for those who utilize steep or high angle rope rescue skills in the course of their work, including chair-lift evacuation, cliff rescue, bridge inspection, maintenance and repair, and other steep or vertical scenarios. It is an excellent foundation for other rope rescue disciplines including confined space and tower rescue.

Ice

Technician: Qualifies personnel to work on surface ice, ie: frozen lakes, ponds and rivers. Our two-day Ice Rescue Technician course is the only surface ice training we provide. Learn to determine the factors that influence ice thickness and strength, identify hazards, self rescue and simple techniques for the rescue of others. The course is one day in the classroom and one on the ice. On request, we are able to conduct 1/2 day info sessions for managers and supervisors interested in learning more about surface ice hazards and the type of training and equipment needed for employees to work safely in this high-risk environment.

Boat

Our boat training is not categorized according to training levels. We offer a three-day Boat Handling course for both swiftwater and flatwater, for motorized or non-motorized watercraft of all types. We can also provide customized training sessions of one or two days, or 1/2 day info sessions for supervisors and managers interested in learning more about boating hazards and the type of training and equipment needed for employees to work safely in this high-risk environment.

For more information on these courses, please click on the links (above) or go to our water, ice, rope and boat sections.

How are Raven Rescue courses NFPA compliant?

Q. What is the NFPA?
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is an American organization that develops codes and standards in all areas of fire-rescue. While not mandated by law, many agencies choose to follow the NFPA’s standards in order to ensure effectiveness and limit liability. For 10 years, the NFPA 1670 and 1006 Standards have established minimum guidelines for operations and training for technical search and rescue incidents. The standards cover a wide variety of disciplines, including rope rescue, surface water rescue, vehicle and machinery rescue, confined space rescue, structural collapse rescue, and trench rescue. The 1670 Standard establishes general guidelines for assessing hazards, identifying levels of operational capabilities, and establishing response guidelines and training documentation. The 1006 Standard defines the professional qualifications an individual must have in order to be considered a “rescue technician”, including a formal assessment by an independent third party.
Q. What about Canadian standards?
To date, no Canadian agency has taken the lead in developing similar standards and it is unlikely that such a project will be undertaken in the near future, given the existence and applicability of the NFPA standards. The NFPA standards for technical rescue incidents are rigourous and complete. They have emerged as the de-facto standard-of-care in the United States and Canada and their influence is spreading worldwide.
Q. Why is NFPA compliance important?
By training to a consistently high standard, first responders can be sure their training provider is teaching what they need in order to do their jobs effectively, efficiently and most of all, safely. In addition, a consistent standard for training ensures that first responders are able to work together in a streamlined manner on inter-agency callouts and major disasters.
Q. What is the relationship between Raven Rescue and the NFPA?
Raven Rescue is a member of the NFPA and also the Official Agent for Rescue 3 International in Western Canada, and as such, we teach only Rescue 3 water, rope, boat and ice rescue courses that are compliant with NFPA standards.
Q. How are Raven Rescue/Rescue 3 courses NFPA-compliant?
In 1999, Rescue 3 responded to increasing requests for NFPA-compliant training, and did a major reorganization of its water, flood, ice and rope rescue courses to ensure the curriculum was in line with NFPA standards. Over the last decade, Rescue 3’s curriculum for awareness, operations and technician-level courses has been independently audited several times, including by Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute at Maryland University, and has been found to meet the NFPA 1670. In addition, our Professional Qualification Workshop was found to meet the 1006 Standard. This expert, third-party endorsement of our curriculum is what sets Rescue 3 apart from other providers.
Q. How can other course providers say they are “compliant” too?
Anyone can claim to be compliant, and without rigorous research, it is difficult to disprove this. However, only Rescue 3 courses have been independently audited by industry leaders and found to meet the NFPA 1670 and 1006 Standards.
Q. Is being “compliant” good enough?
Not really, because you can be “compliant” without being “complete”. The NFPA 1670 Standard for technical water rescue is so rigorous that it requires in excess of 80 hours of training to achieve. Under the NFPA 1670 Standard requirements for water, a water technician must be both a water and rope rescue technician. For this reason, in order to have been trained to the complete NFPA 1670 standard for technical water rescue incidents, you must complete three Rescue 3 courses:

Swiftwater Rescue Technician – Level One (3 days)
Swiftwater Rescue Technician – Advanced and, (3 1/2 days)
Technical Rope Rescue (technician level) (5 days) (or equivalent)

Upon completion you are awarded Rescue 3’s highest certification (before Instructor) which is Water and Rope Technician. The certificate carries the NFPA seal. The only higher-level training is a Professional Qualification Workshop which certifies that you have been trained to the NFPA 1006 Standard and your skills have been assessed by an independent third party (ie: your evaluator cannot have been your instructor).
Q. What are the NFPA numbers on my skill sheet?
As part of Rescue 3’s attention to NFPA standards, we provide each student with a skill sheet that lists the skills and knowledge performed or observed during the course, along with the corresponding item number from the relevant NFPA standard. This NFPA-linked skill sheet becomes an invaluable training record which should be shared with supervisors and kept on file as part of due diligence.

What are the NFPA 1670 and 1006 Standards?

NFPA Standards have become the de-facto global standards for those who respond to technical search and rescue incidents with the goal of ensuring effectiveness, providing a common framework for rescue training and operations, and limiting liability. The Standards cover technical rescue disciplines including rope rescue, surface water rescue, vehicle and machinery rescue, confined space rescue, structural collapse rescue, and trench rescue.

The NFPA 1670 Standard outlines the level of “functional capability” for organizations like fire departments, search and rescue teams etc. who respond to technical search and rescue incidents. The goal of the 1670 Standard is to outline how to conduct operations safely and effectively while minimizing threats to rescuers. The 1670 Standard is intended to help the “Agency Having Jurisdiction” (AHJ) assess technical rescue hazards within a given response area, identify the level of operational capability required for each hazard, and establish guidelines for training and incident response.

Conversely, the NFPA 1006 Standard is for individuals seeking verification that their technical rescue skills meet minimum job performance requirements as defined by the NFPA for the purposes of instructing or professional consulting. Upon completion of a formal skill evaluation by an independent third-party, the candidate is considered a “rescue technician”. Rescue 3’s Professional Qualification Workshops ensure individual rescuers have met the NFPA 1006 Standard. All of our instructors have must pass a Professional Qualification Workshop prior to being admitted into Rescue 3’s Instructor’s Course. At this time, Professional Qualification Workshops are only available through Rescue 3 International but Raven Rescue has plans to begin offering these formal assessments in Canada, in the near future.

Both Standards are reviewed and updated every four years. Copies can be purchased from the NFPA.

