SISCAQU021 — Perform complex water rescues

Elements & performance criteria

Performance evidence

• participate in simulated water rescues to return a person in difficulty to a point of safety, and collectively:
• complete a 25 metre swim and then retrieve a submerged object replicating a person from the greatest depth of the facility but at no greater than two metres, at the surface contact tow an unconscious casualty for at least 25 metres, and work in a team to safely and efficiently extract the person from the water
• complete a ten metre swim and then complete one contact tow of a conscious casualty for at least ten metres, and remove the person from the water without assistance from another person
• complete a 25 metre swim and 25 metre non-contact tow of a conscious casualty, with an assisted landing and work in a team to safely and efficiently extract the person from the water
• work in a team in shallow water using extraction equipment to complete spinal immobilisation for a suspected spinal injury casualty, and safely and efficiently extract the person from the water
• work in a team in deep water using extraction equipment to safely and efficiently extract a casualty from the water
• commence aftercare procedures for two rescued persons
• determine appropriate rescue methods and equipment, accounting for the signs of the person experiencing difficulty in the water, and hazards present
• effectively utilise rescue equipment suited to the type of rescue
• utilise safe manual handling techniques
• demonstrate fitness, strength, efficiency and speed throughout the rescue
• for one of the above rescues participate in a debrief and complete an incident report.

Knowledge evidence

• basic understanding of industry guidelines and standards relevant to aquatic supervision and how these are used by aquatic operators
• organisational procedures for rescues and emergency response
• principles of rescue
• common active and passive signs and signals of a person experiencing difficulty in the water, and how particular signs would indicate circumstances requiring a complex rescue
• hazards associated with complex water rescues, risks to self and person being rescued, and methods used to minimise risk
• role responsibilities and boundaries for rescue personnel at different levels of seniority, including lifeguards
• roles and responsibilities that can be allocated to team members to effectively complete complex water rescues
• how roles may change as a complex water rescue evolves
• factors that contribute to complexity of water rescues:
• severe or multiple environmental hazards are present
• multiple persons in difficulty
• rescuees are:
• submerged
• unconscious
• injured
• suddenly ill with significant impacts
• multiple factors are present
• equipment and techniques used in complex water rescues, and situations indicating their choice
• personal survival and defensive techniques used when approaching and rescuing swimmers in difficulty
• equipment and techniques used to extract rescued persons from the water, and how choice would be impacted when the following conditions are present:
• drowning
• sudden unconsciousness
• significant injury including spinal injury
• significant bleeding
• medical events with significant impacts
• communication systems and protocols used in complex water rescues:
• emergency warning and alarm systems
• radio systems
• calls
• whistles
• hand signals
• assertive and constructive verbal communication used to direct rescuees and interact with team members
• actions typically taken after rescue from water is completed:
• monitoring condition of rescued person
• provision of after care
• contact with emergency services to relay conditions of casualties
• rescue debriefing and reporting requirements
• formats and inclusions of written incident reports.

Foundation skills

• Reading: interpret detailed familiar organisational procedures for rescues and emergency response.
• Writing: use fundamental sentence structure to record accurate factual information about rescue responses in template incident reports.
• Oral communication: use clear and unambiguous verbal and non-verbal communications to make intent known.
• Teamwork: pro-actively and cooperatively work within teams to coordinate rescue logistics, solve arising problems and effect efficient rescues.
• Self-management: critically analyse all circumstances and implications to provide a prompt and considered rescue response.

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Questions about assessing SISCAQU021