Swiftwater rescue

Swift water rescue (also called "white water rescue") is a subset of technical rescue dealing in white water river conditions. Due to the added pressure of moving water, swift water rescue involves the use of specially trained personnel, ropes and mechanical advantage systems that are often much more robust than those used in standard rope rescue. The main goal is to use or deflect the water’s power to assist in the rescue of the endangered person(s), as in most situations there is no easy way to overcome the power of the water.

As a swift water rescue scene evolves, the Incident Command System (ICS) will emerge. ICS is a national used for managing emergencies in the United States. Initially created for use by the United States Forest Service and United States Bureau of Land Management to manage wild fires, ICS has become the benchmark by which all disasters are managed in the United States. "ICS is based upon a flexible, scalable response organization providing a common framework within which people can work together effectively. These people may be drawn from multiple agencies that do not routinely work together, and ICS is designed to give standard response and operation procedures to reduce the problems and potential for miscommunication on such incidents." All rescue operations demand vigilance with regards to safety. ICS provides that a Safety Officer be present to monitor and address all safety issues. One of these issues pertains to the incident scene.

The immediate area of operations at the incident, is divided into three zones of operation, "Cold", "Warm", and "Hot". Certain requirements regarding training and personal protective equipment (PPE) exist for personnel operating within these three zones. The Cold Zone is considered to be anything greater than 15 feet (4.6 m) from the water's edge,. Awareness Level personnel shall approach no closer than the Cold zone. The Warm Zone begins 15 feet from the water's edge, and ends at the water's edge. Personnel operating in the Warm Zone shall be trained to the Operations Level, and must wear a properly fitted and secured personal flotation device (PFD). The Hot Zone refers to any and all activities taking place in the water. These activities shall be performed by personnel trained to the Technician Level, provided they are wearing a properly fitted and secured personal flotation device.

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