Module

Whitewater Safety Organisation

Four elements of a successful rescue: training, practice, experience, judgement.
Rescue method selection criteria: safety, speed, simplicity, and effectiveness.
Basic rescue principles: prevention, personal safety, simplicity, plan B.
Two main principles when choosing the best rescue tactic: low risk to high risk and simple to complicated.
Recommended low-to-high risk progression: Talk (direct), reach, throw, wade/row (vessel), go (live bait/contact), HELO (helicopter).
Fundamental rescue steps: locating the victim, situation assessment, action plan, communication and task assignment, approaching the victim, stabilising the victim and transporting the victim.
Rescue organisation model: rescue leader, assistant in charge of equipment, rescuers, specialist rescuers.

Hot/red zone: water.
Warm/orange zone: area where rescuers are present in full rescue equipment, min. 3m in width; a vessel on the water also counts as warm zone.
Cold/green zone: area where everybody is still in full rescue equipment and at the moment not directly involved in rescue efforts.
Best rescue location: right after a dangerous point, preferably above a large eddy and where no dangerous obstacles are present in the water below the rescue site.
In a foot/body entrapment: stabilise the airway, downstream safety, extraction upstream.

Most important factor for number of guides/rescuers: number of participants.
Trip organiser obligation before the trip: scout the difficult parts of a river; if possible before the beginning of the trip, if not, during the trip.
Before a boat trip, guides must check: the vessel, the equipment and the correct placement of the latter.
Most stable boat/raft position: when everybody sits at the bottom.
When a boat capsizes, the guide must first: count the crew members that ended up in the water.
When the raft wraps with customers — first 4 actions in order: high side, head count, proper signals to other guides, evacuate.
Priority rescue order if children are aboard: a child is rescued first.
Trip cancellation conditions: stormy weather, fog, the water level is rising.
Rescuers at water events are located: by the most difficult and dangerous sections.

Signs are used for communication when the river is too loud or distances are too big for verbal communication.
Four key things for a safe night rescue: team briefing, roll call, buddy up, appropriate personal lighting.
When searching for a missing person: determine the time and point last seen; decide if it is a rescue or a recovery.