Given that the NFPA 1670 Standard is the one followed by many Canadian first responder organizations, we have listed its contents here:

NFPA 1670 Standard - Contents

Chapter 1 Administration

Chapter 2 Referenced Publications

Chapter 3 Definitions

Chapter 4 General Requirements

Chapter 5 Structural Collapse

Chapter 6 Rope Rescue

Chapter 7 Confined Space Search and Rescue

Chapter 8 Vehicle and Machinery Search and Rescue

Chapter 9 Water Search and Rescue

Chapter 10 Wilderness Search and Rescue

Chapter 11 Trench and Excavation Search and Rescue

Annex A Explanatory Material

Annex B Sloping and Benching

Annex C Structural Types

Annex D Sample Course Outlines

Annex E External Resources

Annex F Hazards Found in Structural Collapse

Annex G Structural Hazard Evaluation

Annex H Classification of Spaces by Types

Annex I Confined Space Needs Analysis Plan

Annex J Excavation Requirements and Soil Types

Annex K Informational References

Index

For more information, please contact the NFPA.
National Fire Protection Agency
1 Batterymarch Park
Quincy , MASSACHUSETTS 02169
UNITED STATES
617-770-3000
Website: http://www.nfpa.org

Car in the Water

By Slim Ray, CFS Press

That Sunday evening of October 4th, seven to ten inches of rain in a few hours had forced the creek out of its banks and over the bridge on which Hudson’s and several other cars were then crossing. Hudson, whose body was found the next day, was unfortunately not alone. Two other cars besides his were washed off the bridge, taking six other people to their deaths with them. By the time the night was over, a total of twelve people had drowned in the Kansas City area, ten of them either in their cars or trying to escape from them. A number of other drivers narrowly escaped.

While these incidents in Kansas City made up one of the worst swiftwater disasters in recent years, they were far from unique. Cars, either swept off a flooded street or running off an embankment into the water, are the most common type of swiftwater emergency in the U.S. In this article we’ll cover the causes of and responses to the first type of accident and leave cars in deeper water for later.

Roughly 75% of the cars are swept away at night or during periods of poor visibility, in part because judging the speed and depth of muddy water at night is extremely difficult. Many swiftwater rescues start this way—a driver, not wanting to take a lengthy detour, ignores a barricade and tries to cross a flooded street. The water is flowing swiftly across the pavement, but it doesn’t look that deep. The car enters the water, which quickly reaches the doors. Just when it seems to be coming back up out of the water, the engine suddenly speeds up and the steering wheel goes slack. As the driver watches helplessly the car begins heading toward the nearby creek, which is flooding out of its banks.

Behavior of cars in swiftwater

What does it take to float a car? A rough rule of thumb is that each foot of water pushes against the broad side of a typical car with about 500 lbf (227 kgf) of force and displaces about 1,500 lbs (680 kg). Thus, two feet (less than a meter) of water will float most cars. However, a car can be washed away in less, depending on variables such as the speed of the current, the design of the car, whether the car is sideways or end-on to the current, and the type of bottom. For example, where the current is swift, the bottom hard and smooth, and the car’s body low to the ground, as little as one foot (30 cm) of water with a speed of 6 mph (10 km/hr) or 10 feet per second (3 m/sec) will move most cars. On the other hand, if the car is heavy and has plenty of ground clearance, the bottom is sand or gravel, and the current slow, it may take deeper water to move the car.

The type of river bottom has a lot to do with a partially-submerged car’s behavior in the water. If the bottom is slick with no obstructions (e.g., pavement or concrete), the car is very likely to continue to slide or roll, especially if it is broadside to the current. This can be very dangerous to both the occupants and rescuers, since a sudden weight shift to the downstream side can cause the car to roll. Those inside the car should practice the reverse high side, that is, keeping their weight on the upstream side of the car to keep it from rolling. If the bottom is soft, however (e.g., sand or gravel), the water will quickly excavate the soil under the tires so that the car’s chassis rests on the riverbed. This results in a more stable situation in which the car is much less likely to roll. If the bottom is really soft (e.g. mud) the car often ends up buried engine-end first in the mud with the other end out of the water. Once the car stops moving, it then acts like any other river obstacle, except that is much more likely to move unexpectedly.

Rescue considerations

The rescuer’s first thoughts should be to stabilize the vehicle so that it does not either roll or float downstream, and to get PFDs to the passengers. If the situation is marginal, the weight shift as the passengers are being rescued may cause the car to move. To prevent this, rescuers should attach stabilizing ropes to the car. If possible, these ropes should go to both banks. Rescuers should also routinely dispatch a tow truck (or two) to any incident involving a car in the water.

Once the car is stabilized, the rescue can begin. Rescuers should follow the same Reach-Throw-Row-Go sequence as with any other swiftwater rescue, and attempt to minimize the exposure of their personnel. Sometimes the car can be reached by fire ladders or with an aerial ladder, allowing the victims to climb to safety or be picked off. If the rescuers need to approach the car directly, whether by wading, swimming, or boat, they should do so from downstream, using the eddy that the car creates. Rescuers should, however, exercise caution until the car is stabilized, especially on hard bottoms, since the car may slide or roll over downstream at any time. In most cases, however, the roll will be a slow one, giving an alert rescuer time to escape.

If the victims end up on top of the car, they can be treated like any other stranded victims, although with the understanding that their car may not be a very stable refuge. In other cases, rescuers may have to break the car windows to get to them. While there are a number of exciting videos showing victims being plucked from the tops of cars with helicopters, this should, as always, be considered a high-risk option.

It is worth practicing and preplanning this type of rescue, since it is one that rescuers may be called upon to do at any time with scant notice.

Slim Ray is an internationally-recognized authority on flood, swiftwater and whitewater safety and rescue, including course development and instruction with Rescue 3 International, Canyonlands Field Institute, and the Nantahala Outdoor Center. For more articles and books written by Slim Ray, see CFS Press. This article originally appeared in Fire & Rescue Magazine (UK).

Moving Water and Ice - A Deadly Combination

By Slim Ray, CFS Press

Rescuers must be protected from the cold, both on shore and in the water. Obviously, a shore-based rescue that keeps rescuers out of the water is preferable if at all possible. If an in-water rescue is decided upon, rescuers must be given anti-exposure protection. However, many of the “Gumby” anti-exposure suits, meant for offshore use, are simply too bulky for swiftwater use. While newer, more flexible suits like the Mustang “Ice Commander” show promise, rescuers may end up using conventional swiftwater dry suits with insulating clothing underneath, which will limit their time in the water.

Floating ice chunks add to the hazards the rescue, and make normal rescue methods like “live bait” swimming rescue or boat-based rescues extremely difficult. It is imperative to have spotters stationed upstream to warn rescuers in the water if they are in danger of being hit. Floating ice may also foul any lines placed to stabilize the car or evacuate the victims. In addition, rescuers should be alert to keep rescuers clear of solid ice shelves downstream under which they might be swept.

On-shore warm-up facilities for both victim and rescuers are essential. While casualties will be transported immediately to medical support, an on-site tent for rescuers will make life easier for everyone and reduce the chance of hypothermia. Casualties who appear lifeless may still be revived—the rule is that no one is considered dead until they are warm and dead.

Does Raven Rescue have a waiver and medical form that can be filled out ahead of course time?

Raven Rescue’s Waiver:Waiver.pdf
Raven Rescue’s Medical Form:Medical_Form.pdf

What is “low angle” versus “high angle” rope rescue?

The steeper the ground, the more difficult and the more technical the rescue becomes. Ropes may have to be relied upon to gain access to the victim, to support the team members and the victims during the rescue and remove them from the rescue site.

