Minimizing Swiftwater Risk

In some parts of the country, this is the rainy season. And when you have a "rainy season," that usually means the climate is generally dry most of the year. And when dry meets a torrent of rain, that can often mean flash floods in washes or on low-lying roads. And that could then lead to vehicles or people sometimes getting stuck in the floodwater, either just by happening to be on the road when the flood hits, or by someone ignoring warnings and barricades and going through a flooded area.

And in some of those cases, there is rushing water, not a calm pond. These "swiftwater" rescues are, thankfully, rare, but that can be a bad thing for firefighters - there is nothing like real-life experience, but these swiftwater rescues are rare enough that even 10-year veterans may never be involved in one of these and could act like a rookie. And of course, that could mean even higher risk of failure and deaths than the situation itself.

While classroom training is helpful, there is nothing like understanding the situation in real time and not using trial-and-error on human life to figure out what works and what doesn't. So here are some ideas to consider for an effective swiftwater rescue operation:

-Take command and establish a staging location for all responders.

-Make personal flotation devices and water-rescue helmets mandatory for every responder on-scene.

-Confirm location and the number of people to be rescued. Maintain visual and voice contact with the victims at all times.

-Send an observer team upstream from the incident location to note any potential hazards that could complicate the rescue.

-Send a team downstream with some non-entry-rescue equipment.

-Send another team about a 1/2 mile downstream.

-Get and proffer regular updates and communication among all teams as to the rescue effort.

-If possible, consider aerial rescue before entry.

-Under no circumstance is a rope to be tied to either a rescuer or a victim.