Swiftwater

Question 1

4 basics of hydraulics

Answer 1

volume, gradient, obstruction, constriction

Question 2

breaking wave

Answer 2

A large wave that has a foam pile on top. A
breaking wave is similar to a hydraulic in that it can stop and flip a boat, but generally it will not hold a boat or swimmer

Question 3

strainer

Answer 3

A tree or any obstruction that water passes through and objects (including people) do not.

Question 4

sieve

Answer 4

A formation of rocks that allows water to pass through but not objects.

Question 5

Downstream Safety

Answer 5

It is important to contain the rescue scene and protect the
rescuers and/or victim from being lost downstream

Question 6

Upstream spotter

Answer 6

person has the job of alerting the rescue team of any debris or hazards that are entering the rescue scene. This person must also be ready to stop any other river users from floating into the scene.

Question 7

Phase of rescue

Answer 7

L– locate
A– access
S– stabilize
T– transport

Question 8

In order to locate a person on the river, a two crucial pieces

Answer 8

1. Time last seen

2. Point last seen

Question 9

parameters of a Hasty Search.

Answer 9

• If possible, spotters should be sent to the furthest distance downstream the victim could float.
• Then, two water-based crews should search each shoreline fast for any obvious evidence of the lost person.
• Two land-based crews should search each shoreline fast for obvious evidence

Question 10

Humans lose their body heat ___times faster in water than in air.

Answer 10

25

Question 11

Survival of submersion is affected by three

conditions:

Answer 11

1. Duration of submersion (shorter period the
   better)
   2 Temperature of water (colder the better)
   3 Age of victim (younger the better)

Question 12

Polypropylene

Answer 12

dynamic, floating, 1000-2000 lb. breaking strength, exposed core is black, not adequate for tensioning!!

Question 13

Spectra/Dyneema

Answer 13

static, floating, 3000-4000 lb. breaking strength, exposed core is generally white, can be used as a tensioned line

Question 14

Foot entrapment #1 priority

Answer 14

stabilize the entrapment victim as

quickly as possible.

Question 15

In extracting an entrapped victim, most

people come out of entrapments….

Answer 15

the same way they went in

Question 16

1st three opions for entrapments

Answer 16

Step 1: Can you throw them a 
rope?
Step 2: Can you access from 
downstream and get hands-on 
stabilization?
Step 3: Can you get them a 
stabilization line?

Question 17

4 types of holes

Answer 17

smiling, frowning, diagonal, horizontal

Question 18

Hole is

Answer 18

caused by water flowing over an obstacle (rock, ledge, dam, etc) and creating a reversal current

Question 19

intensity of a hole: 4 factors

Answer 19

width of hole, the steepness of the drop, the depth of the hole, and the length of the backwash

Question 20

swiftwater is water flowing faster than ___ and over ___ ft occurring in ____

Answer 20

1.5mph
2
natural watercourse

Question 21

12 swiftwater principles

Answer 21

1. Priorities: self, team, victim
2. wear PPE
3. keep rescue plan simple
4. have backup plans
5. deploy multiple downstream rescuers
6. deploy upstream spotter
7. dont stand inside the rope bight or on the downstream side of a tensioned line
8. dont tie a rope to rescuer
9. dont stand in water above your knee
10. dont tension a line 90 to the current
11. once victim is contact, dont lose them
12. dont count on the victim helping

Question 22

laminar flow

Answer 22

layered downstream flow of the river’s main current. The layer in the center just below the surface moves
the fastest, while the side and bottom layers
are slowed somewhat by friction.

Question 23

helical flow

Answer 23

corkscrew flow between main current and shore

Question 24

smiling hole

Answer 24

Strong reversal in center with downstream

current on either side. Exit to the sides.

Question 25

frowning hole

Answer 25

strongest reversal is side to side. Trying to exit to the side results in being pushed back to the center. Exit is down beneath the surface.

Question 26

current vector

Answer 26

Strongest laminar flow in a channel. May not be parallel to shoreline

Question 27

ferry angle

Answer 27

45 degree angle to current vector

Question 28

if the victim doesnt have a PFD on...

Answer 28

get one to them

Question 29

max length for live bait rope

Answer 29

75ft

Question 30

____ inches of water can make you lose control of a vehicle

Answer 30

6 inches

Question 31

___ ft of water will carry most cars away

Answer 31

2

Question 32

Never approach a vehicle from

Answer 32

the upstream side. could get pinned or sucked underneath

Question 33

If the passengers are still inside the vehicle and there | is a substantial cushion (water speed 7 mph or 8 ft per sec) of water on the upstream side of the vehicle...

Answer 33

``` DON'T punch the window on the downstream side since drastic decompression can blow all the glass explosively and you may lose the victims as well. ```

Question 34

Options for low head dam rescue

Answer 34

throw bag line with rescue buoy across river inflated fire hose two boats connected by safety line: one close to the hydraulic, one 100-150ft down stream to pull other boat out

Question 35

water speed doubles, force increases __x

Answer 35

4

Question 36

Eddy

Answer 36

horizontal reversal of water flow upstream caused by low pressure behind an obstacle

Question 37

eddy fence

Answer 37

obvious line in river where water flows in the opposite direction at each side

Question 38

Hole (hydraulic)

Answer 38

vertical reversal of water flow where the pressure of the current falling over a gradient (rock) causes water to loop back causing some water to flow downstream, some back to the base of the gradient

Question 39

PFD have an min of ___lbs of float

Answer 39

15.5

Question 40

The average car will float for ___ seconds

Answer 40

45

Question 41

Electrical in a submerged call will probably still work | T/F

Answer 41

T

Question 42

Car on a hard surface,sideways in the current is likely/unlikely to roll

Answer 42

likely

Question 43

cars on soft surface are likely to

Answer 43

settle because each tire will create an eddy, scooping out soil

Question 44

victims on the roof of a car should

Answer 44

high side | not move after they are on the high side

Question 45

foam piles are ___ to ___% air

Answer 45

40-60

Question 46

most injuries occur

Answer 46

within 10 ft of shore

Question 47

once a drowning victim goes "wind down" behavior, rescuer has ___ secs to get to the victim

Answer 47

10-15

Question 48

weight of 180-200lb male in water

Answer 48

7-11lbs