Tag Archives: k38 rescue

TIME IS MOTIVATION

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Time should motivate you because you cannot get it back once spent.

Time is essential. The Time is NOW!

Your actions have positive meaning.

You have invested a lot of time into your Rescue Water Craft program or you are about to venture on that journey.

Regardless, use your time wisely. Its the same as a rescue mission.

Time is critical to the end result.

Training our nations elite Coxswains requires a dedicated focus on time management and moving the group as one mobile and vicarious asset of good. Time cannot be wasted on ineffective operations that can cost them their life or that of a teammate. The stakes are high and the 'time is now'.

TICK TOCK

Progress is forward movement, its essentially timely management of advantages and staying off the disadvantages.

This means the clock is ticking!

In a rescue we only have mere 'seconds and feet'.

A second of movement at different speeds can be 20 or 60 feet of forward attempts, regress or success and celebration.

Isn't it unnerving to realize that a second in time can mean the difference between life or death or a near miss?

How many times in your career have you shrugged off that near second reality? Its quite humbling to realize that our lives
can come down to moving our range of motion 1" or 1 foot to the left or right and that decisions is life or death!

For me every action is measurable, its an accounting of being in the right place, at the right time and prepared for it.

IDEAS

Ideas of service oriented movements promote effective time management. It seems nobody has enough time and everything is wanted yesterday. This means our time management needs to be effective and not misshapen.

More capability of all our actions is expected to deliver with less, so the finite adaptation of the progression of time use is critical to all of us.

Processes are engaged, equipment addressed, gear purchased all for the goal of future 'time'. For that call out, that rescue or that daily patrol.

Preserve your time management by focusing on the realities of program need, maintaining effective records and keep the team on point with authentic practices that can yield them timely results in their rescue response.

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Posted 1.13.2019

Have any questions? Join the Rescue Water Craft Association
and discover what your community is doing to modernize standards, safety and reduce liability!
Join the Rescue Water Craft Association

Content Creator: Shawn Alladio cares most about her community and the culture surrounding the safety of event service providers and Rescue Water Craft operators, working hard and dedicated towards protecting their reputation, distributing safety information and continuing to train these amazing individuals to the highest standards of care.

Use at your own risk. Please take a qualified Rescue Water Craft training course and maintain proper records and respect all the PWC, RWC, PPE, and gear OEM manufacturer warning labels and cautions.

USE IT

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It's now what you know, is how you use what you know when its time to launch your Rescue Water Craft.

You may know what your operational goals are but are you capable of executing them under pressure?

Its easy to do a drill, repeat a drill, say 'good job' and close the day.

When it suddenly gets real, knowledge is only an extension of actions addressed under duress.

That's where the chaff is separated from the stalk.

It requires a lot of repetitive corrections with the unknown. Team work is essential because your teammates can remind you where you are dropping off and how to stay in forward motion. Always work with the elements at hand, not in opposition.

SECONDS AND FEET

What can you do to get ready?

I have a simple formula that will help you.

Count.

Starting counting in 'SECONDS AND FEET'.

This is how we measure our training performance of our Coxswains.

It's not about time, its about forward movement.

Are they smooth?

Is the Coxswain maintaining a level boat?

Are the keeping the Rescue Water Craft stable by using proper balance techniques?

Is the Coxswain and the Crew steady? Are they working together or opposing each others vital actions?

Be Consistent in Behaviors and Constantly Asses, Critique and Correct.

KEEP THINKING

KEEP THINKING and KEEP MOVING!

Both of these behaviors reveal the mind of the Coxswain, their determinations and the exposure of their accountable actions.

You can evaluate these behaviors in a step by step method of risk.

1. Are they maintaining a watch?
2. Do they use effective helm management?
3. Is their throttle modulation accurate and safe?
4. Are they making a safe contact approach with the survivors in the water?
5. Did they secure their stop appropriately?

If you answered a hearty 'no' to any of these, you have some good work ahead of you!

The good news is you just modernized your program!

We thank you and your survivors will be eternally grateful for your safe management and professionalism.

Remember: A moment for safety will save a lifetime of regret.

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Posted 1.13.2019

Have any questions? Join the Rescue Water Craft Association
and discover what your community is doing to modernize standards, safety and reduce liability!
Join the Rescue Water Craft Association

Content Creator: Shawn Alladio cares most about her community and the culture surrounding the safety of event service providers and Rescue Water Craft operators, working hard and dedicated towards protecting their reputation, distributing safety information and continuing to train these amazing individuals to the highest standards of care.

Use at your own risk. Please take a qualified Rescue Water Craft training course and maintain proper records and respect all the PWC, RWC, PPE, and gear OEM manufacturer warning labels and cautions.

INTENTION TO FAIL

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INTENTION OF FAILURE

The intention of failure motivates others to fail. So the experience becomes familiar and then everything is okay in the worst possible way.

What is the answer for this?

The framework of the answer is in the validity of achievement.

Is achievement protected in the measure of repetitive failure so that only one element of the hierarchy cannot be disputed?

Some people don't want to succeed because they are only familiar with not forging ahead. Sometimes its due to budget, sometimes to political edges and sometimes its a personal problem. And sometimes its because of poor imitation.

Familiarity can become dangerous if its aligns with complacency. High risk operations require a higher level of accounting. Don't slack or back down, stay on the edge of concern and manage it. Slow things down if its getting too fast.

How about we focus on the definition of failure:

noun
1. an act or instance of failing or proving unsuccessful; lack of success:
His effort ended in failure. The water rescue was a failure.

2. nonperformance of something due, required, or expected:
a failure to do what one has promised; a failure to appear.

3. a subnormal quantity or quality; an insufficiency:
the failure of the team

SACRED TRUST

Don't assume everything will be fine. Know your team. Know your equipment. Risk is a real problem for us, managing it is even more severe. Take inventory and be honest. You will feel better and everyone will benefit from your leadership concerns

What is our rational purpose of the consequence of lifesaving? WE have several elements:

1. The Mindset of the Team and Leadership
2. The assets put in place
3. The management of the marine unit needs

We can outline in a practical manner the route of failure.

