Catastrophic events often remind first responders of the need to continually hone and refresh their skills. Hurricane Katrina and the flooding in the Northeast suggest there is a particular need for swiftwater and water-rescue training and equipment.

Ask yourself a few questions to determine your department's level of readiness. What type of water hazards does your team typically experience? Are floods, moving water or contaminated water likely hazards in your service area? What gear should on-shore support personnel wear? What safety gear is needed for in-water rescuers? What gear or equipment is needed to perform a rescue?

The first thing to consider when answering these questions is rescuer safety. Personnel need the best equipment budgets can afford. It's not safe for a firefighter to respond to water emergencies in full turnout or to be tied off with a rope as a safety device. Specific gear is needed and, if possible, it should be standardized and interchangeable. Fortunately, some basic equipment and training will serve at any level of response.

Personal flotation devices

A rescue can't be successful unless the rescuer is safe. Departments respond to many calls at night, on steep embankments or in loose terrain where a rescuer could easily slip, lose footing and fall into the water. To that end, some department protocols may require that personnel within 10 feet of water must have a personal flotation device. Shore support, rescuers and anyone working near the water must have such a device. Extra devices also should be on the scene of any event. As victims are retrieved from the water, they should be given a flotation device because they're at risk of panicking and falling back into the water.

Personal flotation devices are rated by type, use and flotation ability using guidelines determined by the U.S. Coast Guard and Canadian Coast Guard. Shore support personnel should be equipped with Type III — rated devices; rescuers should be equipped with vests that have Type III/V or Type V ratings. Type V — rated vests have high flotation capability and should be used by any rescuer who may be working in highly aerated water.

One type of personal flotation device available for rescue personnel is the self- or automatic-inflating style. These work well if someone unintentionally falls in the water, but they need to be recharged after use, which adds a maintenance element that may be less desirable in response to successive events.

Personal flotation devices are equipped with various features. Most are designed with the majority of the flotation in the front of the vest. This keeps the wearer in a heads-up position. Other features include multiple lashing points, radio pockets, reflective tape, tethered swimmer attachments and quick-release buckles.

The devices should be equipped with a whistle, knife and a light signal device. Whistles are used for signaling in water hazards. Marine whistles are made to work with water exposure and are extremely loud. Rescuers can use whistles to signal for help should they fall into the water or encounter other trouble in the water. Upstream spotters may use them to warn crews working downstream of floating debris or watercraft, which may interfere with water operations.

Knives or cutting tools are used to cut away entanglements. Blunt-tip blades are preferred when working around inflatable boats. Knives that can be easily deployed using one hand, ambidextrously, are a must.

Lights or signal beacons help to identify and locate personnel during nighttime operations. Waterproof or dive lights work well in wet conditions. Headlamps can be attached to helmets to keep the rescuer's hands free to work or handle a victim. Glow sticks can be used to mark personnel and landmarks in low-light conditions.

Protective apparel

Water removes body heat up to 20 times faster than air. Wetsuits and surface drysuits are great exposure protection for rescuers working in boats or the water. Most moving water streams and rivers are fed from alpine snow runoff and remain cold well downstream. By keeping a thermal layer around the rescuer, the risk of hypothermia is significantly reduced.

Wetsuits do this by keeping a thin layer of water within the suit that is then warmed by body heat. Drysuits provide warmth by keeping an insulated layer of air around the body within thermal undergarments. Wetsuits and drysuits also protect rescue personnel from jagged rocks, debris and the cold. Drysuits have an added protection against water contaminants. Wetsuits should be 5mm to 7mm in thickness and have reinforced stitching, glued and taped seams, reinforced knees and seats, and flat-lock neck and wrist seals. Drysuits should be made of Trilaminate- or Kevlar-reinforced fabric and have easy-entry zippers, adjustable neck and wrist seals, relief zippers, and internal suspenders.

Rescuers should also wear helmets to protect against rocks and debris in moving water. A helmet is a primary piece of safety equipment in rapids. Helmets should have lightweight, impact-resistant shells; chinstraps; vents for air and water drainage; visor attachments; and ear protection. Structure helmets aren't desirable for in-water rescues because they are heavy and aren't made for moving water.

Neoprene gloves with Kevlar palms are great for thermal protection and rope work. Velcro straps help to secure the gloves around hands. Leather work gloves are fine for shore support, but turnout gloves may become soaked with water and fall off when working.