Low angle rescue is considered to be terrain that has a slope angle from 15 to 35 degrees. The condition of the terrain will determine the need for and the amount of rope support required. Is it muddy? Are there loose rocks or other debris that would cause poor or slippery footing? How many rescuers are needed to transport the victim and stretcher to safety? Examples of low angle locations include: over-the-bank situations where a car has left a roadway and descended an adjacent slope.

Steep angle rescue is considered to be terrain that has a slope angle from 35 to 60 degrees. Again, the condition of the terrain will determine the level of technical expertise required to perform this rescue safely.

High angle rescue is considered to be terrain that has a slope angle of 60 degrees and higher. Rescuers are totally dependent upon the ropes used to keep them and the victims from falling and to gain access to and egress from the rescue location. Examples of high angle locations include: pipe racks, ledges, catwalks, tops of vessels, cranes, and water towers.

High angles are also found below grade level in ship holds, barges, confined spaces, tunnels, sewer and piping systems. Good, competent technical rescue skills involving ropes, anchoring and belaying systems, lowering and hauling systems and litter/stretcher work are going to be mandatory for the safe performance of the rescue team. High angle rescue operations involve unique hazards and require special training and equipment to be able to perform them safely. High angle rope rescuers are at a considerably higher risk of injury or death during training exercises and callouts therefore continual training and practice are recommended to keep skills sharp.

NRS Safety and Rescue Discussion Group - 2008

Cody Meacham, NRS Rescue & Government Accounts Manager, has been working with search and rescue organizations and others in the water rescue community for several years. Brian Chaffin, Mountain West Wholesale Manager, had five seasons guiding multiday raft trips before coming to work at NRS. Blake Longworth, Specialty Accounts Manager, works closely with Cody helping our rescue customers and is a dedicated kayaker. Karl Krehbiel also previously worked with Cody, before putting his extensive computer skills to work in other areas of the company.

In addition to taking classes with Charlie, all these NRS folks hold Rescue 3 Swiftwater Rescue Technician 1 certificates. Brian has stepped it up a notch with the Swiftwater Rescue Technician Advanced certification. These gentlemen have also had a hand in the development of such NRS safety products as the new Pilot Knife and Rapid Rescuer PFD.

Check out their interesting and lively discussion:

Charlie: It depends on what kind of trip you’re going on – whether it’s a day trip, an overnight, whether it’s isolated or along the road. The obvious basics are a throw bag, three or four carabineers, a couple of prussic loops so you can construct a Z-drag and a couple of webbing loops for constructing anchors. I like to wear one of those webbing loops around my waist so I have a short length of line to help someone out– a lot of us back East call that a “guide belt.” You just secure the loop with a carabineer. And then, of course, you should have a knife and a whistle on your life jacket.

Brian: And that jumps us into a more advanced boater than we’re often dealing with. We often get the call where the question is: “I just got my new kayak and life jacket. What else do I need so that I can safely hit the water!” I agree with Charlie that folks should have all those items, and know how to use them, but most of our entry level customers won’t have knowledge of their use. So, certainly a throw bag which they know how to use. And for kayaking, go with the kayak specific throw bags. So the basics are: PFD, helmet, throw bag, whistle and possibly a knife.

Blake: I’m of the opinion that if you’re going to carry a rope, you need to carry a knife.

e-News: So those are the essentials, certainly for kayaking. Any further suggestions for other types of boating?

Brian: The main things that determine what to have with you when rafting are: No. 1, your skill level; No. 2 your knowledge of systems; and No. 3, the river that you’re running. For example, running water like the Snake River in Hells Canyon or the Grand Canyon I probably wouldn’t take my wrap kit – there’s nothing much there to wrap a boat on. If I’m going on the Middle Fork of the Salmon, I’m carrying 150’ of static line, enough webbing to make seven anchors, enough prussic to match up with my static line, at least four pulleys and a lot of carabineers. My wrap kit weighs darn near as much as my cooler! It just depends on your load, the experience of the people you’re boating with and the situation of your boating trip.

Charlie: We haven’t gone into first aid yet. I carry a very basic first aid kit. Some big absorbent pads, in case of heavy bleeding; an ACE bandage, which is very useful for immobilizing something like a dislocated shoulder; and duct tape, which is good for a lot of things. The only medication I carry is some Tylenol, because sometimes someone will get a splitting headache or strain something.

Brian: No Benadryl?

Charlie: Nope.

Brian: Benadryl is my almost No. 1 over Tylenol, because I have a real fear of anaphylactic shock in people and just people’s random allergies. Today, allergies are more prevalent than ever and you just never know what might happen to someone to cause them to have a severe reaction to something. And, Benadryl may buy you some time to get to medical attention.

Charlie: You don’t have that allergy yourself?

Brian: I don’t, although I think I’m starting to develop one to shellfish. It’s really weird; I get really puffy these days when eating crab right out of the shell.

Charlie: Certainly anyone who has special medical needs should be carrying that with them. I take some medications everyday and I carry them right in my first aid kit. If I had a problem like a bee sting allergy, which is fairly common, I would have a couple of Epi-Pens® (epinephrine injectors) and plenty of Benadryl with me.

Blake: And, have told the other group members that you have the allergy and where you keep the medicine and how to use it.

Brian: A lot of the new literature says that more allergies are developing later in life and you just never know when someone can get a reaction. So Benadryl is up there on the list of things to have along.

Charlie: When did you start thinking about this, when you were guiding?

Brian: Yeah, when I started to lead trips. When you sign that form that says you’re responsible for 26 lives for six days in the wilderness you start to think about all kinds of stuff! I’ve gotten the Wilderness First Responder certification, recertified it once, got halfway through EMT training. So just throughout that whole process, I’ve become more aware of issues like this.

e-News: Any other thoughts on safety equipment you think should be along on different types of trips?

Blake: I think we should mention that the apparel we’re wearing is part of our safety system. Make sure you’re dressed for the air and water temperature. Plan so that if you do have to go into the water for personnel rescue or to set up a Z-drag, that you’re properly dressed for it.

Cody: I work a lot with fire departments who are outfitting teams that deal with swiftwater emergencies and the first thing they look at is their personal protective gear. This is going to be a drysuit, or a wetsuit for warmer climates, footwear with a sturdy sole on it and good ankle support. Then, of course, a good PFD.

e-News: I’ve seen posts on boater forums that say they won’t boat with someone who doesn’t dress properly for possible rescue conditions. Just like the rescue throw bag that you carry is to rescue your buddy, they need to carry one to rescue you – so everyone needs to dress in such a way that they can go into the water to help others.

Brian: Something I’ll add is I carry a portable backpacking stove and fuel, some dried soup packets and some quick energy food items. Then, if someone gets cold or goes for a swim, you’ve got things to warm them up and get some fuel back in them.

Cody: What do people use for snake bites?

Charlie: Today’s medical advice is to get the person to medical help as quickly as possible. The old “cut and suck” removal of venom is no longer recommended. And the severity of the snake bite will vary. I’ve seen some people get bitten and it didn’t affect them. Then, I had a friend who got bitten last summer and she spent a week in the hospital.

