Current Trends in Training and Equipment for Flood Disaster Response
Presentation:
22nd Annual International Disaster Management Conference
March 31, 2001
by Jim Segerstrom, World Rescue Services, Inc.
When it comes to responding to citizens in distress during swiftwater and flood emergencies, we’ve got some signficant problems:
I. Highlights of the problems:
A. In the US there is currently no national data base of flood rescue resources;
B. There is no national, or international "typing " system for rescue and
response teams;
C. There is little effective intra-state mutual aid with identified mutual
aid resources, and little "common language" describing such resources;
D. There is only one adequate lifejacket in service for every 15 public safety
responders;
E. Standards for water rescue training are fragmented and discussions on such
standards are fractious; and
F. Based on current statistics, 26% of U.S. public safety and emergency
responders, who would be sent to flood calls, are either week or non-
swimmers!
G. Based on annual fatality studies, the chances of a US firefighter drowning in
the line of duty is four times greater than dying in a working fire!
H. US fire departments are our "first line" for rescue response during floods,
but they are generally already overwhelmed by training and equipment
requirements in other areas;
I. Training for swiftwater and flood response is time, money, and equipment
intensive;
J. While there was much made of this issue years ago, the current focus, and
federal training and equipment assistance, is currently centered on
terrorism, and weapons of mass destruction. However,
K. More Americans die in floods than any other category of natural
catastrophe; therefore, to paraphrase writer Slim Ray,
L. "Floods are the ultimate ‘weapon of mass destruction,’" and we are woefully
unprepared.
II. "Swiftwater" rescue has only been a reasonably well recognized discipline for 20 years. There is no recognized body of knowledge called "flood rescue."
A. River rescue came first, following a large number of public safety personnel
drowning in the mid-70s.
1. ODNR, Nantahala Outdoor Center, American Canoe Association.
2. Rescue 3 first utilized the word "swiftwater" to encompass all situations
where water was moving down a gradient.
B. The National Association for Search and Rescue next identified swiftwater
rescue as a topic of interest.
C. California State Fire Marshal adopted the Rescue 3 format in 1979.
D. Floods of 80s and 90s prompted many US fire departments to get into the
swiftwater "business."
E. National Swiftwater Rescue Advisory Council founded in 1984. International
Rescue Instructors Association founded same year by coalition of swiftwater
instructors.
III. However, despite all of these programs only a few thousand US public safety
personnel out of 2.5 million have received anything above "first responder"
training in dealing with moving water situations.
IV. California OES Special Operations Chief Mark Ghilarducci started a pioneer-
ing effort to establish standardized swiftwater rescue teams built around the
8 state USAR Task Forces in 1995.
A. Along with author, he designed the equipment trailers, and purchased them
after the 95 floods.
B. Winter of 97 floods, the teams were activated, responding to flood events
throughout the state and Yosemite National Park.
C. Effort continued under Captain Jay Bowdler of Sacramento FD, with OES
Swiftwater/Flood Rescue Working Committee over next three years, to
develop California System Description for teams, training and equipment.
1. Recently accepted by law enforcement SAR system in California,
and descriptions are now included in Field Operations Guide, which is
on every fire apparatus in the state, simplifying ordering in the state
Incident Command System.
D. Texas, Missouri, and North Carolina are following suit, adapting the
California OSD to fit their needs.
V. Federal efforts have continued to concentrate on reaction. FEMA has now
discontinued sending USAR Task Forces to flood events.
A. USAR Task Forces are not generally equipped or trained to deal with
such events. In one recent request for water capability, only 8 task forces
beside California’s, responded that they had ANY water capabilities.
B. Within the Federal Disaster System’s ESF 9 (Search and Rescue,) on the
USAR task forces are listed.
C. OFDA only lists two US Task Forces for overseas deployment. Neither has
a full complement of water rescue equipment or trained personnel.
1. During their deployment to Mozambique in 1999, the Miami Dade team
was purchasing boats immediately prior to departing.
D. FEMA has deferred to EMAC, the intra-state mutual aid system to
respond flood resources to affected areas.
E. But under-trained and under-equipped teams continue to be deployed in
harms way. Well intentioned agencies are trying to respond to the requests
for help by emergency management, despite lack of training and equipment.
1. Number of legal issues arising from failed flood rescues is increasing,
and high publicity incidents where citizens are dying in floods
as fire and rescue personnel watch helplessly are also on the rise.
VI. Levels of training have been undertaken by committees of two organizations:
National Fire Protection Association, utilized by many fire departments, and
the International Rescue Instructors Associaton, referenced by James Lee Witt
in his report to congress after the Hurricane Floyd flood responses.
A. NFPA identifies three levels of training:
1. Awareness
2. Operations
3. Technician
4. Referenced documents are NFPA 1500, 1670, and 1006.
B. IRIA identifies six levels of training:
1. Awareness
2. Operations
3. Technician
4. Specialist
5. Instructor
6. Manager, (A separate track for overhead personnel.)
VII. Definitions 1670 1006 IRIA Capabilities
Awareness
Operations
Technician
VIII. Swiftwater Skills
Operations
Technician
VIV. Equipment for swiftwater and flood response
A. Personal gear
Flotation
Thermal protection
Head protection
Hands and feet
Self-rescue devices
Safety devices--knives, whistles, light sources
Survival gear
B. "Team" gear
Boats and PWCs
Technical gear
Line throwing devices
C. Other assets
X. Adjunctive Training for swiftwater and flood responses
Helicopter
Animal
ICS
Boat Deckhand
Boat Coxswain
Whitewater Paddling
Hazmat
Confined space
Logistician
Technical rope
SCUBA
EMS
ICS
XI. Basic "typing" definitions (California and Texas models)
A. Swiftwater/flood rescue teams or "strike" teams:
Type I
Type II
Type III
B. Flood evacuation boats
Type I
Type II
Type III
Type IV
C. Helicopters
Type I
Type II
Type III
Type IV
XII. Our international flood response capabilities
The California OSD has recently finished its process, after nearly 4 years of work, and is available for distribution. The Texas state response model is currently being written, but has been utilized for recent activations in Texas. The author will put those interested in contact with groups that can supply both documents for review.
Jim Segerstrom, Box 4686, Sonora, CA 95370 209-532-7915 877-711-7377
jim@specialrescue.com
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