Its conducted by the review of our mishaps, the study of maritime history or the evaluation of other agency mishaps and an honest accounting of the pitfalls therein.

The paramount issue that faces our Maritime RWC culture is ‘what do to do about that? A discovery phase must be embarked.

One answer is to find the meaning of the utility of RWC purpose and effective us and the associated safety of those risks observed. We need to question but not miss the point.

We have to discover these before we are led away to another mishap by those who enforce failure by doing nothing at all to remedy it.

In our world we deal with suffering, either from malevolence, natural incidents, accident or ignorance, these are some of the instance of accident or peril.

We are a point of contact in that path, but recovery continues after tragedy for everyone. Hence, review, review, review!

Bearing the tragic consequence surrounding water rescue, is the notice of engaging in something meaningful, something sacred.

For those who lost their compassion they often choose the adversarial account of survivors, distancing themselves from the meaningful action that is worth the suffering and controversy to modernize a program.

Allow your survivors to teach you well.

Question a way of being that may need to be modified or retired. Courage to conduct actions in a manner that can reveal itself in the moment of risk that are relationship bound. You, your craft, your mechanic, your team, the survivors.
This is the price of experience.

COURAGE

Its even more important to question products, their structural failures and common sense red flags. If you have catastrophic failures with purchased gear, document the issues and contact the manufacturer with your concerns.

Ask for for remedial solutions. Make sure that it's not because you abused the product or mismanaged it, and if it is - address that head on with your team.

Taking responsibility with your own volition for the suffering and tragedy of those in peril while you are operating and work to remediate it as a conduit of good. You may be saving your own life first.

Here is what I tell myself when working: I am you and you are I. I am like the survivor and they are like myself. My experience is that I want to come home safely, not take reckless actions into emotion, but to be responsible for my actions and remediate accordingly to success.

I don’t want to place a barrier in my experience by jumping a wave with my RWC, operating in fear, not having technical control in confined spaces and on and on…

Reject the excuses of those who provide barriers and fail to bear the responsibility of leading properly. Question everything presented to you in the RWC training workups by conducting you own vigilance.

• Get to know the maritime community.
• Become knowledge of the ATONs
• Understand the mechanics of your Rescue Water Craft and appropriate maintenance
• Learn about atmospheric pressure systems and water conditions
• Investigate new technologies and products
• Become curious about private companies and their leading edges of real world experience

If you do not believe this is relative and reject it there is something wrong in your soul. There is a path of rejecting failures that would present to you your own.

Fear the lack of progress. It can cause great harm to you and others.

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Posted 1.13.2019

Have any questions? Join the Rescue Water Craft Association
and discover what your community is doing to modernize standards, safety and reduce liability!
Join the Rescue Water Craft Association

Content Creator: Shawn Alladio cares most about her community and the culture surrounding the safety of event service providers and Rescue Water Craft operators, working hard and dedicated towards protecting their reputation, distributing safety information and continuing to train these amazing individuals to the highest standards of care.

Use at your own risk. Please take a qualified Rescue Water Craft training course and maintain proper records and respect all the PWC, RWC, PPE, and gear OEM manufacturer warning labels and cautions.

TRAGEDY BECOMES US

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Tragedy Becomes Us.

Ahoy fellow Coxswains! How well versed are you in maritime law? Are you familiar with SOLAS? Are you familiar with the tragedies that led up to some of the SOLAS measures we enjoy today?

Remember, lives are often lost before we learn the value of risk. Lots of talk about risk management, but how ingrained is it as an action with your marine unit?

Same thing happens in our Rescue Water Craft community. Mainly because we have people who have assumed the helm but they are not mariners. If you are under the guide of a leader who does not understand maritime laws and rules, you may be at risk for a mishap and worse. Its time now for those who are not familiar with boating to get educated, and I mean now.

Perhaps someday you respond to a ship disaster at port within your jurisdiction or for mutual aid. Or from a fire, grounding or explosion due to terrorism. Or from a ship in distress (SOS) berthed outside the jaws of a harbor or along a pier in port.

ANIMAL RESCUE

Consider the disaster of the Morro Castle and how you would apply your own safety features for response. Would you deploy or not go? By studying historical events you can determine these measures as training guidelines and set up skills that could be practiced. Maybe you determine your'no-go' policy by review of maritime incidents!

Keeping in mind the practice of personal safety and leadership guidelines. Is it safe to go? Do you know what to do? Do you have the right asset?

The first thing you can do is question your instructors and the training platform presented to you. Does the program stack up to maritime rule and law and the best practices?

If not, you need to go around them and educate yourself to protect yourself from gross negligence. Let's take a close look at this disaster and the sequence of events.

The Threat of Marine Life During Maritime Disaster

Regarding this tragedy, we should all be familiar with as professional boaters because of the term 'risk management'. Many disasters at ports or at sea or training have been reported through the years and are offered for your easy access to view online.

Risk management and mitigation are terms used frequently, but do you know their origins and practical reminders for your unit today? It is a cornerstone of safety at sea practices. But remember those are bare minimums, for us we need to have exceptional standards and instructors who deliver appropriate content. Nobody dies on our watch.

SOLAS

Regarding Admiralty Law: The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) is an international maritime treaty which sets minimum safety standards in the construction, equipment and operation of merchant ships. The convention requires signatory flag states to ensure that ships flagged by them comply with at least these standards.

The current version of SOLAS is the 1974 version, known as SOLAS 1974, which came into force on 25 May 1980. SOLAS in its successive forms is generally regarded as the most important of all international treaties concerning the safety of merchant ships.

The first version of SOLAS Treaty was passed in 1914 in response to the sinking of the RMS Titanic, which prescribed numbers of lifeboats and other emergency equipment along with safety procedures, including continuous radio watches. The 1914 treaty never entered into force due to the outbreak of the First World War.