Blake: That brings up a good point. One thing we should definitely carry as safety equipment is knowledge. We should have an evacuation plan; know what to do if an emergency forces us to discontinue the trip.

Brian: With today’s technology, there are satellite phones and personal locator beacons that are increasingly available. And cell phones. Most day trips and trips along the roadside should have cell phone coverage. Well, maybe not in Idaho. (Lots of laughter!)

Charlie: With most of the rivers in the east, guides and other folks know where they can go to get cell phone reception. On some rivers they have radio systems set up. The New and Gauley Rivers both have enough people going down that the outfitters put in a network that covers the river and the Park Service is working off their net. But in other areas there are places to get out with a cell phone, which some guys use to order pizza when they know what time they’ll be in town. Still, it’s very useful in emergency situations.

We’re crossing over into training and first of all, swiftwater rescue training will help you get yourself and others out of trouble. The second part is first aid and emergency management, which is what you do when you get the person out and they’re hurt.

e-News: Which brings us into another topic – what basic safety techniques should every boater know?

Blake: I think first and foremost is the ability to swim, how to swim in whitewater, know how to self-rescue, know what an eddy is, understand how various river features work. Basically, how to take care of yourself if you’re out of your boat. As any rescue class will tell you, the best rescue is a self-rescue.

Brian: The first day of most three-day swiftwater rescue classes focuses largely on river features, types of current, laminar flow – understanding them and teaching you skills to self rescue. The second thing would probably be knowing your own equipment and the people you’re boating with. Then you will move into the technicalities of throw bagging someone.

Blake: Yes, the ability to use a throw bag and the ability to set a Z-drag are probably the two most important techniques to master.

Charlie: I’ve hardly ever used a Z-drag out on the river. I’ve been boating almost 40 years and I’ve used a Z-drag probably 2-3 times. But a lot of that is because there are a number of tricks you can use to get a boat unpinned, besides setting up a Z-drag. I think I’ve used a Z-drag to “unpin” an automobile as often I have boats.

Brian: Generally I’ve just used throw bags and vector pulls to dislodge boats. Seriously, the only time I’ve seen a Z-drag used is on the Middle Fork when the giant sweep boat, 24-feet long and 10-feet wide, misses camp! Then, you’re dragging it back up. (Laughter)

Karl: Being a more beginning and novice boater, the things that helped me most in the rescue classes I attended were learning the things “not to do” as well. For example, if you’re boating with your family and one of the members is out of the boat, the first instinct is to jump in after them – the wrong thing to do. So, learning what are the things not to do, as well as what to do for the particular river situation is very important.

Starting from the beginning you need to be very clear with people, “Absolutely do not do this…” A saying like “Reach, Throw, Go” was very helpful to me. That is, first reach out to the person in the water if they are close enough. It that doesn’t work, the next best option is to throw them a rope. Only if these things don’t work would you consider going into the water after them, and then only if you are equipped and trained to do it.

Charlie: And certainly, not everyone can do an eight-day, full on, wilderness first responder course. It’s hard and if I didn’t have my winters where I’ve got the time, I’d have trouble justifying doing it. But everyone can take CPR and a good basic first aid course. But the problem for me and others is you don’t get much practice. The whole idea when you’re on the river is to not put yourself in the situation where you need to use those skills. If you find yourself doing a lot of rescues and using your first aid a lot, then maybe you need to start boating with other people or going on easier rivers. (Lots of laughter)

e-News: And this is something that’s hard to get across in a written piece, but what are some basic knots that boaters should know? I see Brian over here trying to tie a knot.

Blake: Brian is NOT getting this one correct. Ha Ha Ha!

Charlie: What are you doing?!

Brian: I’m trying to tie a self-equalizing boatman’s anchor and I can’t figure out what I’m doing wrong.

Blake: Brian could use some self-equalization! The bowline is an important knot for boaters to learn.

Brian: I’m the fastest bowline tier in North America, but the only way I know how to tie it is with one hand. But go ahead, Blake.

Blake: The bowline is a good one.

Brian: If you’re working with webbing you need to know the water knot and the double fisherman and the figure-eight.

Charlie: And you can tie the figure-eight so many ways. You can make it work like a bowline, you can make it act like just about anything. And here we have Brian showing off his one-handed bowline skills.

Blake: So to recap, the bowline, figure-eight, water knot and the double fisherman, so you can tie prussic loops.

Charlie: But you need a figure-eight before everything.

e-News: So, do you think rescue training is advised for every boater?

Charlie: A certain amount, if you consider swimming, wading in swiftwater and how to use a throw bag. Everyone should have that much. Where you go beyond that depends on what you’re doing. If you’re running Class II rivers and doing mostly day trips, you may not need to go beyond that level. But if you’re out there running Class V creeks every weekend, a swiftwater class is a beginning and you and your buddies are probably getting a lot of practice.

Brian: And everybody should at least have the safety discussion with the people they boat with. And not just before you go on the river but you should be familiar with the skills of the people you boat with.

Charlie: So what do you do, Brian, question everybody?

Brian: I give a safety talk before I go on the river with anyone. I don’t care it they’re…

Charlie: You didn’t give me a safety talk! (Lots of laughter)

Brian: I apologize, Charlie. I fell into what’s known now as the Expert Halo. In today’s outdoor educational world, there’s something called the Expert Halo, where you go with someone who you’re so confident in their abilities that you totally forget everything you know about safety. I was so confident boating with Charlie Walbridge that I just decided ‘eh, I’m here, everything’s just fine.’

e-News: I can’t talk down to the safety god!

Brian: Charlie’s not going to lead me down anything I can’t come back from. I hope.

Charlie: I don’t talk to or question people about their skills. And certainly most people don’t.

e-News: You think it’s not prudent?

Charlie: Oh, it’s probably very prudent. There are a lot of prudent things we should do. (Laughter)

Brian: Like not boating!

Charlie: I think with most private paddlers or groups of friends that get together to go boating, if you know there’s a novice you’re concerned about, you talk to them. These are peers and you’ve got a pretty good idea of who they are, including who doesn’t bring a throw bag, or doesn’t dress warmly enough, or forgets their shuttle keys.

e-News: At least for me, most trips I go on, it’s a mixed group. Usually we haven’t all boated together before. So, the standard safety talk just gets everyone on the same page.

Charlie: It sounds like you’re talking about rafting. If a group of kayakers show up for a Class IV river and they don’t have a certain level of skill, they’re going to be swimming within the first 50 yards anyway. But I understand what you’re saying, because I’d do the same thing if I’m taking folks on a rafting trip.

Brian: I’m not a kayaker and I am feeling the responsibility for others, especially those in my boat.

Charlie: You just want to make sure that everyone just sort of knows what’s going on.

Brian: That’s right.

e-News: Charlie if you’re going with some people who haven’t run that river or that stretch before, do you gather folks together and say things like, “I’m very familiar with the river, so how about I lead this stretch.’ Or, ‘When we get to this point, we’ll want to stop and scout.’

Charlie: If we’re talking about some people that I know haven’t been there, or someone in the group approaches me and says ‘Hey, I haven’t been down this.” I’ll certainly talk to them and try to get a feel for what level they’re operating from. So, especially with a group I haven’t boated with much, I’ll talk about what’s up ahead and where we might want to stop. And I might ask something like ‘What do you want to do at the first waterfall? Do you want to scout or just have someone tell you what the line is?’