Water work boots provide traction and foot protection in wet conditions. The most common booties are made of neoprene and nylon and are equipped with zipper, lace or Velcro closures. Hard-sole booties have lug soles and provide better protection against rocks and rugged terrain. Regular dive booties can be thin and provide little slip protection. Work or turnout boots may be too heavy and become waterlogged easily.

Fins also are a good item to have available for teams that are trained for swimming rescues in swiftwater. Most fins are designed for dive applications, but there are a number of brands made specifically for surface swimming. The rocket-style fin has been around for the past few decades and is great fin design overall. Rocket fins use an open heel — style and have a large foot pocket that can accommodate water work boots. They also come with adjustable fin straps or quick-release buckles. Taping the straps down prevents fins from coming off and drifting away in high-flow swiftwater situations. Many manufacturers produce fins with similar features in various price ranges.

The Churchill-style rubber swimming fins have a smaller foot pocket but work well due to their compact design and positive buoyancy. A new Shredder fin has been introduced that has a smaller fin blade and is made for surface swimming and wearing out of the water.

Water rescues can sometimes call for throwing someone a line. Rope bags are a must for any level of swiftwater training. If a victim is out of reach, the best course of action is to throw a rope bag to retrieve him or her from the water. A throw bag is basically a nylon bag filled with floating rope. Simplicity is best when choosing the type of throw bag to be used. Nylon shell with reflective tape and webbing for securing carabiners are the basic features of these bags. Some bags have built-in floats to keep them buoyant for easy recovery. The rope is usually polypropylene or a Spectra line that floats on the surface of water for victims to easily handle or retrieve. Standard lengths are usually 50 to 75 feet in length, but they can be customized to fit the needs of the team and typical rescue scenarios that a team will encounter.

Advanced equipment

Depending on the type and level of rescue the team is likely to encounter, additional equipment may be essential. Floating boards, personal watercraft, boats and rope systems may be appropriate in certain conditions.

For example, Miller boards are floating backboards used for in-water spinal immobilization. Carlson boards or swift boards are large boogie board platforms used for swimming rapids or retrieving victims stranded in flooded conditions. With training and practice, it's possible to swim through rapids with two people until a clear exit is found.

Personal watercraft, including jet skis, can be used effectively for search-and-rescue missions in floods and moving water. The maneuverability and speed of these devices facilitate the insertion of water-rescue members and quick retrieval of victims or rescuers.

Inflatable boats can be configured with outboard motors or as rafts to maneuver through swiftwater, while their light weight makes them easier to deploy with minimum personnel. Some inflatables are designed for use in low-head dam situations, and some are used to patrol lakes and rivers. With rope systems and high lines, inflatable boats are perfect platforms for retrieving victims from rapids in moving water. These boats can be used in flood situations, but they're susceptible to damage from sharp objects, such as jagged debris and barbed wire hidden in the water.

Aluminum or rigid-hull boats can carry more equipment and personnel but need trailers for deploying into water. Flat bottom boats work well in flood conditions and may be prone to avoid debris and obstructions.

Rope systems go hand in hand with swiftwater operations. Hardware and rescue rope are needed to set up boats on tethers, anchor points, high lines and 3:1 systems for retrieving victims. Line guns help to deploy ropes to the far banks of a river or to shoot a floatable line to victims. Most line guns are pneumatically charged or use a small powder charge to shoot small projectiles and lead line.

Waste not

Don't spend the money on the equipment if you can't supply the training. As with any rescue operation, there is no substitute for proper training and certification. In life-safety situations, we must take a no-complacency approach to training and continued education to maintain swiftwater skills and equipment. There are many reliable and certified training agencies that meet state fire marshal approval and certification.

Any of the items mentioned can easily be browsed and viewed at different Web sites. Neighboring water-rescue teams are another great resource for previewing and testing other technologies and equipment and asking questions about training and certifications. Government and state grants may be available to purchase needed equipment or obtain the appropriate training and certification. Other resources include the Personal Watercraft Industry Association Law Loan Program, www.pwia.org, which loans personal watercraft to local law, fire and rescue teams through their local congressperson. Fund raising and donations also may help your team to acquire needed equipment.

Equipping and training public safety personnel isn't out of reach. With a thorough assessment of your needs, you can begin to prepare your team for the next event, saving lives and protecting your team and the community you serve.

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Sean Hidalgo is a member of the Stockton (Calif.) Fire Department's water-rescue team