NEVER FORGET

The devastating fire aboard the Morro Castle was a catalyst for improved shipboard fire safety. Today, the use of fire-retardant materials, automatic fire doors, ship-wide fire alarms, and greater attention to fire drills and procedures resulted directly from the Morro Castle disaster.

The tragedy spurred the U.S. Congress to pass various maritime laws designed to prevent future disasters and to U.S. acceptance of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) treaty, which is generally regarded as the most important of all international treaties concerning the safety of merchant ships.

If we respect our history, we shall not repeat it. But if ignorance of history and a disrespect for the lives lost before our watch, we may repeat failed behaviors.

Education is the way to stay ahead of mishaps, coupled with personal discipline and a conviction to safety for all.

Now, get out those books and lets start studying!
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Posted 1.12.2019

Have any questions? Join the Rescue Water Craft Association
and discover what your community is doing to modernize standards, safety and reduce liability!
Join the Rescue Water Craft Association

Content Creator: Shawn Alladio cares most about her community and the culture surrounding the safety of event service providers and Rescue Water Craft operators, working hard and dedicated towards protecting their reputation, distributing safety information and continuing to train these amazing individuals to the highest standards of care.

Use at your own risk. Please take a qualified Rescue Water Craft training course and maintain proper records and respect all the PWC, RWC, PPE, and gear OEM manufacturer warning labels and cautions.

TRANSFORM POTENTIAL MISHAPS TO RELIABLE OPERATIONS

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Transform potential mishaps to reliable operations by focusing on your factual goals and program needs.

No agency needs to learn from a mishap. Accident prevention is a reliable management policy. Our first goal is to prevent them from happening by possessing the fundamental knowledge base of boating safety.

Oftentimes programs are set up to fail due to a poorly aligned budget, but this may only be one element of the problem.

Sometimes the failures are from a lack of procedures that are enforced or training modules that are not helpful to the goals.

There is a lot of responsibility to manage a maritime boating unit. For Rescue Water Craft that responsibility is exceptionally high due to the nature of calls these unique small power boats will be employed.

UPGRADE

Training does not have to be emphasized as 'on-water' a lot of updates can be done by review of material.

I spend a lot of time emphasizing annual upgrades! Stay current and understand any changes to boating laws or rules in your area.

Update your team with quizzes that keep them primed for boating safety when not on the water, such as knowing the ATONS. Aids to Navigation for both coastal or inland waterways.

When you conduct training assessments on the water, be sure to correct any mistakes and be constantly vigilant as the scrutineer of safe boating practices.

A maritime background in boating is a legacy heritage to protect so that the new water rescue community understands first hand this is not rescue, its boating handling! There is a significant difference and that is lost in translation.

Emphasize: BOATING

MANAGE

Have monthly review meetings regarding your program. If you program is only seasonally prepare a management policy for weekly updates to review any mishaps.

Why? We are seeing an increase in mishaps and we should be witnessing a decrease in these areas of operations. It's because of the rollover in agency personnel, not properly training up the next Coxswain generation, not having proper documentation to transfer or its outdated and incorrect.

The good news is these are very easy solutions to tackle.

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Posted 1.7.2019

Have any questions? Join the Rescue Water Craft Association
and discover what your community is doing to modernize standards, safety and reduce liability!
Join the Rescue Water Craft Association

Content Creator: Shawn Alladio cares most about her community and the culture surrounding the safety of event service providers and Rescue Water Craft operators, working hard and dedicated towards protecting their reputation, distributing safety information and continuing to train these amazing individuals to the highest standards of care.

Use at your own risk. Please take a qualified Rescue Water Craft training course and maintain proper records and respect all the PWC, RWC, PPE, and gear OEM manufacturer warning labels and cautions.

MAYBE YOU ARE NOT TRYING HARD ENOUGH

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Maybe you are not trying hard enough? Effort needs evaluation. Evaluation needs honesty.

Have you put together your operational metrics?

Do you know what goals you need to achieve? How are you going to sustain those and translate them into operational maintenance? Well one way is to try harder but in another direction, such as maintenance review of your Rescue Water Craft program.

Perhaps you may need to review your vetting process for team members? Can you conduct remedial updates for the vetting process and items needed to ensure safety of personnel and competency? Yes you can and you should!

RETURNS NOT DEFICITS

Returns not deficits mean your program is healthy.

This means your management process is functional. But if it isn't and you need to take on remedial action, its not difficult to increase your capability.

The good news is you can do this anytime but its preferable to have an annual review process in place.

REVIEW

Editing program management needs to be an annual process that begins in the last month of the year. You can easily construct a review program by looking at all your response records and any mishaps that occurred during that time or recurring mechanical issues with your Rescue Water Craft.

One area that you can make improvements on is your skills assessment.

If you do not have an update to this in the past year here are some suggestions for your consideration. Pick one simple repetitive behavior you rely upon and break it down into a skillset for qualification updates.

Trailering and On-Water Performance

Most damage that happens to a Rescue Water Craft is from poor trailering habits. Don't allow your Coxswains to turn off the Rescue Water Craft ignition before the Rescue Water Craft bow touches the trailer bunk runners.

Failure to do so will permit the Rescue Water Craft to drift off target and strike either the metal rails or bend the bunk runners. The Rescue Water Craft needs to maintain its forward movement onto the trailer bunks until the centered hull loads up onto the bunks.

It is incorrect to use thrust that would disrupt the surrounding water area with reverse use due to how the fluid dynamics are distributed this could disrupt other such as at a boat launch, create unnecessary boat handling and or off center from over correction.

Practice
Trailering -backing up, launching RWC's, loading RWC's, tie downs to RWC/Trailer (5 checked off in a row with remedial corrections and notations on skill checklist per team member.

Ensure that your team members know how to use the trailer tie downs and that they understand a soft approach to the helm/throttle management in confined areas of use.

Emphasize the depth of water to protect the water jet pump.

Make sure that the bow of the Rescue Water Craft is secure on the trailer before launching and hauling out of the water.