It’s tricky, because you can get peer pressure where people act like they’re more confident than they really are and then they’re swimming in a place where they’d rather be boating.

Brian: The macho philosophy. ‘No one else is speaking up on this; I better just close my mouth and go. I can do this!’

Charlie: ‘I don’t want to look like some turkey.’

Cody: Would you like to go over what you give in a rafting safety talk?

e-News: On the website, we have an article on the Rafting Put-in Safety Talk that folks can look at. It covers the general, non river-specific points of a good safety talk.

Any other equipment or apparel points to add? Anything on first aid kits?

Brian: What’s in your first aid kit depends on the length and remoteness of your trip. For a multi-day, you should have a full kit and knowledge on the trip so you can evacuate someone if you need to. Things like how to use a Campsite Counter as a backboard, how to carry someone, how to call for help.

Charlie: You should have thoughts about something like, if we have trouble at Ladle on the Selway, what are you going to do to get help. Are you going to go to the Ranger Station, are you going to use your satellite phone, what?

Then if you’re talking about an expedition, you should be thinking about advanced medical gear and someone who knows how to use it.

Brian: As far as general safety equipment to have along on a multi-day, it depends on the characteristics of the river. If the river presents the possibility of wrapping a boat, you should have a Z-drag kit along; consisting of some static line, prussic cord, webbing for anchors and at least a couple of pulleys. Then obviously have the knowledge to use it.

Blake: It’s important to use the technology you have available to you. If all you have is a cell phone, bring that. If you have or can get a satellite phone, by all means bring it. Anything you have that might help save a life, you should bring it.

Brian: If you’re going on a dangerous multi-day trip, say the Selway at high water – rent a satellite phone! They’re not that expensive. And always tell someone where you’re going.

e-News: And if you’re the only one of the group that’s familiar with the evacuation points, be sure to let others know – in case you’re the one that needs to be evacuated!

Okay, for those who are interested in doing swiftwater rescue training, what’s available and how can people find sources?

Charlie: There are a lot of people who teach classes for the American Canoe Association; we have one- and two-day classes. You can find the syllabus at http://www.americancanoe.org and contact them to find out who’s teaching and where. Also, there are a lot of outfitters and kayak schools who run classes. And there are groups out there who put on training who aren’t affiliated with any other organization; you just have to research the reputation of the group.

And lastly, Rescue 3 (http://www.rescue3.com) has excellent programs. They’re more firefighter oriented and also deal with chain of command and incident management. That’s not something a non-commercial boating trip uses; everybody pitches in and helps as best they can. You don’t wait for a leader to tell you what to do, you just see what needs to happen and get going. But, Rescue 3 was one of the first organizations to teach getting in the water and getting wet when you do rescue work. I have a lot of respect for them.

Brian: They also started a course a couple of years ago different from their firefighter training. Whitewater Rescue Technician (WRT) is a recreationalist-based course. In there, they’ll touch on things like incident command, but it’s primarily aimed at the things a private boater needs.

And for the Mountain West boater there’s a non-affiliated organization called Desert Mountain Medicine (http://www.desertmountainmedicine.com). They teach wilderness first responder courses, wilderness EMT courses and swiftwater classes. They’re relatively inexpensive and really nice courses.

Cody: We’ve named just a few here, but there are a number of good programs available and we can’t name them all. Check with local paddle sports dealers, search and rescue organizations and fire departments for training in your area.

Brian: Most search and rescue groups near a river corridor have to have people on their staffs that are trained in swiftwater rescue, so they’ll know sources for that training.

e-News: Anything else on swiftwater rescue training or anything else?

Karl: How do you walk the line between growing the sport, building safety awareness and not scaring people away from what can be a quite safe form of outdoor recreation? This is more of a broad question…

Brian: It’s a great question.

Charlie: If you look at where the sport ranks with other popular outdoor activities, it’s roughly equivalent in terms of risk to scuba diving and rock climbing and all of these are incredibly safer than bicycling, which is one with the highest death rate. It’s like anything else; people are used to the risks they deal with often, like riding a bicycle or driving a car. Then, when they look at something like running rivers, which they’re not used to, the risks look bigger. To me being on the water is considerably more manageable than doing anything in traffic. (Laughter)

Many people aren’t used to taking responsibility for themselves and what they do. So, when in paddling you talk about being responsible for what you do and planning for risks, it’ll make some people uncomfortable. But certainly someone who’s uncomfortable with taking responsibility for their own risks should be doing something else.

Blake: Like pottery.

Charlie: Now that’s something that’s dangerous. Those kilns are hot!

What do you think, Brian, is the sport safer now or more dangerous than in the past?

Brian: I think the sport is a lot safer, through general awareness and knowledge. For commercial operations, peer pressure from competitors has been a contributor – for example, one outfitter starts requiring helmets, all the others on the river follow suit. And liability insurance rates give great incentive to companies to have guides undergo swiftwater training as a requirement for employment. The boating public benefits from all this.

Charlie: And look at the strides that have been made in equipment since the early 1970s. At that time there were maybe four places on the entire East Coast where you could buy a kayak. People were making their own boats, cockpit openings were tiny, there were no internal supports. Outfitting in your boat was primitive; you were buying it for people that were making it as a side business or making it yourself. There have been huge advances in the safety of kayaks, both in terms of things like better construction, better outfitting, larger cockpits, etc. You look at today’s boats in comparison to boat from the past; they’re a lot stiffer, walls are more secure and boaters are more aware.

Blake: That being said, the advances in equipment have brought more safety to the sport but at the same time we’re running stuff that’s harder than previously thought possible. Things that were considered Class VI are now being downgraded to Class V or even IV. Things that were unattainable are now possible. Of course, most of the paddlers out there aren’t boating those upper limits.

Charlie: But the standards have gotten considerably higher. A lot of it is that training is much more accessible now. When I started, we read a couple of very basic books and then went out there and experimented. We had some bad experiences and found a few people who knew a little bit and gradually built our skills up. Now, you can learn everything I learned in my first five years of paddling in a weeklong course at a good paddling school. People learn faster, the gear’s good and they just cut to the chase. There are some amazing athletes in the sport doing incredible things.

Blake: Do you think then that we are running harder whitewater now but we’re doing it safer than we ever have before?

Charlie: I think overall the sport is safer than it was, although not from the standpoint of the death rate. The number of people involved has increased probably 20-fold since I started. On top of that, we didn’t know much. So, running a Class IV river was as hard then as running one of these Class V+ rivers is now. I can remember when we used to run the Upper Youghiogheny; every trip someone would get a crack in their boat that wouldn’t let them continue, blow their foot braces out, or tear their sprayskirt. Now gear is good enough, that doesn’t happen.

e-News: Okay. Great discussion! Thanks to all of you for taking the time to participate. I imagine we’ll also get some great reader feedback.

Editor’s Note: We welcome your feedback and/or questions on these important topics. Just send an email to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) and I’ll pass it along to the group.

-Clyde

Reader comments:

It would be interesting to know how many beginner paddlers read your discussion, understand it, and decide to learn more, take safety courses, etc. My safety ‘tag’ seems to fit your discussion exactly.

