Shares Sea Scout Ship 378's (The Dawn Treader) experience with the introductory swiftwater rescue course as part of the Paddlecraft Sea Scout Advancement Elective, competed 3 Sep 16

1. Sea Scout Advancement Elective: Paddlecraft
2. Complete an ACA Level 3 or Higher
Swiftwater Rescue Course
Ship 378, 3 Sep 16 1ACA Level 3 River Safety & Rescue

2. LEVEL 3 RIVER
SAFETY & RESCUE
 1-Day Workshop Covering Essential Topics of River
Rescue
 Information is Tied Together at End of Course with
Mock Rescue Scenario
Ship 378, 3 Sep 16 2ACA Level 3 River Safety & Rescue

3. RIVER SAFETY & RESCUE
WORKSHOP
 Teaches
 Recognition & Avoidance of Common River Hazards
 Execution of Self-Rescue Techniques
 Simple Rescues of Paddlers in Distress.
 Techniques for Dealing w hazards Carrying Greater
Risk for Victim & Rescuer, (e.g., entrapments & pins)
 Emphasis Placed Personal Safety & Simple Skills
 Course Primarily for Boaters Who Don’t Anticipate
Paddling in Whitewater [> Class II].
Ship 378, 3 Sep 16 3ACA Level 3 River Safety & Rescue

4. COURSE OBJECTIVES
 Promote Proactive Prevention of River Accidents
 Develop & Practice Key Self-Rescue Skills
 Identify & Avoid Hazards by Understanding Hydrology,
Hazards, and River Features
 Focus on Fast, Low-Risk strategies for Early
Management of River Accidents
 Practice Methods for Recovering Swimmers, Loose
Boats and Equipment
Practical Skills Take Place on Class II Whitewater
Ship 378, 3 Sep 16 4ACA Level 3 River Safety & Rescue

5. SHIP GOALS
 Come-as-You-are Personal & Group Gear
 Enhance BSA Lifeguard Training
 Open Water
 Swift Water
 River-Incident Teamwork
 Victim Training
 Expand Boating Operation Alternatives
 Whitewater (Canoeing, Kayaking, Rafting, SUPs)
 Better Paddlecraft Merit Badge Instruction
 Able Seaman Elective
Ship 378, 3 Sep 16 ACA Level 3 River Safety & Rescue 5

6. River
Wear
Prepare for Water
Temperature
Ambient
Temperature +
Water
Temperature
> 120ᵒ F (49ᵒ C)
Ship 378, 3 Sep 16 ACA Level 3 River Safety & Rescue 6

7. RIVER WEAR
 Synthetic Clothes
 Long Pants
 Rash Shirt
 Wool Socks
 River Helmet
 Closed-Toe Shoes
 Tennis Shoes
 Accessories
 Whistle
 Dive Knife
Ship 378, 3 Sep 16 ACA Level 3 River Safety & Rescue 7

8. Ship 378, 3 Sep 16 ACA Level 3 River Safety & Rescue 8

9. RESCUE PRIORITIES
 Rescuer (Yourself)
 Other Rescuers (Shipmates)
 River Swimmer (Victim)
 Rescuers Can Instantly Become Swimmers
 Gear
 Paddle
 Boat
Ship 378, 3 Sep 16 ACA Level 3 River Safety & Rescue 9

10. RESCUE OPTIONS
 Speak
 Reach
 Throw
 Row
 Go [with Assistance]
Ship 378, 3 Sep 16 ACA Level 3 River Safety & Rescue 10
Increasing
Order
of
Personal
Risk

11. COMMUNICATION
 Rivers are Loud: Use . . .
 Hand signals
 Whistles
 Rescue Swimmers
Ship 378, 3 Sep 16 ACA Level 3 River Safety & Rescue 11

12. RIVER RESCUE HAND SIGNALS
Ship 378, 3 Sep 16 ACA Level 3 River Safety & Rescue 12
https://www.AmericanWhitewater.org/content/Wiki/safety:start
Same Ones for
Whitewater
Merit Badge

