Teaching Points – Rescue For River Runners

PPE/PRE

As in any trade or sport rescuers need to have all necessary and most beneficial “tools of the trade” at their disposal. “Pack your river gear…pack your rescue gear”

PPE – Personal Protective Equipment

Personal Floatation Device (with QRHS), Helmet, Accessories (knife, whistle, glow stick, barrier protection, snacks)

PRE (Personal Rescue Equipment)

4,3,2,1 Rescue Kit

4 Locking carabiners

3 Pulleys

2 Prussic Loops (1 1.5m 1 1.75m)

1 Tubular webbing

Rescuers need high quality throw bag appropriate for the type of paddling they do and rescues they may encounter.

Teaching Tips

Students should have their own (or rent) high quality PPE. It is worth having a few extra rescue vests with QRHS for those without them to try.

Rescue Philosophy

Rescue Philosophy…

Philosophically speaking it is invaluable to have all rescuers on the same page to ensure an “EXCELLENT” Rescue.

Excellence = Expertise, Efficiency and Expedience.

Priorities:

Self Rescue, Rescue Team, Bystanders, Unstable Subjects, Stable Subjects, Equipment

Order of Operations:

Most rescues require rescues to be performed in the following sequence: Locate, Access, Stabilize, Transport

Risk Assessment:

Low to High Risk (RETHROG)

This model promotes rescuer safety by reducing their exposure to risk

Talk, Reach, throw, Row, Go, Tow, Specialty Rescue (Helo/Scuba)

Acceptable level of Risk (ALR)

Use the most effective technique first AS LONG AS it is below your (your group’s) Acceptable Level of Risk (ALR). Consistently i the situation by asking “Can I (do this), Should I (do this)”. Only take a particular action if you can answer with a double affirmative “YES I Can and YES I Should”

Management: 3 Key Roles

Leadership (assign roles, change the plan, take charge of transitions, assign medical evaluation, transport

decision)

Safety (establish downstream perimeter, containment, rescue ready)

Rescuers (access, stabilize the subject, once stable look to Leadership for transport options)

Incident Command System (ICS)

Rescuers predetermine their organization with Leadership, Safety and Rescuers (in that order). This is often seen is professional rescue services such as the military, police, civil protection and fire service.

Management Evolution (ME)

Stable Subject (ability to signal, not obviously injured, stationary): Leadership, Safety, Rescuers

Unstable Subject (airway compromise, injured, still moving downstream): Rescuers, Safety, Leadership…

Hydrology

Having a strong understanding of how moving water works (Hydrology) is key to rescuer safety and success.

Features:

Features worth knowing/explaining

Downstream V, Waves, Eddies, Eddy Line, (Eddy Fense, Eddy Wedge), Bends, Cusions, Pourovers, Holes (and their es capability, Strainers, Undercuts, Ice, Sieves, Current Vector, Other

Teaching Tip

Hydrology talks art typically BORING especially in mixed groups with diverse levels of knowledge. Teaching Presentations that ae dynamic such as a slide show, games, (build a river), quizzes or pointing out features at the river are generally more effective than a straight lecture/whiteboard session/

Safety/Medical Considerations

Ensuring thee safety of our fellow paddlers is obviously paramount to everyone while out on the river.There are, however, some safety/medical issues that may arisen thus it is crucial we know how to deal with them (or preferably avoid them.)

Safety Talk: Minimum Content

1. Explain risk involved in rescue training (it is only training)

2. Move purposefully

3. Challenge by Choice

4. Don’t stand up (until it is “shallow and slow”)

5. Signals (Audible and visual)

6. What to do in a REAL emergency

7. Egress Plan

8. Communication device

9. First aid kit and medical training

10. Ability to get warm (or cool) and stay warm (or cool)

Medical Issues

Types of injuries: Stubbed toe, twisted ankle knee problems, shoulder problems (dislocation), head injury, spinal injury, hypothermia, hyperthermia

Drowning

Respiratory impairment caused by immersion/submursion in a liquid.

Primarily a brain issue rather than a lung issue.

Need rescue breaths as soon as possible (blow through the foam)

5 breaths prior to starting CPR (30:2) Remove PFD.

Communicate with outside help and authorities (Communicate, Cancel, Continue)

Seel post traumatic counselling (3X3)

If you are in anyway uncertain in how to deal with these medical issues please review/take appropriate wilderness medical training.

Common Incidents:

Strainer drill, Swiftwater entry, scenarios (running on the bank), immersion (cold), Dehydration

All elements of your course are “Challenge by Choice”

Teaching Tips

Teaching in remote areas requires an advanced degree of medical trading by the instructor. Please ensure you are current, well practiced and well qualified.