Since reading a treatise on many sea kayak accidents and deaths and being a local instructor for 25 years and then doing a synopsis of all the death and accident reports of ten years on the American Whitewater site, I figured out what the top ten problems are in canoe and kayak (see below) and design my courses around this. All this was done while in my mind I was formulating the ‘safety tag’ item. I have sent this item all over - to my many paddle friends of the last 40 years. They all thought it excellent, but it’s fallen on deaf ears at ACA and AW, whom I only asked to allow me to put their website address thereon. However, the Coast Guard office in Washington, D.C. did approve my putting their website address on it.

I’m attaching the ‘tag’ that I have designed over the last 10 years that addresses the newby, the folks who either don’t know ‘what else’ to buy, the safety equipment basics, the knots to know, and the terminology that they don’t know (which for the neophytes I have shared it with, wanted to know what the terms meant, and sought out the answers, which is exactly my intent). My desire for this ‘tag’ is to ask the manufacturers of the equipment and boats mentioned to attach it thereon. For boats it would be even better if it was laminated into an interior wall - for successive buyers.

I welcome your input, and appreciate the opportunity to share this. Come enjoy the Alabama Scenic River Trail, a project I put together in 18 months with 248 volunteers and helpers (our website, http://www.AlabamaScenicRiverTrail.com has five pages of supporters) and has just been nominated to be a National Recreation Trail.

Main Reasons for Injuries and Fatalities - Canoe and Kayak - in Whitewater

Following were culled from Fred Couch’s personal review of years of the online
Accident Reports done by the American Whitewater Association

Degree of Difficulty of Whitewater
Class 1 -2
Class 3 - 4 - 5 - 6

In Order of occurrence numbers, and boat types

Class 1 – 2: mostly in canoes

Tree Pin (strainer)
Hypothermia
Not wearing PFD
Dam and other hydraulics
Foot entrapments
High water levels
Cold time of year
Beyond their capabilities
Class 3 - 4 - 5 – 6: mostly K1, OC1

Tree Pin (strainer)
Underwater pin
Hypothermia
Keeper Hydraulic
High water levels
Vertical pin
Fred’s Proposed Safety Tag:

Minimum Equipment

PFD per person
Medical kit
Throw rope, knife
Shoes, Helmet
Thermal shirt
Small thermal blanket
Water Reading

Vee, pillow, horizon line
Rapid shape: Straight. Frown, Smile Hydraulic
Strainers
Sea Kayak Minimum

Sun lotion, spare paddle
Compass, emergency flares
Rescue float, GPS
VHF radio, float plan
Hat or cap, tarp, flashing beacon
2 boat minimum, self rescue ability
Whitewater Swim Methods

Feet up, head back
Feet downstream
Never stand when water is over your shins
Throw Rope & Bag

Minimum 75 feet long
5/16” to 3/8” Spectra
Quick way to restuff
5 throwing methods
Carabineers, pulleys
Other Things to Know

Leaning downstream
Painters half length of canoe
Tie downs
3 basic knots: half hitch, bowline, trucker
Websites

USCG.mil – AmericanWhiteWater.org
AmericanCanoe.org
Some term clarification from Fred:
Generally most people recommend a ‘painter’ - the rope tethered to each end of a canoe - at 12 feet in length, but with the new shorter boats, and just in general, I have found half the boat length to be adequate and easier to understand. The painter should also be tied very close (knots close to canoe) and no knots anywhere else in its length.

Rapid shapes - when observed as if a bird flying downstream:
frown - ends curl upstream - this is a ‘keeper’ hydraulic and has no escape
straight - like a low head dam - this is also a ‘keeper’ with no escape
smile - ends curl downstream - you can escape the middle and out at the ends

Fred Couch

We read with interest the report of your discussion with Charlie Wallbridge. Great synthesis of the key issues of safety and rescue in moving water.

However, we’d like to comment on the following statement from the discussion:

.... Rescue 3 (http://www.rescue3.com) has excellent programs. They’re more firefighter oriented and also deal with chain of command and incident management. That’s not something a non-commercial boating trip uses; everybody pitches in and helps as best they can. You don’t wait for a leader to tell you what to do, you just see what needs to happen and get going.

As a provider of Rescue 3 courses in Western Canada, and as kayakers and expedition rafters in our leisure-time, we strongly believe in some form of Incident Command to manage ANY rescue incident, whether you are a firefighter or a boater. This is because if you are using Incident Command correctly, no one is waiting around for a leader to tell them what to do. Rather, your leader is identified at the put-in, as well as those with specific skills like first aid or a strong rope/rigging background. Then, if an incident does arise, it only takes seconds to assign other jobs to the remaining people.

It doesn’t make sense to have an EMT running off to do downstream safety or your best rope weenie volunteering to keep onlookers at a safe distance while others fumble with bowlines and prussiks. Properly used, Incident Command means everyone is working simultaneously on their specific job, and not duplicating efforts or worse, working at cross-purposes, while something equally important goes undone because no one is responsible for the big picture. You don’t have to call it Incident Command, but we honestly believe you should use some form of it to properly manage a rescue anywhere, anytime.

Keep up the great work. You guys rock!

Cheers,

Amy Copland
Manager - Client Relations and Administration
R A V E N R E S C U E

Swiftwater Awareness

An introduction to working safely around fast-moving water. The emphasis is on the identification of hazards, self rescue and the use of basic river rescue gear. This is a theoretical session only, with no on-river component. It prepares personnel to work in the “cold zone” (more than 10’ from fast-moving water). Therefore, it is most appropriate for supervisors of personnel who work in a swiftwater environment, as an excellent overview of due diligence requirements and risk management.

Details

Duration: 4 hours
Format: Classroom only - no water component
Cost: $99

Pre-requisites

16+ years of age

Required Equipment

None
Come prepared for note-taking

FAQ

More details about swiftwater courses including what to expect and how to prepare. Click here for our Swiftwater FAQ. (Does not apply to Swiftwater Awareness.)

General Objectives

Develop an understanding of the legal issues surrounding the training of personnel to work safely in a swiftwater environment
Develop an understanding of the risks and hazards associated with moving water.
Develop an understanding of the types of skills required in order to work safely in, on or in close proximity to swiftwater
Develop an understanding of how to select the appropriate level of training for personnel who work near fast-moving water

Course Content

Rescue philosophy
WCB, legal responsibility and due diligence
Training levels linked to job requirements
Identification of river dynamics and hazards
Personal safety equipment
Throw bagging
Self rescue
On-river communications
Low to high risk rescue of others
Documentation and record-keeping

Course Outline

Introductions and paperwork 20 min.
Lecture - 90 min.
Break - 10 min.
Video - 30 min.
Lecture - 90 min.
Course concludes.

Swiftwater Operations

This course is the “standard-of-care” or recommended training for those who operate near (within 10’ of) fast-moving water, but not on or in moving water itself. This level of training emphasizes the identification of risks, self rescue and low-risk, shore-based options for rescuing others, using fast and simple methods.