Each rotation have them conduct a pre-check on the boat ramp with the bilge plugs properly inserted each time. Too many Coxswains are unfamiliar with their craft features and oftentimes over tighten the bilge plugs.

This is a good example of one skillset. You can create as many as are needed and unique to your area of operation and the make model and year of your craft.

Thanks for reading this article, and for caring about your reputation and those you work with. Let us know if you have any topics you would like covered in future articles.
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Posted 1.7.2019

Have any questions? Join the Rescue Water Craft Association
and discover what your community is doing to modernize standards, safety and reduce liability!
Join the Rescue Water Craft Association

Content Creator: Shawn Alladio cares most about her community and the culture surrounding the safety of event service providers and Rescue Water Craft operators, working hard and dedicated towards protecting their reputation, distributing safety information and continuing to train these amazing individuals to the highest standards of care.

Use at your own risk. Please take a qualified Rescue Water Craft training course and maintain proper records and respect all the PWC, RWC, PPE, and gear OEM manufacturer warning labels and cautions.

Safety Mindset for Tsunami

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Remembering 3.11.2011

Tsunami is a serious threat to all coastal and low lying areas. As citizens being prepared in the USA means to be ready. However we do not have tsunami drills and you may only see the tsunami blue and white warning signs but may not pay much attention to them. But you should.

The Great Tohoku Earthquake had struck 20 minutes earlier at 9.2 on the Richter scale. This country suffered a volcanic eruption, nuclear disaster, multiple earthquakes and eleven tsunami waves including subduction (where the land mass drops below its normal elevation).

You are witnessing below a revised video of the first Tohoku tsunami wave. There were 11 waves total that struck throughout the night.
We can observe the timelines on the water rise and current draw.

You will have to bench press 500 lbs., to move yourself off a fixed object in 12 mile per hour of flow.... however with tsunami that goes out the door, because these currents are not normal river or water flow currents.

They are layered and sustained with increasing draws, rises and debris flow behind them as the waters surge forward. Each time the tsunami wave begins to recede, the debris pile increases and moves inward and outward of the water draw, fire, explosions and electrical shock risk increases and the intersection of outgoing current/waves/debris with incoming current/waves/debris is more than deadly.

Japan has an incredible emergency service response built in for earthquake and tsunami incidents. Their government focuses on emergency response for their responders and citizenry. Even so, catastrophic events such as these each person must be prepared for self rescue and self survival for a period of two weeks or more.

Notice how much valuable time their tsunami sea wall gave their residents to seek high ground in the video. Perfect! You can do a lot to save yourself in a mere few seconds. Even more so if you prepare your mindset in advance so you do not go into shock and second guess your actions or others.

Imagine you are at home, asleep, traveling or at work. Suddenly without warning an Earth event occurs! How will you respond with your location? Will you pull your vehicle over and stop, will you put on shoes at the foot of your bed, or is the bed fallen over, is there glass on the floor, will you lost all contact with loved ones, will your phone go dead?

If the phone services are still operable your phone should light up if you registered for alerts. Save your battery don't text people at this critical point, do some research quickly. Find out what is going on by monitoring the weather, or links you are subscribed to. Phone lines will clog up rapidly and access may diminish or not exist at all. Electricity can be shut down and a total black out occurs.

Remember you may have the emergency notification system go into effect, you can expect a Presidential, NOAA, FEMA, ALERT system update or multiples at one time via text. You may also hear very very very loud sirens going off. It's unnerving but designed to wake us up and get us moving now!

Tsunamis waves

2011 Tohoku Tsunami

Take a CERT course and be involved in your local community:

Community Emergency Response Team

Sign up for digital alerts on your phone by following this link:

Ready Gov Alerts

US Tsunami Warning Centers

Warning Centers

Prepare for Survival

For our Safety Behavior it is very important to monitor all the Pacific Ocean surrounding continents for Volcanic and Earthquake activity. If a large land mass shears off into the ocean, expect a tsunami.

Tsunami water height may not be a wave height per se, but energy released that is pushing trillions of cubic yards of water through molecular structure of fluid dynamics.

We see this in simple ways in our bathtubs or while washing our dishes by dropping an object into the water with the surrounding rings/waves of water pulsing outwards.

What we can do is monitor these incidents. Have our emergency contact plan worked out in advance with family and employees/ers. Have our animal evacuation plan ready to be put into effect.

Have your 2 week supply of rations/water ready, and a stash in a vehicle. Use dehydrated foods like Mountain House to protect the food supply in foil packages.

Get yourself a solar powered charging system.

Have a place to meet, such as a surrounding high ground elevation zone.

Keep at least 50% fuel capacity in your vehicle tank at all times, cannot help you with electrical cars, don't own one, but figure that out. Roadways in highly populated areas or one way roads may be severely congested and not move at all, so think about alternative escape routes and locations.

Be prepared to live simply and with gratitude during catastrophic events. Reality will change in one second, be ready to adjust.

Remain positive. This is the most important ingredient is your behavior towards disaster. Your positive is a rabid increase of good.

Now that you have viewed this, play in your mind how you would have responded in this location with the news you had and resources.

What would you have done?
How would you emotionally deal with the reality in front of you as witness?
How would you manage casualties, fatalities and rescues?
How would you manage your mindset and thoughts for those who perished or you could not help?

Prepare yourself now by playing movies or reruns in your head on how your safety behavior is going to be.

Some day you may have to rely upon your personal training.

After the disaster you will need a basic survival plan for the next two weeks, one month, or 3 months. You will have to shed a lot of fears or manage the process one hurdle at a time. Hope will be your strongest ally.

Continually give yourself hope and focus on your wins.

And the hard aspect of recognizing nature as its own life force is it really doesn't show us its absolute might and potential. We do have a lot to be thankful for, as catastrophic events are another level unimaginable altogether. This is a power stroke of earth and water we witnessed in our lifetime.

