Has anyone taken any of their courses? I just finished the SRT1 (Swift Water Rescue Tech) courtesy of the tax payer. The course was on the Kings River. Holy Cow. What I learned was that if you fall into the river, your screwed. We also spent a day in a canal working around the Weirs and the low head dams. Those are pretty brutal.
seems like that course could have been summed up in a rather quick statement
Quote from: coolkites on August 23, 2009, 01:44:30 AM
seems like that course could have been summed up in a rather quick statement
What is that supposed to mean?
???
Quote from: Flying Pig on July 05, 2009, 09:13:17 PM
Has anyone taken any of their courses? I just finished the SRT1 (Swift Water Rescue Tech) courtesy of the tax payer. The course was on the Kings River. Holy Cow. What I learned was that if you fall into the river, your screwed. We also spent a day in a canal working around the Weirs and the low head dams. Those are pretty brutal.
The bold statment.
Quote from: coolkites on August 23, 2009, 11:53:33 PM
Quote from: Flying Pig on July 05, 2009, 09:13:17 PM
Has anyone taken any of their courses? I just finished the SRT1 (Swift Water Rescue Tech) courtesy of the tax payer. The course was on the Kings River. Holy Cow. What I learned was that if you fall into the river, your screwed. We also spent a day in a canal working around the Weirs and the low head dams. Those are pretty brutal.
The bold statment.
Sorry, it just sounded a bit like you were insulting Capt. Steht.
no no no I did not mean to sound insulting at all that's not how I meant it I meant that I thought it was funny what he said.
Quote from: coolkites on August 24, 2009, 03:08:59 AM
no no no I did not mean to sound insulting at all that's not how I meant it I meant that I thought it was funny what he said.
What he was talking about was that if you fall into swift running, cold water, like you find in the Mountains during the Winter here in California, then yes, you're screwed.
We did the course in an area where a lot of people have drown. Ive flown as the Flight Officer/Rescue Tech/Crew Chief or whatever title your used to on several of them.
Literally, in seconds they are gone. Usually from blunt force trauma. After going down the river only 100 yards, in a full dry suit, helmet, swim fins, gloves and life jacket, I came out with bruises all over my thighs and hips from hitting rocks.
The force of the freezing water being forced up your nose and down your throat showed me exactly why people die so fast. I dont care how hard you try to hold your breath or plug your nose, the second that water hits the back of your throat your reflex is to gasp.....and all you gasp is more freezing water. I swim about 2500 yards 2-3 times per week, and I cannot recall being more tired after making it to the shore on the FIRST trip down the river.
The rescue drills are very manpower intensive and require a lot of coordination to set up properly. If you have a trow bag from the shore and you dont hit your victim the first time, there probably wont be a second chance because the water moves so fast. And to top it off, you would probably need to be right there and actually witness the person fall into the water.
The water in the upper Kings River is snow melt, and its COLD! What is sad is going on many of these SARs, you see the family standing on the shore looking up at the helicopter, or if your on the shore, after an hour or so, they come over and ask "He/She is going to b alright arent they?" You know the victim is dead, but you just nod and say "We'll find them." It usually takes a few weeks before we do actually find them.
So what I learned, aside from some nifty knots and rope work, was that when you fall into a cold, swift river, your screwed! ;D
I took Swiftwater several years ago, was a bit of a tail-kicking.
I'd rather bail out of the C-17 on the side door over one of the Pacific flight test areas (I think Whiskey 293 but I'm not sure) then go in swift water like that. I'll take my chances with the sharks :-*
The Tsunami in on the Malay peninsula came in 3-5 ft. high and 5 miles per hour. In Colorado our rivers run this on a normal day. During flood season, triple everything. Plus, you don't have to actually stop until you get to the Gulf of California or Mexico.
Swift water? - We lose 10-15 people in a normal year in our state.