I am needing some fresh ideas on water rescue. We are going to be using the city pool for a water rescue class. We have a small boat that we will use. I am needing new ideas for this years class. We have done the same things for the last two years. I am in need of some new ideas.
Here's something to try, coordinate with your local sheriff's dive team. I place victims in the water, one visible then I have a submerged dummie for a drowned victim, our team works the rescue for the visible victim, then we do a couple of search patterns for the drowned victim, then the dive team comes in and does their search's. This does a couple of thing's, you work with an outside agency and build some ties there and it let's your guy's learn more about what they can do to better the scene for the dive teams arrival.And when you do this at a local water area it let's the public see the extent your department goes to train for community safety.
Here's another idea, better simulation on a lake - then a pool. We are always diving for the drowned victum. How about a multi jet ski crash. Getting divers and swimmers into the water to backboard and collar the patients and transport them back to shore by boat, ice rescue float or a floating backboard. We have also simulated a boat crash into a floating dive dock with people on the dock and a DUI driving the boat. It make a fun 2 hr. drill, get your mutual aid to come help. I can send some pictures or you can go to my dept.'s web page (www.staffordfire.org)
to see the action shots.
Some of the thing I have found to be most helpfull when I am conducting specialized training such as Swift Water or Rope Rescue, Is just fall back and brush up on some of the basics. Ropes & Knots, Throw Bag.. stuff that can be done from the shore, then get more advanced in your training.