Viper Marketing & Communications Group

Training Conquers Worst Case Scenario’s

Author: Jim Hardcastle

Jim has helped organisations and groups communicate more effectively for nearly 20 years. His background in the countryside and rural sectors provide him with a wealth of experience. Fueled by coffee with Post-Its at the ready, he’s here to help .

Thorough and professional training prepares you for the worst case scenario. In this case it relates to my other life in a Search and Rescue team. For many though, being prepared for the upcoming flux in the job market will be just as crucial.

‘Move out into the flow until you feel the tug of the water then sit into it and assume your defensive swimming position’. Let’s be clear, the water wasn’t about to tug me it was about to rip my legs from under me and throw me down swirling rapids with menacing rocks looming under every crest.

This is worst case scenario. None of us want to be in the water on a search but if the worst happens we have to know how to deal with it. As a Search and Rescue organisation we have water in our patch which we sometimes have to search near. It is fast becoming a pre-requisite for members to go through the water awareness training. Call-outs to assist with flood related incidents are on the increase for mountain rescue related teams. We’d already spent an evening of water awareness training, looking at the hydrology of water courses among other theoretical aspects. This day in the River Wye, covered bankside safety and two days in Salcombe will follow up with flood searching.

I was in the worst case scenario now, albeit with two Swiftwater Rescue Technicians on hand to make sure my scenario was resolved smoothly and safely. I was literally swept away by the force of the water. The drysuit, life-jacket and helmet lull you into a false sense of security. Being swept away dispels this feeling. You feel powerless. Until your defensive swimming technique kicks in.

Relax. Don’t fight the current. Feet downstream. Shoulders down to lift your hips and feet to the surface. Legs bent to absorb the oncoming rocks. Look for the safe eddy areas. Don’t waste energy. Ferry drift yourself to get some control. Back stroke your arms like its going out of fashion. Act all serene in the safety of the eddy.

That’s self-saving. We search in teams following the principle of look after Self, Team, Individual in that order. Doing it effectively is the difference between ‘searching’ and ‘looking’. The ‘searcher’ searches, the ‘search leader’ watches the searcher from as safe a place as possible maintaining communications with the ‘back-up’. The ‘back-up’ is downstream with a throw line. This is how to look after a team so they can search. It’s labour intensive and it takes time.

The ‘searcher’s’ tripped and gone in. Two blasts on the whistle. The ‘back-up’ knows to look upstream at this signal. Four laps of the rope across one hand (never coiled around the hand in this scenario as the back-up doesn’t want to be dragged in) the rest of the floating rope is stowed in its bag. Floating searcher spotted. ‘ROPE! ROPE! TAKE THE ROPE!‘ The throw line is deployed. Straight into the V-shaped arms, which they can do because they’re in a defensive swimming posture. The back-up braces. Using a pendulum effect created by the current, the searcher is swept sideways into a safe eddy area already identified by the back up.

The only way to fight the feeling of helplessness is to be prepared through training. Following our principles, supported by thorough, professional and extensive training, we are an effective Search and Rescue organisation. Prepare yourself for the future and any ‘self-saving’ needed by making sure your personal skills are up-to-date.
 

- Posted on Wednesday 25 Aug 2010 at 14:00 by Jim Hardcastle

Tags: jim hardcastle (33), pr (15), rescue (1), search (1), training (36)