SWR L2 Training Material

ACA Level 2: Essentials of River Rescue and Safety Agenda

We will be using the ACA recommended SWR class agenda for this class. Few ACA instructors are able to cover all of the topics listed in one weekend. How much is covered depends a great deal on students experience and preparation. As a general rule, instructors tend to focus on topics that provide the most value to their class makeup. The ACA class agenda we are using is: ACA Level 2: Essentials of River Safety and Rescue

Site Logistics

We hold this class on both US Park Service Property and parklands controlled by Maryland whom has jurisdiction over the waterway. Parking is limited at Lock 5 so we highly recommend arriving by 8:30 AM so we can organize parking and leave spaces for other visitors and park service vehicles. Please use discretion when changing clothes as many park visitors pass by this area. Leave no trace is always a good rule to follow. Although Lock 5 has restroom facilities, they may be out of order the day of the class. We are very fortunate to have such a great place to run our training classes - please treat this area with respect so we are always welcome in the future.

RescuePhilosophy This website is a compilation of a number of articles and various web resources that cover all topics listed in the ACA (American Canoe Association) Level 2 Essentials of River Safety and Rescue suggested curriculum. The ACA SWR class is essential training for all intermediate and above kayakers. The training provided in the SWR class not only teaches you techniques for potentially saving your boating buddies, it also provides valuable guidance on how to avoid incidents in the first place.

When I teach this class, I feel it is very beneficial to have students review this material at their leisure from home. The SWR discipline is very extensive and quite challenging to cover in just one weekend. I also recommend students purchase a copy of the Whitewater Rescue Manual (Walbridge & Sundmacher) and/or River Rescue (Slim Ray) - both are excellent resources you will enjoy for many years to come.

Real incidents are very stressful events. This is no time for learning on the job as not only victims lives are on the line, so are bystanders and rescue persons. We have learned a deal over the years on what works and what doesn't. Les Bechdel and Slim Ray were early pioneers for these skills and have trained numerous SWR professionals. Charlie Walbridge maintains the AW Safety Database and is a leader the ACA SWR Training program. The Whitewater Self Defense DVD is an excellent learning tool as well.

We start this class by getting to know the participants, their paddling backgrounds, and perhaps specifics goals they are interested in learning about from this class. Safety in all ACA classes is absolutely paramount. A key rule in every ACA class is the concept of "Challenge By Choice". Put quite simply, if a particular exercise is well beyond your comfort level - skip it.

Course Overview

The River Safety and Rescue workshop teaches recognition and avoidance of common river hazards, execution of self-rescue techniques, and simple rescues of paddlers in distress. Emphasis is placed both on personal safety and on simple, commonly used skills. Fundamental techniques for dealing with hazards that carry greater risks for both victim and rescuer, such as entrapments, and pins, also are taught. This course is aimed primarily at new boaters, or boaters who do not anticipate paddling in whitewater.

PFD designed for whitewater use, whitewater helmet, protective clothing suitable for extended swimming in cold water, protective footwear, boat, paddle, whistle and throw rope.

NOTE: The CCA brings a gear bag with lots of extra prusik cords and climbing webbing for knot tying practice.

This is a one day class to be taught on rivers up to class I rapids.

ACA Official Curriculum: Level 2: Essentials of River Safety and Rescue

Introduction, Expectations, & Logistics	Rescue Philosophy
Welcome, introductions, paperwork	Accident avoidance and proactive rescue
Student & instructor course expectations and limitations	Accident timeline
Course itinerary & site logistics	Prevention and “what if…?” strategy
Review waiver, assumption of risk, challenge by choice, medical disclosure	Prior planning for accident management
About the ACA	Priorities
PFD policy (always wear on water)	Me, my group, bystanders, the victim
Appropriate personal behavior	Simple and fast to complex and slow
No alcohol / substance abuse	Liability and Ethical issues
Proper etiquette on & off the water	Trip Organization
Respect private property	Lead and sweep
Practice Leave No Trace ethics	Know the group, the river and the weather
The Paddling Environment	Plan the trip and communicate the plan
Wind	Scene Management
Waves	Locate, access and assess, stabilize and transport
Weather	Prioritizing the rescue
Water	Most rescues performed quickly, without a formal structure
Personal Preparation	Larger groups and longer rescues often need more structure
Personal Ability	Incident Command structure
Swimming Ability	Leader
Water comfort & confidence	Safety
Fitness, conditioning, and warm up	Rescuer
Safe paddle and boat handling	Complete the rescue without compounding the situation
Safety and rescue considerations	Communication (AW signals)
Personal equipment (reviewed by Instructor)	Hand and whistle signals
	Cell phone or radio if appropriate
	Medical Issues
	This is NOT a first aid class; perform medical care to your level of training
	Don’t make the situation worse
	Obtain more training; calling 911 is rarely an effective option
	Rescuers need to be able to handle common medical problems including hypothermia, drowning, cuts and scrapes, and dislocations/broken bones
	CPR and Wilderness First Aid skills are essential for rescuers