13. Throw
Bags
Primary
Rescue Tool
- Reach
- Go
- Boat Retrieval
Ship 378, 3 Sep 16 ACA Level 3 River Safety & Rescue 13

14. THROWING THROW BAGS
 Ready to Launch
 Thrown
 Under-Handed
 Side-Arm
 Over-Handed
 Characteristics
 Bags Float
 Rope Floats
Ship 378, 3 Sep 16 ACA Level 3 River Safety & Rescue 14

15. RETRIEVING SWIMMERS
Ship 378, 3 Sep 16 ACA Level 3 River Safety & Rescue 15
 Yell “Rope, Rope, Rope
 Throw at & Just Beyond
Swimmer’s Head
 Belay Swimmer
 Rope Downstream
 Sit Down
 Feet Face Downstream
 Anchorage
 No-Knot Around Tree
 Buddy Holds
Shoulders

16. THROW BAG REUSE
Ship 378, 3 Sep 16 ACA Level 3 River Safety & Rescue 16

17. THROW BAG TOSSING PRACTICE
Ship 378, 3 Sep 16 ACA Level 3 River Safety & Rescue 17

18. Lunch
High Calorie
- Fast Sugar
- Slow Sugar
- Protein
Water
Ship 378, 3 Sep 16 ACA Level 3 River Safety & Rescue 18

19. River
Swimming
Keep Feet
Up
Keep Feet
Downstream
Don’t Stand
Up
Ship 378, 3 Sep 16 ACA Level 3 River Safety & Rescue 19

20. DEFENSIVE RIVER SWIMMING
 Protect Head
 Keep Feet Up
 Keep Feet Downstream
 Don’t Stand Up, Unless
 River Push-Up
 Seat Scrapes Bottom
 In an Eddy
 Hanging on to Vegetation
Ship 378, 3 Sep 16 ACA Level 3 River Safety & Rescue 20

21. Throw
Bag
Rescue
First Shot is
Best Shot
Coil Rope for
Other
Throws
Use What is
Needed
Ship 378, 3 Sep 16 ACA Level 3 River Safety & Rescue 21

22. THROW BAG RESCUE
 Situation Awareness
 Swimmer Landing
 Belay Spot
 Water Hazards
 Swimmer Puts Rope
over Other-Shore
Shoulder
Ship 378, 3 Sep 16 ACA Level 3 River Safety & Rescue 22

23. THROW-BAG RESCUE DEBRIEF
Ship 378, 3 Sep 16 ACA Level 3 River Safety & Rescue 23

24. Swim
Practice
Includes
- Defensive
Swimming
- Ferrying
- Barrel Rolls
- Crossing Eddy
Lines
- Watching for
Eddies
Ship 378, 3 Sep 16 ACA Level 3 River Safety & Rescue 24

25. GROUP RIVER SWIM PRACTICE
Ship 378, 3 Sep 16 ACA Level 3 River Safety & Rescue 25

26. Ferrying
Swimming
Upstream
Across
Current
Ship 378, 3 Sep 16 ACA Level 3 River Safety & Rescue 26

27. FERRYING
 Objective
 Go Across Current
 Tactics
 Swim Upstream
 Swim 45ᵒ to Current
 Start Upstream of
Landing
 Might Barrel Roll
 Defensive Swimming to
Ferrying
Ship 378, 3 Sep 16 ACA Level 3 River Safety & Rescue 27

28. Shallow
Water
Entry
Quick Water
Entry for
Swimming
Rescue
Ship 378, 3 Sep 16 ACA Level 3 River Safety & Rescue 28

29. SHALLOW WATER ENTRY
 Objective
 Get into Water Fast to
Start Swimming
 Tactics
 Protect Face w Arms
 Forearms First
 Arms Crossed
 Hands Spooned
 Shallow Water Dive
Ship 378, 3 Sep 16 ACA Level 3 River Safety & Rescue 29

30. Solo
Wading
Cross Thigh-
High Water
Alone
Use Paddle
for Support
-3 Points of
Contact
Ship 378, 3 Sep 16 ACA Level 3 River Safety & Rescue 30

31. 2-Person
Wading
Use Partner
for Support
Ship 378, 3 Sep 16 ACA Level 3 River Safety & Rescue 31

