TECHNICAL RESCUE
Flood Rescue – Preparation to Execution Almost every fire department has the opportunity for a waterrelated incident—it could be a mountain stream that overflows during spring runoff or a flash flood in a desert caused by an afternoon thunderstorm. Regardless of how, where, or when the water gets there, you must be prepared to respond. The level of training, personnel, and resources you have available will determine how you respond to these water incidents. Let’s take an in-depth look at flood rescue from an operational perspective. According to NFPA 1006 Standard for Technical Rescue Personnel Professional Qualifications, part of technical rescue includes water rescue operations. Many types of water conditions can potentially make up a water rescue incident: • Swift water is “water moving at a rate greater than one (1) knot [1.15 mph (1.85 km/hr)].” • Moving water is water moving at less than one knot. • Static water is water that has no movement. • Whitewater is water comprised of 40-60 percent air. • Turbulent water is water with a very chaotic and disorganized characteristic. • Flood water is water that has exceeded its banks or has overflowed the wastewater disposal systems.1
Floods are unpredictable and are high-risk rescues. To help mitigate risk, you can pre-plan for probable incidents. Emergency managers do a great job in their efforts to pre-plan for these incidents. However, even though these events are potentially pre-planned, you can only plan so much; you don’t know what you don’t know. Often obstacles and hazards present themselves differently during the actual flood incident, so knowing the potential hazards can be helpful. Operational personnel must understand the hazards involved in flood-related calls and how to properly manage these scenes. Hazards may include utilities, such as propane, sewage, natural gas, overhead electrical lines, and underground power lines. Contamination hazards include raw sewage or fecal matter from pets or farm animals. Other hazardous materials include but are not limited to chemicals, pesticides, and insecticides. Automobiles can be hazardous in a flood because they contain battery acid, gas, diesel, engine oils, and radiator fluids.
Forces Exerted by Moving Water The force exerted on an object in water is proportional to the surface area that is exposed to the force. Current Velocity (mph)
Force on Legs (lbf)
Force on Body (lbf)
Swamped Boat (lbf)
3
16.80
33.60
168.00
6
67.20
134.00
672.00
Double velocity,
9
151.00
302.00
1512.00
quadruple
12
269.00
538.00
2688.00
the force
Technical Rescue International 28 | UFRA Straight Tip