Equipment	Hazards and Hydrology
Protection from rocks and water	Rivers are powerful, predictable and persistent
Shoes, helmet, PFD	Subjective vs. objective hazards
Thermal Protection	Poor judgement can be fatal
Wet suit vs. dry suit, wool vs. synthetics, avoid cotton in cold/wet conditions	River hazards don’t care if you don’t recognize them
Personal rescue gear	Flooding dramatically increases risk
Boat, paddle, whistle, throw rope, knife, saw, first aid kit, rescue PFD	Water reading (upstream and downstream Vs)
Group rescue gear	Eddies and eddy lines WavesEddies and eddy lines
Specific needs depend on the river paddled and local weather	Hydraulics
Survival equipment	Strainers
Specific needs depend on the river paddled and local weather	Horizon lines
Throw Ropes	Undercut rocks, broaching rocks
Selection based on rope material, diameter, and length	Foot entrapment risks
Advantages and disadvantages of traditional bags, waist bags, coiled lines
Care of the rescue rope
Avoid sun exposure, keep clean, avoid stepping on the line, avoid sharp or rough edges
When in doubt, replace the line
Rope Safety
Avoid standing over lines, avoid tensioning lines perpendicular to current, keep your body out of loops in the line, consider clean line techniques, keep entire rope in bag to avoid accidental deployments
Throwing and recovery zones
Consider where the victim will land, don’t make their situation worse
Types of throws
Over-arm (football and arc), underarm, side-arm
Deploying less than full length for close targets
Factors impacting an accurate throw
Rope length and diameter, brush and trees, footing, distance to target, cold hands, practice
Receiving the rope
Hold over your shoulder, with hands on your chest and elbows tucked into stomach
Rope should sit on the shoulder opposite the target shore (to set ferry angle)
Belay techniques
Hip belay, sitting, buddy, dynamic, tree
Line on downstream side
Coiling and rethrowing
Vector pull to assist landing
Stuffing techniques
Multiple swimmers
Figure 8 knot and figure 8 on a bight

Swimming	Pins
Essential self-rescue and access tool	Avoid getting pinned or entrapped by recognizing hazards
Safe eddy rule, don’t try to stand in swift current	Pin mechanics
Defensive and aggressive swimming	Balance between gravity, friction, and force of water
Breathing techniques	Types of pins
Defensive to aggressive transitions	Vertical, center broach, end to end, pinch pin
Crossing eddy lines	Release by unbalancing forces
Ferry techniques	Tag line on boat for recovery after release
Swiftwater entries	Consider what happens when the boat releases
Modified belly flop; head and feet up, impact on the PFD	Stabilization line to support trapped victim
Set ferry angle	Self rescue
Protect face with crossed arms - swimming with gear	Avoidance, high side to avoid inverting, wiggle off the rock, bail out
Handling strainers, holes and drops (discussion)	If all participants are safe, waiting for low water may be a viable option
Wading	Entrapment
Safe eddy rule	High risk; hands-on rescue places rescuers near the entrapping object
Swim instead of fighting for marginal footing	Avoid by hazard recognition, appropriate swimming techniques, and appropriate outfitting
Water depth, water speed, bottom conditions affect performance	Most commonly foot entrapments, strainers, or trapped in a boat
Maintain balance	Keep victim heads up with stabilization line
“Look with your toes”	Snag line to release foot entrapments
One person with paddle/prop
Two person
Boat-based rescue
Often fastest and easiest technique for boaters, but potentially high risk
Many uses for boats
Ferries for people and equipment
Tool to sprint for help
Paddle recovery
Throw, two paddles in hand, put in your boat
Boat recovery
Boat recovery bulldozer or shove
Set a ferry angle
Self rescue
Hold boat and paddle in one hand when swimming with gear
Set a ferry angle
Boat stays downstream of victim
Swimmer rescues and assists
Assisting victims back into boats
Strengths and limitations of canoes, kayaks and rafts
Stern and bow tows

Scenarios
Managing common river problems, including multiple swimmers and loose gear
Debriefing to reinforce rescue priorities
Closing
Opportunities for additional training
Recommend first aid training
Continue to practice skills – this is just the beginning!
Avoiding incidents is far better than reacting to them

Course itinerary & site logistics

ACA Level 2: Essentials of River Rescue and Safety Agenda

Site Logistics

Introduction, Expectations, & Logistics

Level 2: Essentials of River Safety and Rescue

Course Overview

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