These catastrophic events affect the entire ecosystem and humanity on many levels. We have plenty of alerts and warnings in the past 20 years that have given us ample time to prepare and be focused on our behaviors. But is it happening? Have you done it yet?

A safety behavior begins with an evaluation of where you are currently and what you can do to be as ready as is reasonable when disaster strikes.

It may not be a perfect road map, but better to practice now and be ready as none of us will escape tragedy in our lifetime.

Be the person in the room that everyone can depend upon.

Tsunami History Review

Four ancient tsunami deposits were identified in a trench excavated on Ishigaki Island, Okinawa, Japan. Three of the tsunami deposits (T-I, T-II, and T-IV) consist of calcareous sand beds, whereas the other (T-III, located stratigraphically between T-II and T-IV) consists of boulders.

Paleotsunami Research

Deposit T-I was caused by a tsunami in 1771. 14C dating, together with the elevations of the landward margins of these sandy tsunami deposits, suggests that tsunamis II and IV were similar in size to the 1771 tsunami, although the influence of local topographic features on the magnitudes of tsunamis has not yet been examined. This study reconstructs the local topographic features by comparing the molluscan assemblages incorporated within the tsunami deposits with those in recent beach deposits.

The presence of species that inhabit the intertidal zone in lagoonal settings in all the assemblages indicates that the present-day shallow lagoon has been present off the study area since the occurrence of tsunami T-IV, which supports the previous hypothesis that the magnitudes of the 1771 tsunami and tsunamis II and IV were similar. These molluscan assemblages also suggest that a high relative abundance of large, heavy mollusc shells is a feature of the paleotsunami deposits in the coastal lowlands found along the shallow coral lagoons.

Posted 1.6.2019

Have any questions? Join the Rescue Water Craft Association
and discover what your community is doing to modernize standards, safety and reduce liability!
Join the Rescue Water Craft Association

Content Creator: Shawn Alladio cares most about her community and the culture surrounding the safety of event service providers and Rescue Water Craft operators, working hard and dedicated towards protecting their reputation, distributing safety information and continuing to train these amazing individuals to the highest standards of care.

Use at your own risk. Please take a qualified Rescue Water Craft training course and maintain proper records and respect all the PWC, RWC, PPE, and gear OEM manufacturer warning labels and cautions.

If rescued by a Rescue Water Craft during a flood, what should you do?

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Keep Thinking-Keep Moving

Flood Rescue using Personal Water Craft (PWC)

Oftentimes people will be recovered by citizens who own a PWC during flood events. Why is that?

Because most often in widespread disasters we are on our own and we help one another. There may not be organized rescue for a few days.

These images below are from Japan in November 2018 during severe flooding the nation experienced. It's not the first time Japanese have used Personal Water Craft for evacuations. During the Tohoku tsunami of 3.11.2011 Mr. Imazaki rescued over 100 persons in extremely dangerous freezing conditions at night.

Masayuki Imazaki

Wake of Fame Inductee: Phoenix Award

The 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami PWC Rescues (東日本大震災, Higashi Nihon Daishinsai)

PWC Operator: Mr. Imazaki, 40 years of age, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan

Owner: Higashi Nippon Marina – PWC Dealer ‘Marine Mechanic’

They represent our 'Everyday Heroes' conducting rescues of their neighbors. This is an experience occurring around the world as floods are the number one reason people drown worldwide, and a Personal Water Craft is one of many small craft that assist during the critical and initial food stage.

When you look at this images study them. Learn from them. Try to place yourself on that roof, or on that shoreline.

What do you need to know if you are in a flood and a person brings a Personal Water Craft (PWC) to you to evacuate from?

Watch out for wakes and the water jet pump

This is not training per-se, but an awareness article, something to think about. You could possibly apply this to other vessels as well.

This is a problem for us, having this kind of discussion is rarely a topic of anyone’s top ten list but we have to go here. K38 wishes that you adopt your own 'Safety Behavior' for yourself and your loved ones by being educated in advance of water disaster such as flood, earthquake-tsunami or storm surge.

EDUCATION SAVES LIVES

Did you know we host along with the Rescue Water Craft Association a Disaster Preparedness Education Group on Facebook?

Here is a link to the group, you may be interested in the outstanding educational editorial posted, visit the UNITS section: Disaster Preparedness Education Group

I am going to share with your potential issues or concerns from the perspective of an evacuee.

I’m not going to share with you the thousands of successful flood rescue recoveries conducted by citizens who have no water rescue training. They may not have professional training but they are doing great work and we are very proud of their efforts!

These are very good craft to use because of their shallow draft, which means they can operate in shallow waters. As long as there is no underwater hazards, these are great power boats for confined spaces.

They can also navigate in close or confined quarters (tight spaces). They are a great ‘point of contact’ craft. However debris can be a problem as well as strong currents, or capsizing due to lack of effective balance.

I would encourage you first to ask of the Personal Water Craft operator who is responding to your situation effective questions about how you will be transported and what to expect in case of an emergency. Make a plan first!

Remember this boat does not have a lot of room for bringing on a lot of personal items. Those would be best stowed in a towed vessel astern (behind) the Personal Water Craft if there is one, use it.

You probably will not be dry, meaning that it could be raining, your feet will get wet (pants), and you will experience spray from moving forward. You must consider the wind chill effect as well when underway, you may find yourself colder than when you started.

You can drop things and lose them in the water as well, so hold onto and secure your personal items.

Be careful of electrical lines

Be exceptionally aware of downed utility or power lines, you do not want to experience shock or electrical burns. Be careful of your surroundings and what you touch.

It may be difficult to hear, so you may have to talk loudly or yell to communicate.

TRANSPORT WEIGHT

There are probably 2 types of Personal Water Craft that citizens will use:

1. Sport - Capacity: 1 to 2 persons on board
2. Runabout - Capacity: 1 to 3 persons on board

*. Runabouts can also have a Rescue Board attached to the stern if its a volunteer Search and Rescue Group or public safety agency, oftentimes these are the color yellow but not always.