32. 3-4
Person
Wading
Single-File
Method to
“Snake”
Across River
May Also
Use Wedge
Ship 378, 3 Sep 16 ACA Level 3 River Safety & Rescue 32

33. WADING
 Do Not Wade in Water
More than Hip High
 Put Biggest Person in
Front
 Forms Eddy for
Others
 3 Points of Contact
 1-Person Moves at a
time
 Set & All Set
Ship 378, 3 Sep 16 ACA Level 3 River Safety & Rescue 33

34. FUN WITH WADING
Ship 378, 3 Sep 16 ACA Level 3 River Safety & Rescue 34

35. Freeing
Boats
Un-Trap a
Boat Pinned
by Current
Using Ropes
& Carabineers
Ship 378, 3 Sep 16 ACA Level 3 River Safety & Rescue 35

36. Mock
Scenario
Incident
Commander is
just downstream
of the action
Ship 378, 3 Sep 16 ACA Level 3 River Safety & Rescue 36

37. MOCK SCENARIO
 3 Swimmer Rescues
 Foot Entrapment
 Arm Injury
 Spotter Fell in Water
 Boatswain is Scenario
Incident Commander
 Skipper | Instructor is
Actual Incident
Commander
Ship 378, 3 Sep 16 ACA Level 3 River Safety & Rescue 37

38. END OF COURSE DEBRIEF
 Lessons Learned
 Communication is Difficult
 Use Signals & Swimmers
 Keep It Simple
 Less Risk = Less Team & Least
Movement
 Loose Gear is Dangerous
 Keep Track of Gear
 Spotting is Boring
 Lookout & Be Ready Anyway!
Ship 378, 3 Sep 16 ACA Level 3 River Safety & Rescue 38

39. COURSE LIMITATIONS
 Ships Need to . . .
 Practice Skills
 Throw Bag Handling
 Mock Scenarios
 Include Wilderness First Aid
 Get Injured Swimmer out of River
 Adapt Lifeguard “Go” Procedures
 Learn How to Use PFD Rescue Rings
 Skipper Really Needs Swiftwater Rescue Training
 Incident Commander
Ideally, Proceed to Level IV Training
Ship 378, 3 Sep 16 ACA Level 3 River Safety & Rescue 39

40. SETTING UP A COURSE
 Expect to Request a Special Course
 Web search Found the Course
 No public offering found
 Set it up 6-Months+ in Advance
 Consider Offering Course to Other Ships or Public
Ship 378, 3 Sep 16 40ACA Level 3 River Safety & Rescue

41. COURSE CONSIDERATIONS
 River Exposure is 4-5 Hours
 Wear Long Pants & Shirt
 Fast Drying Synthetics
 Closed-Toe Shoes
 At least Tennis Shoes
 Bring Your Own Personal Protection Equipment
 Type III PFD
 River Helmet
 Whistle (Plastic SOLAS or Lifeguard)
 Blunt-Nose Knife (e.g., Dive Knife)
Ship 378, 3 Sep 16 41ACA Level 3 River Safety & Rescue

42. EVENT PLANNING
 Ideally, End of Summer
 Warmer Water
 Slower Water
 Summer Vacations are over (nearly)
 Beware of Low Water Levels
 Avoid Rivers Fed from Bottoms of Dams
 High-Calorie Meals w/ 1-Electrolyte Drink
Avoid Hypothermia & Dehydration
Ship 378, 3 Sep 16 42ACA Level 3 River Safety & Rescue

43. LANDMARK LEARNING
 Eagle Scout Business Owner & Instructors
 Great Youth Consultants / Respects Youth Leaders
 Respond to Needs of Our Program
 Teach Many Outdoor Skills
 WFA, Swiftwater Rescue, Paddlecraft, First Responders
 Many Options to Put Courses Together
LandmarkLearning.edu
Sylva, North Carolina, (828) 293-5384
Ship 378, 3 Sep 16 ACA Level 3 River Safety & Rescue 43

44. OTHER SHOTS
Ship 378, 3 Sep 16 ACA Level 3 River Safety & Rescue 44
Sea Scouts 4S’s: Scouts, Seamanship, Service, Social