Floating/Swimming

Whitewater Swimming is one of our “7 Core Skills”. If students only learn/take away 1 thing from their rescue class it should be self rescue by swimming!

Positions

4 Key Positions

1. Defensive Floating (classic feet up in front floating on your back

2. Defensive Swimming (back crawl, toes pointed, knees locked)

3. Offensive Floating (on belly in “parachuter” position)

4. Offensive Swimming (on belly, head up “eyes on the prize”)

Water Entry

Wade to Waist (then splay out on surface of the water… to be used when SWE not advised due to obstructions or depth)

Swiftwater Entry – When 100% certain LZ is free of obstructions and more than 1m depth

1. ACA SWE (Protective)

2. R3 SWE (Projectile)

Ferrying

Angle between 45 and 90 degrees to the current (slice of pie)

Eddy Catching

90 degrees, speed, plant upstream arm

Teaching Tips

Start with a Defensive Float. Watch your participants closely, you can gauge a students level of comfort in the water. Then move to Offensive Swimming to see them swimming at their best. Explain that swimming is undoubtedly the most important skill to acquire on their course.

Throwbagging

Throwbagging is one of our “7 Core Skills” of Swiftwater Rescue. The more consistent and more accurate we with our throws the better rescuers we will be.

Uses: legal requirement, throw to swimmer, horizontal hauling system, vertical raise, vertical Lower (short throw rappel)

Rope Qualities: buoyancy, visibility (colour), strength, stretch (high/low), construction, abrasion resistance, others

Bag Qualities: durability, visibility, stuffability, portability, others

Throwing Techniques

Underhand

Overhand

Side-arm

Butterfly Coils

Split Coil

Split Bag

Grab and throw

Anchor/Belay Techniques

Seated Belay

Hip belay (body)

Back Up Belay (Buddy Belay)

Dynamic Belay (downstream and deep)

Friction Belay

Receiving Techniques

On back, “in river” hand (opposite the direction of travel), elbow bent to avoid shoulder injury

Teaching Tips

Some techniques are “over emphasized” in different regions (Hip Belay in the USA). It is valuable to show a variety of techniques to use in different situations. Take special note of those that hold the rope inappropriately as a swimmer. They lack an understanding of how the water works.

Thethered Rescue (Live Bait)

Tethered Swimmer Rescues are one of our “7 Cores Skills”. The integration of of a QRHS into our PFD’s is probably the biggest game changer in advanced rescue over the past 20 yrs.

Quick Release Harness System

There are various professional opinions on the threading of your Quick Release Harness (QRH)

Rescuers need to “Try and Test” for themselves what threading is most appropriate for them

Note: Threading contrary to manufacture’s suggestion could lead to liability issues

1. Full tri-glide threading (tested load bearing/maximum friction)

2. 1/2 tri-glide threading (mostly untested load bearing/moderate friction)

3. Direct threading (mostly untested land bearing/minimal friction)

Direct threading is most often used when towing where easy escaability is necessary

“Plastic for plastic, metal for me” (Mike Mather)

Rescue Tethers

Rescue tethers are a way for rescuers to engage their rescue harness without having to “reach and clip” behind their back

Safety Considerations

1. Ensure Rescue Tether is “parked” on a quick release tab on your PFD.

2. Do not ‘hard clip” your Rescue Tether to your PFD

3. Replace the original carabiner with a locking carabiner

Practice clipping, unclipping and blowing your harness

Tethered Rescue Sequence (Live Bait Sequence)

1. Tethered Swimmer enters with SWE (when deemed secure)

2. Tether Swimmer enters when Subject is in the “slice of pie” (45-90 degrees upstream from rescuer)

3. Tethered Swimmer raises their hand once they have contact with Subject

4. Tethered Swimmer rotates torso upstream and “windmills” in river arm to grab the rope thus adjusting the angle of force of the current on tethered swimmer’s body

Anchor/Belay Rescue Sequence

1. Anchor/Belay positions themselves downstream of the tethered swimmer the same approximate distance as the subject is from shore. This allows the Tethered Swimmer some time to swim to the subject without the line belaying them back to shore.