Both of these Personal Water Craft have what is called 'weight load limits'. These are set by the weight on board and can be somewhat rated by adding together the total human weight but not to exceed it for calm conditions. Obviously the more stable craft will be a three-seater type craft we call a 'Runabout'.

You can tell this by the way the seating looks on the Personal Water Craft. Do you see that three people can sit down?

How do you hold on? You can hold onto the waist of the operator in front of you, or onto a strap on the back of their lifejacket. But do not tug them, they can lose their balance.

Some models have a seat strap that goes across the front seat area.

Some models have hand held finger grasp imprints along the plastic that is the re-boarding handle. See if you can identify any of these areas to use for stabilizing your position on the craft.

Your feet should remain in the footwell areas while you are facing forward in a seated position. Do not stand up underway! Falls overboard can occur.

When re-boarding be mindful that some of these craft do not have a neutral position but will be in idle moving forward from 2 to 4 miles per hour.

Some of these models may have a retractable re-boarding step below the molding on the deck area, near where the directional steering nozzle is at the back of the craft below the waterline. You can see if there is one or ask the operator, you can feel for it and pull it downward to get your knee onto it, but be mindful it can retract back into its resting position when released.

Use due caution when loading on a Personal Water Craft (PWC)

Moving pets is a different topic altogether, use common sense and be careful!

Sometimes you will see a rescue board (TAD-Towable Aquaplane Device), that is a flat device that is on the stern of the craft to the waterline. It is secured with 3 tie downs to the stern (back) of the Personal Water Craft. You may be asked to lay flat, hold onto the front handles and watch out for spray in your face.

You can expect to get wet and you will have water wash over the rescue board and it may be spraying in your face, so we advise you to be cautious of this during flood events. (Again we prefer to not to use a rescue board in flood stages professionally, except for small livestock and pets).

It is best if you do not stay near the waterline, because of debris, contaminants, cold, and fixed objects underwater. It is better if you can be up on the rear seat behind the Personal Water Craft (PWC) Operator. This means that the craft will be less stable with a higher center of gravity from body positioning however. The rescue board can be used as a ramp to help guide you towards the seat.

RESCUE BOARD POSITIONS
We really do not support the use of a TAD (Rescue Board in Floods) for transporting humans. However we know from video evidence people are using them. Not every flood location and water inundation is the same, proceed with due caution. Be aware of the risks and hazards. They can be a serious entrapment issue. We do not like to see people being dragged at the waterline, with their lower legs in the water. They can strike submerged debris or have foot entrapment or loss of footwear.

TAD handles can catch, and become an entrapment issue. If moving in current with weight on board, the board can fold and force people into the water again. So, its not recommended in fact we strongly suggest to not use a TAD unless working with small livestock for loading. TAD's may have to be destroyed if used in flood rescue work, keep that in mind.

However, for those who still continue onward here are some suggestions for both survivors, crew and coxswains:

1. Kneeling on the Rescue Board
2. Laying Face Down on the Rescue Board

Oftentimes people sit upright on a rescue board. This is less centered balance, especially if you are near the back of or the end of the board. Keep your body forward and place a hand on the re-boarding handle behind the back seat to steady yourself.

If you have an operator who applies sudden throttle to the helm, you may experience a sharp 'lurch' forward or to the sides, hold on tight as this can set you off balance and back into the water. Take your safety seriously when using a rescue board, you do not want to fall backwards. Be mindful of hair or loose clothing wrapping on the handles.

The Rescue Board can slip below the surface at the midpoint, but it is connected to the stern cleat of the Personal Water Craft (PWC). This makes it a bit awkward to board until you get closer towards the back of the PWC, then the board will rise towards the surface but that back end will still be below the surface as it is dragged forward.

Think of the Rescue Board as two distinct halves. The strongest point for you is closer to the back of the Personal Water Craft. No matter what make sure your pelvis is above the back of the rescue board and not dragging in the water.

Also you may need to coax and assist others with boarding, so pay attention to additional weight changes.

Rescue Board

You can also hold your legs up from the knees when laying flat as they can trail in the jet thrust and pull your shoes off, especially if you have loose fitting shoes. Stay centered on the rescue board and hold on to the top two forward handles you will be looking at.

Do not hold onto the center line attached to the Personal Water Craft. Do not hold onto the re-boarding handle if you are laying face down on the board. Simply hold on with both hands, keep a watch and stay alert for the water conditions underway.

Watch where you place your fingers, you don't want them to get pinned, pinched or smashed especially if you are wearing rings on your fingers, remember the Rescue Board pivots and moves, this means you may lose your grip or find that you are not holding onto a safe area, think about where your hands are and reconsider positioning.

Towing a boat with Survivors behind a Personal Water Craft

Sometimes a rescue board is not used for transporting survivors but a boat is being towed behind it where people are placed. The same principles apply, set your body position in a stable part of the towed boat and find a seated position and observe for safety issues ahead while underway. Keep a watch on the boat you are on, look for any water pooling in the bottom by your feet or how high the water is to the side of the boat.

Oftentimes boats are overloaded due to the emergency and not having effective training as volunteers. Question the safety and ask the operator to make a second trip if you believe its unsafe to continue. Remember, you can communicate your concerns!

SITUATIONAL AWARENESS

It is desirable if the Personal Water Craft operator maintains a level, steady and stable PWC for you while maneuvering to a safe landing, but this may not be the case with untrained volunteers. You may find yourself back in the water in a worse situation than you were in, so think along the route about the hazards, trust your instinct!
You may notice depending upon the currents and speed of the Personal Water Craft some shifting of the towed boat taking place.

Always maintain a watch! You may find that you have to help out sometime.

It is most important to realize when the PWC begins to slow down that you need to start counterbalancing, as the stern wake catches up the PWC can start to roll slightly. Usually the PWC flips because the operator is unaware of this action as well as passengers. You may have to conduct slight counter balance measures to assist.

