Water Safety & Rescue (Notes)

BOOK: Operations II SECTION: Water Safety & Rescue (CAPTAIN NOTES) Page 1 of 3

Water Safety & Rescue
(Updated through 8/7/04)

INTRODUCTION

Water Safety & Rescue policies follow 29 CFR 1910.401.

ACTIVATION

Levels of response for dive team are Level I (training, displays), Level II (auto recovery, assisting public/PD, known body recovery), and Level III (code 3).
Level III dives are considered rescues or potential rescues.
The Emergency Dive Team (EDT) is dispatched any time a life-threatening water emergency exists.
Divers suit up enroute to be deployed by Lead Diver on arrival.
Conditions that require a Beach Master on scene include: Water depth over 30 feet, more divers needed than on rescue unit, use helicopter/boat, use of unattended diver lines (swift water, sewers, tanks), and when Lead Diver needs to discuss situation.
The Lead Diver must request more divers if needed.

SCENE OPERATIONS

Definitions:

ACD Air Consumption at Depth
Beach Master The Branch Director of the water rescue branch. Subordinate to the Operations Chief/IC.
Contaminated Water Any body of water that poses health hazard.
Dive Master A level in diving (before Asst. Instructor).
Dive Table Chart to determine diver's residual nitrogen.
Dive Team Entire active dive roster.
Flood Water Water not controlled by normal banks, out of banks, or at/above flood stage (debris laden).
Lead Diver Group leader of dive group responsible for safety of divers in water (subordinate to Beach Master).
Line Tender Person assisting divers at surface with safety/pattern line.
Nitrox Mixture of O2 and nitrogen administered to diver under water to prevent diving maladies.
No Dive No divers in water due to unsafe condition.
PFD Personal Flotation Device.
Risk To be exposed to danger.
Risk & Benefit Process to analyze exposure of employees to a recognized danger and to determine advantages of that exposure.
SAC (Surface Air Consumption) rate.
Swift Water Water at 3 knots and above (clear of loose debris).

Line handlers, information gatherers, and searchers must all wear PFDs when in direct vicinity of water.
The Underwater Search and Rescue Information form is used to gather information prior to taking action.
"No Dive Condition" is called by Beach Master and/or Lead Diver.
The Lead Diver has control of divers until Beach Master arrives.
Water condition information to be collected includes: temperature of water/air, depth of water, water current, heavy moss, obstacles.
PD or OCFD boat may be needed for pattern use, equipment supply, transportation of divers, or bank searches.
Beach Master must request helicopter through IC who will request it.
The Beach Master/Lead diver will gather all information, estimate harm, determine strategic goals, assess tactics, plan/implement action, evaluate effectiveness of Operation, and review progress.

JOB DESCRIPTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

2 Beach Masters are on each shift.
All Beach Masters and Lead Divers make up a board that discusses updates to operating procedures, training, and areas of concern.
Special Teams Coordinator (STC) or Assistant Chief decide if dive board meetings are closed or open to entire team.
Beach Master ensures proper dive tables and patterns are used, assigns Safety Officer, and assures equipment is available.
Dive logs are completed by each diver after dive.
Each shift has 1 or more Asst. Beach Masters and 1 or more Asst. Lead Divers.
Instructors have no special position at dive sites.
Lead diver acts as Safety Officer when Beach Master is present (Beach Master may also be Safety Officer).
The Lead Diver assumes role of Group Supervisor or Task Force Leader in IMS system.
There is 1 Lead Equipment Officer per shift (Beach Master or Lead Diver) at dive station which all equipment officer work through.
The Equipment Officer turns in equipment record-keeping to the Board of Instructors for R&D.
The Inventory Officer maintains Dive Van/Boat in working order.
Personal equipment requirements for diving emergencies include: weight needed for neutral buoyancy, SAC/ACD rate for 80 cubic foot tank, and limitation of equipment.

