Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project

Bob Pratt

Dave Benjamin

How We Began:

Old Traditions

New Technology

2 MAIN GOALS Quantify the

scope of the

problem.

Train people to

recognize and

respond to drowning

incidents.

The Great Lakes

5 Lakes

8 States

2 Countries

10,000 Miles of

shoreline.

21% of the worlds fresh

water.

Preliminary Research Nationwide:

~35 per year (Gensini and Ashley 2009)

>100 per year (U.S.L.A.)

~150 per year (Lushine 1991)

Great Lakes:

~8 per year (Guenther 2008)

~33 per year (Guenther 2010)

There is universal agreement in need for

further research.

Problems With Data Collection

Terminology: drowning, near-drowning,

rip current, rip tide, undertow, tombolo.

Cause of Death: ICD-10 codes.

Until we get a universal definition of terminology,

accurate meteorological data and until we get ICD

codes with better parameters; we will not have truly

‘scientific’ data.

The media is only a starting point but maybe the best

and most accurate source we have at this time.

RESULTS

2010 75 Total Drownings

38 in Lake Michigan 50.6%

32 ‘rip currents’ 42.6%

2011 87 Total Drownings

42 in Lake Michigan 48.2%

19 ‘Rip Currents’ 21.8%

Clearly there is a significant problem. We

cannot wait until the scientific community

quantifies the problem more accurately or

agrees on the ‘real’ scope of the issue.

WHERE TO START?

We do not need to wait for the scientists to

agree, nor do we need to reinvent the wheel.

Similarities

The Fire Problem: 5th

Leading Cause of Death.

• Education

• Code Enforcement

• Emergency Response

The Drowning Problem: 4th

Leading Cause of Death.

• Education

• Engineering

• Emergency Response

Solutions

The

DIFFERENCE?

The fire service has thousands of full-time and volunteer

advocates in a well established, highly organized and well

funded network. Most Fire Departments have a whole

division devoted to fire prevention activities. We visit schools,

hold picnics and teach kids to “Stop, Drop & Roll”.

We need to get organized, networked and FUNDED.

WHERE TO START?

"Begin at the beginning," the King said, gravely, "and go on till

you come to the end; then stop."

- Alice in Wonderland

WHY SURFERS?

Surfers have a floatation device.

Surfers have thermal protection.

Surfers are comfortable in big waves.

Surfers are often in the ‘right place’ at the

‘right time’.

Topics • What Drowning Looks Like

– I.D.R.

– Distressed Swimmer

• Rip Current Dynamics

– Wind

– Waves

– Seiche

• Basic Rescue Techniques

– Board Based

– Shore Based

• Spinal Injury

• Triangulation

Instinctive Drowning Response

Vertical in Water Head Back Mouth Open NO WAVING NO YELLING NO SPLASHING

YOU HAVE 20-60 SECONDS

TO SAVE THIS PERSON

Distressed Swimmers

• More Horizontal in water

• Slow forward progress

• Arms (may) clear the water in weak

attempt at swimming strokes.

• Maybe able to yell or wave.

• Much more likely to be rescued, but at any

point may become a drowning victim.

Firefighters in oil spill

Your victim may not be able to

yell but others may…

RIP CURRENT DYNAMICS

Water always seeks the path of least resistance. Once a cut in a sandbar begins it becomes the focus of a channel of water.

Along piers and breakwalls; water piles up and channels out along the structure.

Pier Rip Currents

• A seiche may compound the problem.

• Great Lakes rip currents also form at piers and jetties.

• These rips can extend well past the structure.

• Victims who jump or are swept off piers maybe caught in these rips.

A seiche (pronounced “saysh”) is the rocking motion of

water in a lake or similarly closed or partially closed

water body. Scientists call the pendulum-like

movements within seiches “free standing-wave

oscillations.” Seiches, are almost always present on the

Great Lakes.

RESCUE

• Surf rescue is dangerous

• Equip yourself with:

– Knowledge

• Your Ability

• Your Equipment

• Your Environment

911 capability

Rescue equipment

– Common sense

When in doubt don’t go out

Board Techniques

Flip the board once so their hand is on one

rail and their armpit on the other…[Make sure their

face doesn’t smack the board]

Flip the board again, this should position them more or

less on the middle of the board…

Grasp their hand and bring it to the rail about mid-

board…

Approach the victim from the side, slide off

the board and keep it between you and the

victim…

Short Board Techniques

Try to get the board under them by submerging the board under or dragging the victim over the board. Hang off the back, balance & keep from pearling.

All boards are different experiment with your board before an emergency.

No board?

No problem • REACH

• THROW

• ROW

• TOW

• GO

Many ordinary objects can be used to make shore

based rescues. Give the victim something that

floats, calm them down and CALL 911

Throw bags and

Ring Buoys

• Secure the end

• Throw past the victim.

Last Seen Point & Triangulating

Finding our place in the line-

up: out at the lighthouse lined

up with the white house.

SPINAL

INJURIES Anatomy & physiology:

The SPINAL CORD is the

nerve tissue that runs

down the middle of the

VERTEBRA (the bones).

SPINAL

INJURY • Spinal injuries can be caused a number of ways: like striking

the bottom or a submerged object. They may also be caused by hitting the water or being hit with a surfboard (your own or someone else's).

• Caring for spinal cord injuries takes special training. Unless absolutely necessary (to save their life) do not move the victim.

• If they must be moved keep head, neck and torso in one plane: move as a unit.

Artificial respiration / CPR

Drowning victims often need to be resuscitated after rescue. Learn how to do CPR from the Red Cross, American Heart Association or other training agencies.

Classes are cheap and easy.

Lessons Learned Need for Better Statistics

Need to Research Rip Currents

Need for More Education

Need for Broad Collaboration

Need to Remember:

Cultural Shifts Take Time and Commitment

Questions or Comments?

Bob Pratt

1551 Greenview Ave.

East Lansing, MI 48823

(517) 643-2553

water-ratt@comcast.net

Dave Benjamin

3544 213th Place Matteson, IL 60443 (708) 903-0166 dpaulben@hotmail.com

www.ripcurrentsafety.com