Two Persons laying flat, side by side, holding forward 2 handles

The most important thing for you is when the Personal Water Craft stops. How to get off? Wait for the Operator to bring the Personal Water Craft to a complete stop first. Observe what is ahead of you and start to prepare for your exit.

Its easier to get off by climbing off the back, from the seat. It is the most stable part of the craft. If you exit from the right (starboard side) or the left (port side) you will discover that the Personal Water Craft will pitch or roll off its centerline which is the most stable part of the craft. If you have been sitting on the seat you will notice this.

Forward propulsion stabilizes the PWC, so when it is stopped you can expect increased motion from the craft, counter balance.

Be careful stepping off! You don't know what you are stepping onto, make sure your have good foot contact so you don't roll your ankle in soft mud or dirt or get tripped on debris. Plant one foot at a time and maintain your balance during each step.

Take your time and go slow. Don't be nervous, focus on your surroundings. You don’t know what you will be stepping on, so get a firm foot down first. Don't let your ankle roll or jump or dive off. Remember the Personal Water Craft moves a lot, so prepare yourself for that, its a very small craft.

Never lock your knees or arms when riding, unless you have an injury.

Loading from a roof line can be dangerous, slow down and take your time!

Safety is a Behavior

If you have the ability to put on a lifejacket that is even better! (Or have some type of flotation with you if you are not a strong swimmer). Do so immediately and properly secure all the buckles for a good fit. If you have children with you take care of them first.

Remember an adult lifejacket may not be the best measure for small children, they can slip out of them due to inadequate sizing! Let the children know verbally what is happening so they are not scared, give them key information to help them deal with the situation and tell them if they fall overboard to go into a 'floating position' or to swim towards shore, or if the PWC capsizes to 'stay with the PWC'.

If you have brought a small pet with you, be mindful of their behavior. They may be distressed and want to bite at others. Make sure you have secured them with a collar, leash, muzzle or a very firm grip. Remember, pets are protective and may not respond to people helping them positively especially a uniformed person.

If you are bringing any electronics such as a smart phone, be mindful this is a wet ride and items easily fall overboard or out of pockets and you will get wet or lose them!

If you have been a witness to a drowning or lost a loved one, pet or livestock, you will have to hold on a little longer till you get to a safe area. It will be important for you to seek help and to talk about the experience at some point. Evacuations are a long process of loss to many degrees.

At this critical time, 'Life and Safety' are most critical and should be your primary concerns.

Once safe, everything else can be dealt with, but first its imperative to get you out of a risk zone and to a safe zone.

EMERGENCY
If you experience a problem underway, such as the water jet pump being fouled with debris, or the PWC capsizes or you fall off the PWC, you can do something to help yourself and others. But first discuss it before your board a vessel!

If the Personal Water Craft capsizes remain calm! Tell yourself not to panic or be afraid. Especially if you do not have a fastened lifejacket. What you do next is vital.

Since you have been observing for hazards you already know where the currents are going and any downstream or upstream or surrounding hazards, you may have to start swimming away from objects if you are going to drift into them.

These may be called strainers and they can be deadly. A strainer is a fixed object that water can pass through but objects get pinned against them.

If you are not taking care of small children or pets, immediately when you surface roll onto your back and float face upward to the sky, and relax and breathe.

Get control of your thoughts and take a look around for safe landings or objects to grab onto. You may have to help the Personal Water Craft operator to right their capsized PWC. It's not hard to do! The sooner the PWC gets righted the sooner you will reach safety.

Re-boarding from the water line can be exhausting. Take it slow and counter balance. If you focus it will be easier to determine what needs to be done and you will do great!

Righting a Capsized Boat

1. You will see an intake with metal bars on it, that's the water intake screen. Place your fingers on the outside of the bars and start to pull the PWC towards you. You can also place a knee up on the edge of the capsized PWC, and give it a few tugs!

2. Once the PWC starts to roll over, it will settle in an upright position. For four stroke engines we wait 10 seconds till we restart, but if the PWC is upside for over two minutes it becomes more difficult and the engine compartment can start seeping water making it heavier than usual.

3. The Engine Cut Off Switch will be needed to re-start the craft, the operator should have this, but they can break or float away. If using a Kawasaki Ultra model, open the glove box below the helm and remove the immobilizer key and re-key it to start. You will hear a chirping sound.

4. Re-board the craft from the back stern deck, not the sides. Stabilize and take your time. Observe for hazards you may be floating towards.

You will need the engine cut off switch to restart the engine. If you are on a BRP Sea Doo the engine cut off switch on newer models is digitally coded, as are the Kawasaki Ultra models immobilizer key. Keep all electronics away from these!

Follow the diagram on the stern of the PWC (If it has not been removed)

UITEMATE

If you find yourself in the water, a simple technique of floating will help you and others! Do not panic! Learn how to float on your back using the Uitemate technique from Japan.

Uitemate

Japanese technique "uitemate" on preventing drowning

Uitemate Method

When you get closer to a landing area, start to think ahead of what you need to do and be mindful of. Allow the Personal Water Craft operator to complete their final maneuvering. Continue to counter balance.

You may find that your legs have gone to sleep in a strange position or the cold has caught up to you. Take your time moving and getting off the Personal Water Craft.

Be mindful of the soil or area your feet will make contact with. Do not dive. Do not jump! Place your feet down slowly and firmly. You do not want to roll an ankle or trip and fall into the water.

If you can and are physically able, assist others from disembarking.

If you have any open cuts or wounds, you may need to get them cleaned out from contact with the water.

Now its time to get ready for your next evacuation plan, a shelter or a staging area or counseling!

Hopefully you never have this experience but these are some of the items I would like you to be aware of so you don’t experience any fear, frustration or worry. Better to know something than to know nothing at all.

Thanks for your time! Ask any questions you may have!

Special thanks to our Everyday Heroes in these photos. I am sending all my best thoughts to the responders in Japan, please join me!