2. Anchor/Belay takes in rope as soon as Tethered Swimmer has made contact with the Subject (reducing the Pendulum Arc)

3. Anchor/Belay prepares for load on the line by choosing appropriate anchor/belay position

“V” Lower

1. The Tethered Swimmer is anchored on both sides creating a movable platform out of the rescuer (can be hard to maintain in heavy current for sustained periods)

2. Best to maneuver Rescuer using “pendulum” forces rather than trying to fight the current

3. Anchor/Belay is best with multiple people (upstream personnel in Hip Belay position)

4. Anchor/Belay is better to walk upstream and downstream rather than pulling thus maintaining consistent angle between anchor/rescuer/anchor

Advanced Techniques

Hydraulic Rescue

1. Tethered Swimmer positions themselves in proximity to the boil line

2. Tethered Swimmer leaps for Subject (kayak/canoe/raft) when it reaches its furthest downstream position and is slowed down to a near stop

3. Tethered Swimmer grabs craft at this point BEFORE it is recycled back to the seam of the hydraulic (starts to cartwheel)

4. Tethered Swimmer may use an “extension” to clip the craft to remain hands free in the “pull” phase of the rescue (grip strength is weakest point in the system, extension may be rescue tether or end of rope where Tethered Swimmer is connected midline with a Directional 8 or Butterfly)

5. Rescue ends when all Subjects are out of hydraulic (be wary of multiple swimmers in rafting situations)

6. Anchor/Belay must be thoughtful about positioning

7. Anchor/Belay must be nimble and dynamic to move to appropriate position during “pull” and “post pull” phases of the rescue

Teaching Tips

Thoroughly explain that this is a high risk form of rescue which also has high reward. Students MUST experience blowing their harness on dry land to ensure they have some muscle memories to do that in the water.

Subject Behavior

Panic is often described as when someone feels that they are in an alien environment with no avenue of escape. Sometimes people feel panic with low/no actual risk.

Subject Behaviour

Normal

Follows basic instructions

Makes effort to self rescue

Counter Panic

No purposeful movement to help themselves

Catatonic

Doesn’t make effort to self rescue

Panic

Only cares about clear and patent airway

Will do ANYTHING to maintain airway

Very strong and determined

Wide eyes

Gasping

Ladder climbing/wing flapping

Self Defense

Protect Yourself

Keep your distance

Coach them in to shore/safety

Reverse and ready

Splash in the face

Neutralized position

Dunk them

Breaks and releases

Risk Management

Defending Yourself

Coach them in to shore/safety

Reverse and ready

Splash in the face

Neutralized position

Dunk them

Breaks and releases

Risk Management

COLOUR CODING

Blue helmet (status quo, normal behavior expected)

Yellow helmet (non, weak and nervous swimmers)

Red Helmet (medical/cognitive/ability challenge)

Teaching Tips

Fun active drill best done after Throwbagging and before Tethered Rescue

Wading Techniques

Wading is one of the “7 Core Skills” of Swiftwater Rescue. It is often overused but under taught and practiced.

Wading: Factors Affecting Success

1. Depth

2. Force of current

3. Composition of river bottom

4. Number of crossers

Techniques

Formal Techniques: solo with paddle, line astern, multi-person (Triangle of Support), wedge, fence

Informal Techniques

“Go” abreast, crab crawl

Teaching Tips

Good site selection is key to teaching this skill. Look for thigh deep, fast moving water with a clean swim out. Make it challenging, make it fun!

Knots

Knowing about rigging, ropes and knots are all valuable skills for river rescuers. Here are some that are easy to tie, easy to untie and easy to identify.

GENERAL PRINCIPLES

All knots reduce the minimum breaking strength of the line (approx. 50%)

Knots take some students a while to grasp. Teach knots just before lunch or end of day. Request students learn knots in advance by going to Animated Knots www.animatedknots.com

Useful Knots for Swiftwater Rescue

Figure 8 (Stopper)

Figure 8 Follow Through (Loop)

Figure 8 Follow Through (Bight)

Figure 8 on a Bight

Double Figure of 8

Directional Figure of 8

Alpine Butterfly

Clove Hitch

Tensionless Hitch (No Knot)

Useful Knots For Swiftwater Rescue (Webbing)

Water Knot

Patagonia Knot (Overhand & Overhand)

Teaching Tips

Send a list of knots and the www.animated.com website out to students in advance.

Rigging (MA)

Rigging is one of out “7 Pillars” or Swiftwater Rescue. The more familiar we are at using forces (such as vector forces and Mechanical Advantage systems) the better rescuers we will be.

