Passive Rescues

Question 1

4 types of passive rescues

Answer 1

1. Passive front rescue
2. Passive rear rescue
3. Passive rescue at or near the surface in water < 3 feet - face up
4. Passive rescue at or near the surface in water < 3 feet - face down

Question 2

Passive front rescue

Answer 2

1. Approach the person from the front - rescue tube across chest
2. Turn the person face-up = reach with one hand for the opposite forearm, grab the underside and then grab the rescue tube with the other hand, pull slightly down and twist the persons arm towards your opposite shoulder. As you pull and twist thrust the rescue tube under their back
3. Position the rescue tube below the persons shoulders so that the persons head falls naturally back to an open airway position
4. Reach one arm over the persons shoulder and grasp their rescue tube
5. Remove the person from the water

Question 3

Passive rear rescue

Answer 3

1. Approach the person from behind
2. Turn the person face-up = with both arms reach under the persons armpits. Keep your head to one side, dip your shoulder and roll onto your back so that the person is face-up on the rescue tube
3. Position the rescue tube below the persons shoulders so that the persons head falls naturally back to an open airway position
4. Reach one arm over the persons shoulder and grasp their rescue tube
5. Remove the person from the water

Question 4

Passive rescue at or near surface in water < 3 feet - face up

Answer 4

1. Swim or quickly walk to the patron, let rescue tube trail behind you
2. Grasp the persons arms midway between elbows and shoulders. Move them alongside their head
3. Position the rescue tube below the persons shoulders - unless there is another assisting lifeguard
4. Move the person to an exit point

Question 5

Passive rescue at or near surface in water < 3 feet - face up

Answer 5

1. Swim or quickly walk to the patron
2. Grasp the persons arms midway between elbows and shoulders. Move them alongside their head. Glide the person forward and turn them face-up by pushing their arm closest to you under the water while pulling their other arm across the surface towards you.
3. Position the rescue tube below the persons shoulders - unless there is another assisting lifeguard
4. Move the person to an exit point

Question 6

Ways to rescue a passive submerged person

Answer 6

1. Feet-first surface dive
2. Head-first surface dive
3. Passive submerged rescue - deep water > 7 feet
4. Passive submerged rescue - shallow water
5. Passive submerged rescue - moderate-deep water (5-7 feet)

Question 7

Passive submerged - shallow water

Answer 7

1. Swim or quickly walk to the persons side. Let good the rescue tube. Reach down and grab under their armpits
2. Pick the person up while moving forward, turning the person onto their back so that their face is out of the water.
3. Position the rescue tube below their shoulders
4. Reach one arm over the person’s shoulder and grasp the rescue tube. Move the person to the exit point and remove them from the water

Question 8

Feet-first surface dive

Answer 8

1. Let go of the rescue tube but leave the strap on your shoulder. With your body positioned vertically, press both hands down at your sides and kick strongly to raise your body out of the water. When your body reaches its maximum height out of the water, take a breath.
2. When you are completely underwater, turn your palms out, then sweep your arms upward for more downward propulsion. Keep your body vertical, look at the bottom, exhale gently, equalise pressure
3. Repeat the sweeping motion with your arms until you reach the desired depth
4. After reaching the desired depth, if you must swim underwater (such as for a deep-water search) - tuck your body and roll into a horizontal position.

Question 10

Head first surface dive

Answer 10

1. Let go of the rescue tube. Use a swimming stroke to gain momentum. Take a breath, sweep your arms backward to your thighs and then turn your palms upwards
2. Tuck your chin to your chest and flex at the hips sharply while reaching your arms forward and downward toward the bottom
3. Lift your legs upward, keeping them straight and together, so that your body is fully extended, streamlined and in a nearly vertical position.
4. If you need to go deeper, do a simultaneous arm pull with both arms until you reach the desired depth.

Question 11

Passive submerged moderate-depth water (5-7 feet)

Answer 11

1. Swim to a point near the person. Position yourself at the persons side.
2. Grasp the person’s arms midway between the elbows and shoulders. Move the person’s arms up alongside their head
3. Turn the person face-up while bringing them to the surface at an angle. Push the person’s arm that is closest to you down and away from you while pulling the person’s other arm across the surface toward you.
4. Position the rescue tube below the person’s shoulders so that the person’s head naturally falls back to an open-airway position.
5. Reach one arm over the person’s shoulder and grasp the rescue tube. Use your other arm to stroke to the exit point.

Question 12

Passive submerged deep water (>7 feet)

Answer 12

1. Swim to a point near the person. Let go of the rescue tube but keep the strap around your shoulder. Perform a feet-first surface dive.
2. Position yourself behind the person.
3. Reach one arm under the person’s arm and across the person’s chest. Hold firmly onto the person’s other side. Once you have hold of the person, reach up with your free hand and grasp the towline.
4. Pull the towline down and place it in the same hand that is holding the person. Keep pulling the towline this way to ascend with the person.
5. As you approach the surface, position the rescue tube below the persons shoulders.