Special thanks to this blog post: http://netgeek.biz/archives/122152

_________________
Posted 11.25.2018

Have any questions? Join the Rescue Water Craft Association
and discover what your community is doing to modernize standards, safety and reduce liability!
Join the Rescue Water Craft Association

Content Creator: Shawn Alladio cares most about her community and the culture surrounding the safety of event service providers and Rescue Water Craft operators, working hard and dedicated towards protecting their reputation, distributing safety information and continuing to train these amazing individuals to the highest standards of care.

Use at your own risk. Please take a qualified Rescue Water Craft training course and maintain proper records and respect all the PWC, RWC, PPE, and gear OEM manufacturer warning labels and cautions.

A Moment for Safety

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MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

When you have accomplished your mission you know you are paying attention to risk!

Do not be afraid to fail, that is what training is about. Its actually required unless you already know the content.

But for the first time learner an effective instructor will translate to the student the best measures to approach the problem with credible solutions.

The mission is delivered when there are no mishaps, the operations are based on technical boating, proper PPE is assigned, and training is documented along with the program needs. If this is not taking place, stop and restart the program before a mishap occurs.

Successful mission outcomes are great, but it comes with a heft investment of time, personnel and funding.

Updates cannot happen within an agency, they must come from those who are in the field and discovering content, creating content, testing the content, measuring the content and delivering the content. This is what qualified instructors bring to an agency versus a 'train the trainer' format that weakens the foundation strength.

It's been proven that intellectual knowledge is delivered from subject matter experts. Most training programs do not maintain or reach their potential due to downsizing the curriculum to save time. Those agencies should not have a Rescue Water Craft marine unit. Maintaining a boat unit is an expansive responsibility.

Oftentimes agencies treat the Rescue Water Craft program as a rescue asset instead of a boat asset. The two are in conflict with on another. Boating must come first, rescue is the final application.

Students must want to learn and content must be updated annually for this to happen.

How do you rank?

Your must evaluate your training program. You need a baseline measure to compare the success from failure.

Ask yourself these questions:

1. Do you have the proper fitted and sized PPE?
2. Do you evaluate physical fitness levels and how often?
3. Are your checklists signed off by the individual who tasks the assignment?
4. Are your RWC's pulled out of service when there is questionable operational behaviors?
5. Are your rescue boards inspected?
6. Trailer inspection list, how often?
7. Weather and water conditions listed in training logs?
8. Individual training logs and results maintained.
9. Equipment is retired according to use and wear and manufacturer recommendations.
10. Is your team certification current and valid for 3 years?
11. Do you review your curriculum annually?
12. Has each team member read the manufacturers Owners Manual?
13. Does each team member hold a current valid Boat operators license or permit?
14. Do your team members know how to swim in the water you train in?

1 to 4 - AT RISK

5 to 8 - NEEDS IMPROVEMENT

9 to 12 - SECURE

Rescue Board Training and Inspection

CORRECTIONS

Any of the questions above that were not checked are the ones you need to focus on.

You can revise your program internally or hire a subject matter consultant. We can help you with that.

We have created hundreds of solutions for clients who knew their program was at risk. It's easy to correct. Don't let your program suffer or open up bigger problems down the line. Consider making your own program evaluation and presenting it to your
administration for review. Then tackle those concerns head on.

It's better to effect change before problems occur rather than when a mishap occurs. They can be costly in resource loss, out of service and injury recovery time due to loss of work for individuals.

Thank you for taking the short quiz and for caring about your Marine Unit.

Remember this: A moment for safety can save a lifetime of regret.
_______________________________

Have any questions? Join the Rescue Water Craft Association
and discover what your community is doing to modernize standards, safety and reduce liability!
Join the Rescue Water Craft Association

Content Creator: Shawn Alladio cares most about her community and the culture surrounding the safety of event service providers and Rescue Water Craft operators, working hard and dedicated towards protecting their reputation, distributing safety information and continuing to train these amazing individuals to the highest standards of care.

Use at your own risk. Please take a qualified Rescue Water Craft training course and maintain proper records and respect all the PWC, RWC, PPE, and gear OEM manufacturer warning labels and cautions.

WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT PROGRAM STATUS?

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CHECK!

Program status matters! It's how you ensure reputation and efficiency.

As a qualified Rescue Water Craft Coxswain what are your operational responsibilities?
They are a composite of equipment and personnel needs.


Ask yourself how many of these are incorporated in your Rescue Water Craft Program?
Let’s survey now! Select the number of program plans you already have in effect:

1. Rescue Water Craft Maintenance Records
2. Training Records
3. Inspection Records
4. Certifications, Re-certifications (Physical standard requirements)
5. Incident Histories
6. Mishap Reviews
7. Dated Revisions
8. Weather/Environmental Notes
9. Training Videos
10. PPE Records
11. TAD Records
12. Trailer Inspection Records

How do you rank?

1 to 4 - AT RISK

5 to 8 - NEEDS IMPROVEMENT

9 to 12 - SECURE

Rescue Board Training and Inspection

MANAGEMENT

It is a significant responsibility to maintain a professional marine RWC unit. It requires first of all a proper budget. Second effect training for the areas of response. Thirdly it requires inspection, maintenance and updates.

If you scored below 9 as a minimum it’s time to get to work! Make a list of the areas you need support in. If you need your program reviewed, we can assist you with that. Programs should be reviewed every three years, and assessed annually.

We wish you a safe and secure season and we know you care about your program or you wouldn’t be reading this story. You are the direct link to your team’s safety and public confidence, we are glad you are in our community. Let’s get to work!

_______________________________

Have any questions? Join the Rescue Water Craft Association
and discover what your community is doing to modernize standards, safety and reduce liability!
Join the Rescue Water Craft Association

Content Creator: Shawn Alladio cares most about her community and the culture surrounding the safety of event service providers and Rescue Water Craft operators, working hard and dedicated towards protecting their reputation, distributing safety information and continuing to train these amazing individuals to the highest standards of care.

Use at your own risk. Please take a qualified Rescue Water Craft training course and maintain proper records and respect all the PWC, RWC, PPE, and gear OEM manufacturer warning labels and cautions.