Anchors with rope (on anchor)

Tensionless Hitch (No Knot)

Figure 8 on a Bight (followed through)

Anchors with webbing (on anchor)

Simple

Basket (3 Bight)

Multiwrap

Multipoint Load Sharing (self equalizing and protecting)

Multipoint Fixed and Focussed

Anchors with rope (on load)

Boater anchor

Double figure 8 on a bight

Anchors with webbing (on load)

Threaded (1 carabiner)

Clipped (3 carabiners)

Demonstrate forces and angles between multipoint anchors (Vectors)

0 Degrees 50% each side

45 Degrees 54% each side

90 Degrees 71% each side

120 Degrees 100% each side

150 Degrees 150% each side

170 Degrees 574% each side

Vector Pulls

Simple

Progressive Vectoring

Mechanical Advantage Systems

1:1 (Armstrong method)

3:1 Simple

5:1 Simple (Advanced)

9:1 Compound (Advanced)

Others (2:1 Simple, 4:1 Compound etc)

Teaching Tips

MA Systems are in fact rarely used but challenging to remember when needed without practice. Many MA systems fail due to poor selection of equipment. Make sure you demonstrate using appropriate gear or your students won’t know what is good to use and what is hazardous to use.

Line Ferries

Often it only takes a few minutes to preform a given task ONCE we get out lines across the river. Hours later we can still be trying to get our lines across the river.

Techniques Include

Tethered Swimming

Throwing

Paddling

Advanced Techniques

Line gun

Drone

Considerations

Often a Ferry Line or Messenger Line will be deployed (a smaller lighter line that will then later pull across a larger line)

When swimming a line across consider sending a catcher first to receive the Tethered Swimmer.

Tethered swimmers/paddlers want minimum friction for this technique.

Tethered Swimmers should start a MINIMUM of the same distance upstream from the Anchor/Belay as the width of the crossing.

Teaching Tips

Once students hit the water everything will go well. The debating about which technique to use takes up a lot of time.

Pendulums/Line Crossing

Pendulums and Line Crossings are useful Rope Assisted transport techniques. We often use them to avoid longer more hazardous swims. Attention to the small details can help us maximize our benefit and reduce our potential struggles while using rope assisted rescue techniques.

Pendulum Techniques

Classic Pendulums

Use a solid Anchor/Belay position (Hip Belay, Back Up Belay, Friction Belay, Dynamic Belay)

Use a minimum of 1 less Anchor/Belay person than # of people being transported

The pendulum slows down and is harder to hold as the angle to the current vector decreases (try standing further back from the shoreline for quick and easy pendulums (somewhat counter-intuitive)

Those being transported need to grab hold the rope in their “in river” hand opposite the direction of travel

Assisted Pendulums

Add a Helper line to “deflect” the angle open (for quicker more efficient pendulum)

Tensioned Diagonals allow us to transport from upstream on one side of the river to downstream on the opposite side of the river.

Weak side anchor is usually a Tensionless Hitch (No Knot)

Strong side anchor can be a a 3:1 tensioning the line with the tension captured by a prussic, tandem prussic and/or on a load releasing hitch such as a Mariner’s Hitch, Radium Release Hitch or Munter Mule.

Progress Capture anchor can be backed up by putting a No Knot on a separate anchor point.

Anchor can also be hand tensioned or hand held.

When joining 2 lines together use a flat overhand that a large carabiner can pass over

Hold the transport mechanism with the proper hand to put your body on ferry angle

Transport mechanism can be retrieved by affixing a retrieval line.

Direct Line Crossing

Set a line directly across the river to use as a wading or swimming assistive line. Be cautious that after reaching 1/2 way the crossing may become more difficult as now you will have to work somewhat upstream against the current.

Teaching Tips

Students enjoy setting up Tensioned Diagonals despite the fact they are rarely used. Take the opportunity to make it into a team work, line ferry and MA exercise rather than just a line crossing technique. These are fun activities to practice for students.

Entrapments/Cinches

Entrapment and Cinches require both strategy and teamwork. They require fact action that cannot be “made up” at the time of incident. Here we have outlined a few common strategies.

NOTE – The most effective way to rescue someone from an entrapment is with DIRECT CONTACT

3 Point Entrapment Assessment

1. Airway/No Airway (head up / head down)

2. Direct Contact (can I and Should I if so GO rescue)

3. Environment (banks within 20m, Subject within 10m of one bank)

Cinches Based on Subject Presentation

Heads Up 2 Bank

Stabilization Line with Open/Closed Cinch

Double Closed Cinch (Box Cinch)

‘Y” Cinch (J Cinch/Mather Cinch)

“C2Y2U”

Heads Up 1 Bank

One Bank “U” Cinch Open/Closed (ET3/Lasso Loop)

Kiwi Cinch (with REACH or snag plate retrieval)

Heads Down 2 Bank

Step Strap Snag Line

Paddle Pull Snag Line

Sinking Snag Line

Teaching Tips

Entrapment Drills are a great way of building teamwork amongst rescuers. To get the best out of students first emphasize proper technique, then efficiency then expedience. Good to add an element of speed and urgency by timing repeated drills.