REQUIREMENT STANDARDS FOR EMERGENCY TEAM MEMBERSHIP AND RENEWAL

EDT candidates must complete OCFD Open Water Diving course, EDT Water Competence requirements, and written test.
OCFD Standardization course is only requirement for EDT candidates with PADI, YMCA, NAUI, or NASDS certification.
Probationary firefighters can complete training for EDT, but won't become active until probation is complete.
EDT members must complete 1 hour of training per month (i.e.-open water dive, 30 minutes of training dive, pool skills check off, sports diving, outside training, swimming at pool).
The OCFD standardization course is a 2 day school (1st day=class, 2nd day=full or 1/2 days skills/written test 80%).
Water competence requirements must be met annually for renewal.

Seasonal Training
Spring / Swift water/flood water
Summer / Boating, deep diving
Autumn / Marshes/ponds (hunters)
Winter / Ice/frigid water

TRAINING OF DIVERS

Subjects for monthly training will be established the quarter before delivery.
Points to cover in lesson plans include: level of learning, goals, objectives, workbook/handouts, classroom time, pool time, evaluation.
When new equipment is approved by STC, all divers must attend mandatory training.
New equipment to be placed on the Dive Van must be presented to all divers in classroom and pool for psychomotor development.

Training Requirements
Instructors / Beach Masters / Lead Divers / Safety Divers / Team Members
Open Water Diver / X / X / X / X / X
Advanced Open Water Diver / X / X / X / X
Rescue Diver / X / X / X / X
Dive Master / X / X / X / X
Deep Diver / X / X / X / X
OCFD Orientation / X / X / X / X / X
SLAM / X
Asst. Instructor / X
Fire Service Instructor 2 / X
Training Hours Required
Title / Hours / Type / Prerequisites
Basic Diver / 27 / CL/PL/OW/OCFDREQ / None
Open Water Diver / 27 / CL/PL/OW/OCFDREQ / Complete Basic Course
Advanced Open Water Diver / 40 / CL/PL/OW/OCFDREQ / Complete Open Water
Rescue Diver / Course + 10 logged dives
Deep Diver / 15 / CL/PL/OW
Emergency Dive Team / Advanced Diver
Lead Diver / 8 / CL/PL/OW / Advanced Diver
Ice Diver / 14 / CL/OW / Complete all courses
Night Diver / Written Test
Pattern Specialist / Advanced Diver
Helicopter Qualified / 8 / CL/OW / Advanced Diver
River Rescue / 8 / CL/OW / Advanced Diver
Master SCUBA Diver / 8 / CL/PL/OW / Advanced Diver
Dive Master / varies / Advanced Diver & Rescue Dive courses (est. 40 hours)
Asst. Instructor / Work with class of 20 CL/PL/OW / Pass with 80% entry test
Instructor / 80 hours Instructor Training
LEGEND:CL=classroom, PL=pool, OW=open water, OCFDREQ=OCFD requirements

STAFFING

New divers must have nationally recognized dive certificate, pass skills and written test (80%), and attend training dives.
Individuals selected for dive team are determine by (in order):

Water skills test passed
Highest written test score
Most years as certified diver
Most witnessed, logged dive hours
Most witnessed, logged dives
Highest rank
Most time-in-grade
Lottery (with individuals present)

There are 20 Divers (2 lead divers), 1 Instructor, and 2 Beach Masters per shift.
An overage of 3 divers receiving incentive pay is allowed (26 total paid).
27th person on the shift does not get incentive pay until spot is vacated.
Of Lead Divers, Beach Masters, and Instructors, no one person may hold more than two of these positions at once.

DIVE MEETINGS

Beach Master and Instructor Boards meet monthly.
Shift dive meeting are scheduled quarterly.
Combined Dive Team meetings (all 3 shifts) are held Semi-Annually.

FORMS

If victim's time in water is approximately 45 minutes and water is cold and victim is young, rescue is still possible due to Mammalian Diving Reflex.