SISORSC006 — Lead and participate in complex white water rescues

Elements & performance criteria

Performance evidence

• complete three simulated complex white water rescues on one or more inland white water rivers with rapids, which collectively involve the following situations: a minimum of three swimmers simultaneously in the water; a minimum of two simultaneously entrapped persons; a minimum of three simultaneously abandoned craft and paddles to be recovered.
• across the three rescues, collectively utilise the following techniques and methods, as relevant to the type of craft utilised: reach techniques to rescue swimmers; reach techniques to recover paddles; throw techniques to rescue swimmers using throw bags and coiled ropes; two and four point craft on tether; single and double tows with paddler onboard (excluding raft rescues); tyrolean rope system with craft on tether; contact rescue, using craft and techniques relevant to the type of craft utilised; use of a mechanical advantage system to recover a wrapped, pinned or breached craft.
• for each rescue operation: consistently negotiate river hazards safely and effectively.
• establish a chain of command, allocate and communicate roles and responsibilities to team members and participants to effectively complete rescues.
• maintain effective communication with the rescuees.
• participate in a debrief and complete an incident report.

Knowledge evidence

• organisational policies and procedures for emergency response.
• principles of a chain of command as relevant to rescue operations.
• roles and responsibilities that can be allocated to team members and participants to effectively complete a complex white water rescue.
• communication protocols for rescue operations in white water: calls, hand and paddle signals, whistles.
• key considerations for determining rescue methods and techniques for complex white water rescues: river topography and access to person to be rescued; river conditions; severity of river hazards; degree of urgency to avoid situation worsening; condition of persons to be rescued; rescue abilities of self and team members; availability of equipment and human resources.
• typical hydrology conditions and hazards associated with complex white water rescues on grade 3 and above rivers, and techniques used to safely negotiate these: currents; eddies; waves; strainers; holes; stoppers; sieves; rocks, including undercut rocks; waterfalls; downstream and upstream Vs; boils; pour overs; built objects – weirs, piers; steep or slippery banks or shore; overhanging trees; fallen trees on waterway; submerged logs, rocks and vegetation; sections of dark, deep or cold water; other boating traffic.
• features, functions and operation of equipment used for complex white water rescues: reach equipment, including improvised use of equipment on hand; throw bags; rope coils; two and or four point boat tether system; mechanical advantage systems to include: high line tyrolean tethering system (telfer lower); z drags; pig-rigs; vector pulls; 3:1 ratio; 4:1 ratio.
• factors that affect the selection and rigging of mechanical advantage systems.
• manufacturers’ specifications for equipment use.
• types of anchors used in rescue systems and factors that affect selection.
• types of knots used, and how to tie them, when establishing rescue systems.
• techniques used to rescue swimmers in moving water: reach techniques; throw techniques using throw bags and rope coils; contact techniques.
• different types of entrapment encountered by rescuees and suitable methods used to extricate entrapped persons.
• as relevant to the particular type of water craft, techniques used when implementing the following rescue and recovery methods: T (or X) rescue; wedge rescue; deck carry; providing single and double tows; retrieving abandoned craft and equipment; two point tethered tow; four point tethered tow.

Foundation skills

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

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Questions about assessing SISORSC006