Details

Duration: 2 days (16 hours)
Format: 1 day classroom, 1 day on the river
Cost: $299

Pre-requisites

18+ years of age (16-17 years with parental permission)
Basic swimming ability
In good physical condition

Required Equipment

Drysuit or wetsuit*
Personal flotation device (PFD: Type III or IV)*
Water-sports helmet*
Neoprene gloves (optional)
Neoprene footwear with a good walking sole, wading boots, or running shoes
Layers of wool or fleece clothing for under the drysuit/wetsuit including sweater, pants, gloves, socks

(* rentals available - see our online registration form for details)

FAQ

More details about swiftwater courses including what to expect and how to prepare. Click here for our Swiftwater FAQ.

Course Content

Philosophy of safety & rescue
Rescuer safety
Water dynamics & river hazards
Search considerations
Personal & team equipment
Site Assessment
Pre-planning
On-scene safety & site control
On-river communications
Throw bags and “reach, throw” methods of swiftwater rescue
Survival swim
Shallow water crossing & entrapment drill

General Objectives

To develop necessary skills for personnel to work safely in close proximity to swiftwater.
Develop ability to self rescue and rescue others from a shore-based position.
Familiarize and train the student in utilization of standard river rescue gear.

Behavioural Objectives

List water safety guidelines for operations around moving water.
Perform a site safety assessment and identify hazards.
Have a basic understanding of swiftwater dynamics.
Have a working knowledge of personal protective equipment and basic swiftwater rescue tools.
Rescue and extricate an accident victim from the water, from a shore-based position.
Understand basic in-water self rescue techniques.
Ford shallow and fast-moving water utilizing various techniques.
Have a good knowledge of on-river communications.
Recognize the signs and symptoms of significant medical problems related to water accidents.
Have knowledge of search considerations and on-scene management of an incident.

Course Outline

Day 1: Classroom Session

Rescue 3’s philosophy of safety and rescue
The Absolute Rules of Water Safety
Risk management, risk vs recovery, low to high risk options
Size up, site assessment and pre-planning
Swiftwater dynamics/hydrology
Personal equipment
Overview of rescue skills and techniques
Drowning and medical conditions related to swiftwater
Scenarios and real-life examples

Day 2: River Session

Review of key concepts
Site safety assessment
Basic river signals
Shore-based “reach and throw” techniques
Shallow water crossings
Survival swimming skills
Written test
Debrief, completion of training records and issuance of certifications
Re-inventory equipment

Take Aways

Rescue 3’s Swiftwater Operations Manual
Personalized skill sheet (training record) signed by the instructor (valuable document for risk management)
Registration of training record in Rescue 3’s international database
Wallet card with personal Rescue 3 registration number and date of certification
Certificate of Completion

Swiftwater Rescue Technician - Level 1

This comprehensive swiftwater course puts the emphasis on identifying risks, self rescue and low-risk options for rescuing others. SRT 1 is the “standard-of-care” or recommended training for those who work in or on moving water. It is highly-valued training for anyone who works in this high risk environment including firefighters, resource management personnel and outdoor guides. This course is compliant with the NFPA 1670 Standard for technical swiftwater rescue incidents.

Details

Duration: 3 days
Format: 1 day classroom, 2 days on the river
Cost: $429

Pre-requisites

18+ years of age (16-17 with parental permission)
Basic swimming ability
In good physical condition

Required Equipment

Drysuit or wetsuit*
Personal flotation device (Type III or IV)*
Water-sports helmet*
Neoprene gloves (optional)
Neoprene footwear with a good walking sole, wading boots, or running shoes
Layers of wool or fleece clothing for under the drysuit/wetsuit including sweater, pants, gloves, socks
(* rentals available - see our online registration form for details)

FAQ
More details about swiftwater courses including what to expect and how to prepare. Click here for our Swiftwater FAQ.

General Objectives
- To develop a sense of confidence and necessary skills for those who work in a swiftwater environment.
- Develop ability to self rescue and rescue others in moving water situations
- Familiarize and train the student in utilization of standard river rescue gear.
Behavioural Objectives
- Have a sound working knowledge of swiftwater dynamics and water-related physiology.
- Recognize the signs and symptoms of significant medical problems related to water accidents.
- Have a working knowledge of equipment including: climbing gear, lights, boats, signaling devices, specialized gear and vehicles.
- Function with helicopters as a rescue asset and understand their characteristics, capabilities, and limitations.
- Rescue and extricate an accident victim from the water.
- Safely swim swiftwater and maneuver so as to negotiate river hazards and obstacles at various water levels.
- Handle small inflatable boats by paddle, oar and tether.
- Have a good knowledge of applicable communications systems.
- Have knowledge of law-enforcement responsibilities and on-scene leadership.
- Understand swiftwater rescue team organization and victim responses.
- Utilize climbing and technical rescue gear applicable to swiftwater.
- Ford shallow and fast-moving water utilizing various techniques.
- Cross deep, slow-moving and fast-moving water utilizing basic climbing gear, small boats and in combination.
Course Outline

Day 1: Classroom Session
- Rescue 3’s philosophy
- Swiftwater dynamics
- Personal equipment
- Risk management
- Drowning and medical conditions related to swiftwater
- Introduction to ropes, knots and gear
- Dryland rope work
Day 2: River Session
- A review of key concepts
- Site safety assessment
- Basic river signals
- Throw bagging
- Shallow water crossings
- Swimming skills
- Hazard avoidance
- Combat swim
- Rope work
Day 3: River Session
- Review of key concepts
- Site safety assessment
- Tension diagonals
- Technical problem (swiftwater rescue scenario)
- Written examination
- Debrief
Take Aways
- Rescue 3’s Swiftwater Rescue Technician - Level One manual
- Personalized skill sheet (training record) signed by the instructor (valuable document for risk management)
- Registration of training record in Rescue 3’s international database
- Wallet card with personal Rescue 3 registration number and date of certification
- Certificate of Completion
Motorized Boat Operator

An intensive boat handling course designed for boat operators who want to learn or improve their boating skills. This comprehensive introduction to boat handling in either flat or moving water will develop the sense of confidence and necessary skills to deal with watercraft both under power and with the engine cut. The curriculum can be geared to either external propellor or jetboat engines, or both if required. The course includes basic skills for self-rescue and the rescue of others, but focuses on watercraft handling, identifying hazards, navigating whitewater and rapids, and general on-water safety. Clients are required to bring their own motorized watercraft in which to practice. Excellent training for those working in resource management, emergency response or the outdoor industry and a globally-recognized certification to lower your risk profile.

Details
Duration: 3 days
Format: 1 day classroom, 2 days on the river (+ optional night session)
Cost: $499

Pre-requisites
- 18+ years of age (16-17 parental permission required)
- Basic swimming ability
- In good physical condition
Required Equipment
- Personal flotation device (Type III or IV)*
- Water-sports helmet*
Suggested Equipment
- Drysuit or wetsuit*
- Neoprene gloves
- Neoprene footwear with a good walking sole, wading boots, or running shoes
- Layers of wool or fleece clothing for under the drysuit/wetsuit including sweater, pants, gloves, socks
  (* rentals available - see our online registration form for details)
  
  FAQ
  More details about boat handling courses including what to expect and how to prepare. Click here for our Boat Handling FAQ.
  
