Station 77 Rescue Boat Operations
SCOPE
This procedure applies to all personnel responsible for performing technical search, rescue and recovery emergency response and operations that, under the auspices of The Friendship Fire Company and/or The Friendship Diving-Rescue Unit operate any boat for search, rescue or recovery operational, training or demonstration purposes.
PURPOSE
A. The purpose of these standards is to establish guidelines for the conducting of safe and effective rescue boat operations in such a manner as to ensure that all boat-related operations and planning under the auspices of The Friendship Fire Company and/or The Friendship Diving-Rescue Unit is conducted so as to maximize both the protection of all personnel from accidental injury and/or illness and maximize the efficiency of boat-utilized operations. Further, to also set forth standards for training, initial certification and annual recertification of boat operators. The Friendship Fire Company and/or The Friendship Diving-Rescue Unit utilizes boats for water rescue operations; underwater recovery operations; the evacuation of victims during flash flooding; performing damage assessments; police evidence recovery; firefighting (under limited circumstances and conditions); and other purposes as directed by an Incident Commander.. Fulfillment of these purposes shall be consistent with the furtherance of safety.
B. These standards are to be used only as a set of guidelines within the decision making process, since circumstances and conditions may vary widely from one operation to another. No written standards can give advice for all situations, and no standards can replace competent instruction under the supervision of competent instructors. Furthermore, no standards can replace experience during operational circumstances, or practice under controlled conditions.
C. Individuals engaging in operations, particularly under the adverse conditions present during many rescues, recoveries, or other similar circumstances, must realize that the activity they are undertaking has inherent dangers. Each individual must be presumed to be voluntarily participating in the activity which he/she is undertaking and thus must assume the risk that goes with it. Otherwise that individual is expected to make the Incident Commander aware of the fact that he/she does not wish to participate.
TACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS
I. GENERAL RULES OF OPERATION
A. EVERY individual launching, riding in (including rescue personnel, EMS personnel, victims, etc.) or recovering a boat MUST wear an approved Personal Flotation Device (PFD) in its prescribed fashion. When a boat is launched in support of a water rescue and/or evacuation operation consideration must be given to providing PFD’s for all victims.
B. Motors must be shut down whenever a boat is being operated within fifteen (15) feet of a diver either on or below the surface of the water. The only exception will be during an emergency recovery of a diver. In that case all due care must be taken.
C. Only properly-trained personnel may operate the boat motors during actual rescue/recovery operations (one such individual needs to be in the boat during all training exercises). Trained operators from other Teams / Units may be permitted to operate our boats with the approval of a Unit Officer.
D. A radio must be in the boat every time that it is launched. Constant communications must be maintained at all times with the Unit OIC, or the shore, or the Command Post (CP). The Team’s high band portables are the preferred radio to use. County fire portables are to be in a boat only upon direction of the Unit’s OIC or under the most unusual and extreme of circumstances.
E. Only hard-bottomed boats will be launched at any scene of a hazardous material release, release of an unknown substance, or where it is reasonable to believe that immersion of an inflatable boat would subject the construction and/or material of that boat to short or long-term ill effects.
II. BOAT OPERATIOR CERTIFICATION STANDARDS
A. The rescue boat operator will be able to demonstrate a working knowledge of the equipment and. maintenance of all boats utilized by the Unit, to include as a minimum:
1. Proper maintenance of and care for all boats:
a. Inflation and valves (inflatable)
b. Hulls (non-inflatable)
2. Fuel - Pre-mixed requirements and fuel/oil mixture preparation
3. Propellers - Changing and inspecting
4. Mounting and Dismounting Motors
B. The rescue boat operator shall demonstrate a working knowledge and functional ability in the operation of all boats utilized by the Unit, to include as a minimum:
1. Proper and safe launching and retrieving
a. To/from trailers
b. To/from shoreline or dock
2. Starting / stopping / shifting of boat motors
3. Safe boat operations, rules of the road
4. General PA boating laws (including exemptions that we operate under)
5. Ferrying in moving water
6. Eddys - entry and exit
7. Holding on station, under power, in moving water and calm water
8. Docking
a. Dockside
b. Shoreline
9. Retrieving an object and person from the water
a. Standing water
b. Moving water
10. Paddling and rowing skills
11. Self rescue skills
12. River sense and river reading
13. Two boat tethers to implement dam rescues
a. Lead boat
b. Safety boat
14. Safe boat operation during diving operations
a. Tender boat
b. Safety boat
c. Diver shuttle boat