Tethered Rescue Platforms

Thursday, May 15, 2025 at 4:14PM

It can be advantageous to create a Tethered Rescue Platform as an access tool. These techniques are both time and equipment heavy and may be difficult to perform with limited equipment.

Tethered Rescue Platforms

1. Controlled Boat Lower/Raise (Telfor Lower, Highline With Boat on Tether)

2. 2 Point Boat on Tether

3. 4 Point Boat on Tether

Many of these techniques require specific conditions in relation to both current as well as banks/shoreline. Suggest using “quicker/dirtier” techniques first.

Teaching Tip

This is often a time consuming skill that is rarely used in the boating community as it is very equipment intensive. It may be something you chose to drylands out for those of interest rather than a full on river session.

Boat Based Rescues

Being a better paddler is one of our 7 essential skills. The better paddler you are the better rescuer you will be. Strong paddlers are able to more adeptly access their subject.

Boat Based Rescues

Roll

T Rescue

Side by Side Rescue (Hand of God)

Exiting your boat in eddies

Entering your boat in eddies

Plowing

Towing (much care should be given to the right amount of friction in the threading of your QRH)

Teaching Tips

Variance in paddler ability can make teaching BBR a challenge. I think that improving ones paddling skills can be given as “homework”.

Drowning: Rescue Instructors Drowning Scenario Alliance (RIDSA)

Rescue Instructors Drowning Scenario Alliance (RIDSA)

Drowning Scenario (The process of experiencing respiratory impairment from submersion or immersion in liquid)

Time Frame: 1Hr (consider “trigger warning” for students)

Equipment requirement: Subject/Victim (face shield, pocket mask, oxygen, AED as optional tools)

Step 1. Set up a “heads down”extraction rescue and let students do their best to get the subject out. Ideally rescue breaths are given immediately and subject taken to viable location.

Step 2. Declare the subject “not breathing/no pulse.”

Step 3. let them “Roll with this” until all resuscitation efforts are exhausted (regardless of whether rescue efforts are done well or poorly)

Step 4. Pause for 30 seconds of reflection as subject did not convert. Explain the following:

I. 42 people are Lund the world die every hour

II. Alcohol, YAM (young adolescent males) and no PFD are the biggest contributor.

III. 10% rate of availability with quality interventions

IV. Drowning us often silent

Step 5. Highlight positive interventions including:

I. Encourage early in water rescue breaths

II. 5 ventilations (barrier protection when available) prior to CPR (or follow local protocols)

III. Commencement of CPR (must remove PFD first) and introduction of other adjuncts including face shield, pocket mask, BVM, Oxygen, AED)

IV. Further medical evaluation

V. Transport decision

Step 6. Explain key points such as:

I. Recognition that this is more a brain problem than a lung problem

II. emphasize the need to “blow through the foam” rather than trying to suction or “blow smoke”. Foaming will only cease with rescue breaths/oxygen

III. Resuscitation efforts continue typically for 30 minutes in water temperature higher than 43F/6C and 90 minutes in water below 43F/6C

Step 7. Collaborate on next steps including:

I. Communication (how to call for help)

II. Care for Conversion (evacuation for hospital monitoring if removed from the water with; loss of consciousness, required resuscitation, foaming, SOB, productive cough, chest pain or other signs of respiratory distress.

III. Cancellation (stay put/walk out)

IV. Continuation (move downstream)

Step 8. Direct all involved to understand and seek assistance for emotional trauma (regardless of subject outcome) that can help in the follow up after the event.

I. 3X3 (Days, weeks, months)

II. Responder Alliance (www.responderalliance.com)

III. Communicate your needs

Step 9. Repeat scenario noting positive actions taken and if warranted give positive outcome. Repeat until successful, exhausted or time expires.

This scenario is presented and made consistent by the Rescue Instructors Drowning Scenario Alliance. RIDSA is a collective Rescue Instructors committed to providing conside and consistent information and best practices regarding drowning through scenario driven education. RIDSA includes many of the world’s most dynamic rescue instructors.

PPE/PRE

Rescue Philosophy

Hydrology

Having a strong understanding of how moving water works (Hydrology) is key to rescuer safety and success.

Safety/Medical Considerations

Floating/Swimming

Throwbagging

Thethered Rescue (Live Bait)

Subject Behavior

Wading Techniques

Knots

Rigging (MA)

Line Ferries

Pendulums/Line Crossing

Entrapments/Cinches

Tethered Rescue Platforms

Boat Based Rescues

Drowning: Rescue Instructors Drowning Scenario Alliance (RIDSA)

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