  General Objectives
  - Develop a sense of confidence and the necessary skills to operate a boat in a variety of water conditions.
  - Familiarize and train the student in utilization of standard water rescue gear.
  Behavioural Objectives
  - Have a working knowledge of standard equipment including clothing, boat preparation, rope and related equipment and some specialized gear.
  - Have a good knowledge of applicable communications methods, e.g. hand and whistle signals.
  - Have a working knowledge of water dynamics and hazards.
  - Be able to safely navigate so as to negotiate hazards in various conditions.
  - Be able to maneuver both under power and with the engine cut.
  - Self rescue from the water.
  - Rescue and extricate others from the water (man overboard drills).
  - Understand procedures in the event of swamping or capsizing
  - Understand rescue group organization and low to high risk decision-making skills in rescue situations.
  - Optional: night operations
  Take Aways
  - Rescue 3’s Technical Rope Rescue - Technician Level Manual
  - Personalized skill sheet (training record) signed by the instructor (valuable document for risk management)
  - Registration of training record in Rescue 3’s international database
  - Wallet card with personal Rescue 3 registration number and date of certification
  - Certificate of Completion
  Technical Rope Rescue - Operations
  
  This course provides an introduction to rope rescue and covers the fundamentals of low angle rope rescue. We use a structured, step-by-step and hands-on approach that makes it easy to learn new skills or fine-tune existing skills.
  
  Students will cover pre-planning and size-up of rope rescue operations; knots, hitches and anchor systems; belay operations; ascending and descending lines; mechanical advantage systems; raising and lowering systems; and patient packaging and litter attending. These skills will come together so that students are able to safely navigate over-the-bank rescue situations and assist technician-level rescuers in high-level environments. The course will also emphasize communication skills and incident management for technical rescue operations. This course is designed to meet the rope rescue competencies as outlined for the Operations Level of the NFPA 1670 Standard on Operations & Training for Technical Rescue Incidents.
  
  Details
  Duration: 3 days (24 hours)
  Format: 1 day classroom, 2 days at outdoor field sites
  Cost: $429
  
  Pre-requisites
  - 18+ years of age (16-17 with parental permission)
  - In good physical condition
  Required Equipment
  - Class III full-body harness (or separate chest and sit harnesses)*
  - Climbing helmet*
  - Sturdy boots (hiking boots are fine)
  - Pants made of durable material
  - Gloves with leather palms (work gloves are fine)
  (* rentals available - helmets are free, harnesses are $25/day, required for 2 days)
  
  FAQ
  More details about technical rope courses including what to expect and how to prepare. Click here for our Technical Rope Rescue FAQ.
  
  General Objectives
  - To develop a sense of confidence and necessary skills for rescue personnel in rope rescue operations.
  - To train the student in utilization and adaptation of standard rescue gear in rope rescue operations.
  - To train the student in use of innovative rescue equipment in rope rescue operations.
  Behavioral Objectives
  - Understand the basic characteristics of ropes, knots, technical gear, and litters used in low angle, to high angle rescue work.
  - Be able to manage such systems with fair competency in actual low angle terrain.
  - Understand the management skills needed to direct a low angle technical rope rescue mission.
  - Be able to tie basic rescue knots.
  - Understand and utilize basic camming devices and hitches.
  - Understand and utilize tensioning systems and mechanical advantage systems.
  - Be able to construct effective anchors, utilize natural and artificial anchors.
  - Understand and utilize rope protection.
  - Be able to manage a self-belay (low angle), and understand the differences between static and dynamic belays.
  - Be able to package a patient into a litter.
  - Be able to rig a litter attachment system for raising or lowering in a low angle rescue situation.
  - Be able to set up and manage a friction lowering system.
  - Be able to set up and manage a raising system.
  - Understand the role of the Incident Command Systems and the unique position of Safety Officer in rope rescues.
  Course Outline
  This is a generalized course outline. Individual instructors may change the order in which the outline subjects are covered.
  
  Day One - Classroom Session
  - Registration; rope rescue safety and training; the philosophy of rescue
  - Rope rescue problems and systems applications
  - Equipment-current, specialized, new, and experimental
  - Structure problems
  - Helicopters in the rope rescue environment
  - Practice: ropes, knots, technical gear
  - Practice: introduction to rope systems and anchors
  Day Two - Field Session
  - Practice: low angle rescues - scene assessment, incident command, traffic management
  - Practice: mechanical advantage systems
  - Practice: Assisting ambulatory patients
  - Ascending and descending rope in low angle environment
  - Patient packaging and litter attending
  - Low angle litter evacuation systems with attendants
  Day Three - Field Session
  - Tripods and “A” frames
  - Rappelling in mixed and high angle environment
  - Low and mixed terrain scenario, raising and lowering of litter and attendants
  - General review and testing of skills
  - Certificates
  Take Aways
  - Rescue 3’s Technical Rope Rescue - Technician Level Manual
  - Personalized skill sheet (training record) signed by the instructor (valuable document for risk management)
  - Registration of training record in Rescue 3’s international database
  - Wallet card with personal Rescue 3 registration number and date of certification
  - Certificate of Completion
  Technical Rope Rescue - Technician
  
  This technician-level technical rope rescue course is the “Gold Standard” for rope rescue training. It is an intense and demanding course, but we utilize simple, logical steps with lots of hands-on experience to facilitate learning. Students advance from basic over-the-bank rescues to progressively more vertical scenarios. Course includes pre-planning and size-up of rope rescue operations; knots, hitches and anchor systems; belay operations; ascending and descending; raising and lowering systems; and patient packaging and litter attending, among other skills and techniques.
  
  There is wide range of applications for the skill and knowledge covered in this course, including bridge, railway, pipeline and dam construction and inspections; moving heavy objects; and confined space rescue. The requirements for the Rope Rescue Technician portion of NFPA 1670 Standard for technical rope rescue are met in this course.
  
  Details
  Duration: 5 days (40 hours)
  Format: 1 day classroom, 4 days at outdoor climbing sites
  Cost: $975
  
  Pre-requisites
- 18+ years of age (16-17 with parental permission)
- In good physical condition

Courses

Upcoming Dates

Mar 12 (eve)-14, 2010

Swiftwater - Technician (SRT I)

$429
Parksville, BC
Register

Mar 22-26, 2010

Technical Rope Rescue - Technician

$975
Maple Ridge, BC
Register

Mar 22-24, 2010

Technical Rope Rescue - Operations

$429
Maple Ridge, BC
Register

Mar 24-26, 2010

Swiftwater - Technician (SRT I)

$429
Chilliwack, BC
Register

Mar 24-25, 2010

Swiftwater - Operations

$299
Chilliwack, BC
Register

Mar 27-29, 2010

Swiftwater - Technician Advanced (SRT A)

$549
Chilliwack, BC
Register

See full schedule

After attending the course personally, I have to say that you guys did a great job. Kevin was very professional and courteous, and myself and the guides all learned a lot. Perhaps most importantly, I think we all gained a lot of confidence about how to approach cold water scenarios and rescue situations. Again, well done.

Chad Black, Operations Manager, Nicolas Dean Lodge (Terrace, BC)

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