In the local news today, a 54-year old man is missing and presumed
drowned in Lake Washington. (I believe the incident occured in area of
the Seafair log boom).

The missing man is described as a "boat owner who jumped into the lake
to assist another swimmer experiencing difficulty."

Ironically, the swimmer who was initially having trouble was wearing a
life jacket and was successfully recovered. The would-be rescuer
jumped in without a life jacket and sank out of sight in 200-feet of
water.

I've always understood that if there's somebody having trouble in the
water, you have more options available for rescue if you remain aboard
your boat. Second best is to get out to the victim in a dinghy.
Jumping in has to be the very last resort, doesn't it? Maybe if the
victim is going down or unable to assist in their own resuce....but
you essentially wind up with two people in the water.

Monday morning quarterbacking- maybe a "throwable device" on a rope,
maybe even just a line tossed to the MOB..but once the MOB has grabbed
the device or the line it ought to be easier to haul him back onto the
deck from aboard the boat.

Maybe if you *have* to go in after the victim, it would be smart to
don a PFD, and perhaps grab a second one for the MOB? (in most cases,
the MOB won't be wearing one- this specific situation was unusual).?

Who's had some actual training or hands-on experience in this field?
Tom, maybe?

You have to admire the guy's courage for jumping in, but a different
decision would oviously have been better. I guess the time to mentally
rehearse for these situations is before they occur.

On Mon, 06 Aug 2007 22:00:50 -0700, Chuck Gould
wrote:

Who's had some actual training or hands-on experience in this field?
Tom, maybe?

You have to admire the guy's courage for jumping in, but a different
decision would oviously have been better. I guess the time to mentally
rehearse for these situations is before they occur.

USCG MOB drills do not include anyone going into the water. One person
on board the vessel points to the person in the water (PIW),
continuously updated the coxswain on distance and bearing. Other c rew
members toss PFD's, or anything that floats to the PIW. Once the boat
is close enough to have crew pick up the PIW, he's retrieved. If the
person is in distress, having the boat alongside the PIW is
preferrable to having isolated crew members in the water.

On Mon, 06 Aug 2007 22:00:50 -0700, Chuck Gould
wrote:

Who's had some actual training or hands-on experience in this field?
Tom, maybe?

In water assist is never an option unless the MOB is injured in some
way that precludes the MOB from assisting in the rescue. In that
case, going over the side without a PFD on the rescuer is inviting
diaster.

Most boaters don't have the equipment to pull off a simple rescue,
never mind one that is complicated. Something like a simple throw bag
or life ring are absent on most small boats. Throwable cushions are
fine, but I'll bet you any amount of money you would like to name that
nobody here on this group practices throwing one. Or how to throw
one. How many small boats have boat hooks? How many here actually
know how to properly throw a cushion or throw bag? How many know how
to properly approach a MOB for rescue - or the proper way to rescue an
unconscious, or floating face down MOB?

On my Ranger there are three throwable floating devices, one throw
bag, a spare PFD, boat hook and a full emergency breathing kit
including collapsable ambu bag for CPR all available in seconds. Every
time I take somebody out on my Ranger, they get a quick safety lecture
- small things like how to start the engine, how to steer, where the
rescue gear is located - things like that. Takes three minutes and
it's simple enough to remember. How many people do that?

I should write a book. :)

On Aug 7, 5:44 am, Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:

I should write a book. :)


Why haven't you?

On Tue, 07 Aug 2007 12:44:34 -0000, Tim wrote:

On Aug 7, 5:44 am, Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:

I should write a book. :)

Why haven't you?

Because when it comes to safety, it's always the other guy.

You learn from the experiences of others - unfortunately a lot of
folks just don't pay attention when it happens and apply it to
themselves.

"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 06 Aug 2007 22:00:50 -0700, Chuck Gould
wrote:

Who's had some actual training or hands-on experience in this field?
Tom, maybe?

In water assist is never an option unless the MOB is injured in some
way that precludes the MOB from assisting in the rescue. In that
case, going over the side without a PFD on the rescuer is inviting
diaster.

Most boaters don't have the equipment to pull off a simple rescue,
never mind one that is complicated. Something like a simple throw bag
or life ring are absent on most small boats. Throwable cushions are
fine, but I'll bet you any amount of money you would like to name that
nobody here on this group practices throwing one. Or how to throw
one. How many small boats have boat hooks? How many here actually
know how to properly throw a cushion or throw bag? How many know how
to properly approach a MOB for rescue - or the proper way to rescue an
unconscious, or floating face down MOB?


Don't forget: How to manage a MOB who's panicking, ready to grab anything
(or anyone), and threatens to sink YOU if you're in the water. Lifeguards
are trained to deal with this, although sometimes the victim's strong enough
to still cause trouble. Then, lifeguards improvise.

JoeSpareBedroom wrote:

Don't forget: How to manage a MOB who's panicking, ready to grab anything
(or anyone), and threatens to sink YOU if you're in the water. Lifeguards
are trained to deal with this, although sometimes the victim's strong enough
to still cause trouble. Then, lifeguards improvise.

That's a good point. I fished a big stupid jet skier out of
the Columbia river who fought me as I tried to get him in
the boat. Maybe he thought I was going to abandon his
sinking POS jet ski instead of towing it in. This was in
the middle of the shipping channel well after sunset with no
other small boats on the river. The moron wouldn't even
take a warm blanket or a shot of hot coffee after I got him
in the boat.

"-rick-" wrote in message
...
JoeSpareBedroom wrote:

Don't forget: How to manage a MOB who's panicking, ready to grab anything
(or anyone), and threatens to sink YOU if you're in the water. Lifeguards
are trained to deal with this, although sometimes the victim's strong
enough to still cause trouble. Then, lifeguards improvise.

That's a good point. I fished a big stupid jet skier out of the Columbia
river who fought me as I tried to get him in the boat. Maybe he thought I
was going to abandon his sinking POS jet ski instead of towing it in.
This was in the middle of the shipping channel well after sunset with no
other small boats on the river. The moron wouldn't even take a warm
blanket or a shot of hot coffee after I got him in the boat.


Last summer, a lifeguard at our town beach was the target of "attempted
death" from a swimmer he was helping. The lifeguard apparently had a choice
of death or success, and slugged the swimmer. Then, he hauled him onto the
beach. The swimmer called the cops. The cops told the swimmer there were too
many witnesses to his stupidity. The incident went away.

On Tue, 07 Aug 2007 20:03:15 -0700, -rick- wrote:

JoeSpareBedroom wrote:

Don't forget: How to manage a MOB who's panicking, ready to grab anything
(or anyone), and threatens to sink YOU if you're in the water. Lifeguards
are trained to deal with this, although sometimes the victim's strong enough
to still cause trouble. Then, lifeguards improvise.

That's a good point. I fished a big stupid jet skier out of
the Columbia river who fought me as I tried to get him in
the boat. Maybe he thought I was going to abandon his
sinking POS jet ski instead of towing it in. This was in
the middle of the shipping channel well after sunset with no
other small boats on the river. The moron wouldn't even
take a warm blanket or a shot of hot coffee after I got him
in the boat.

Sounds like a good time to practice 'catch and release'.
--
John H

-rick- wrote:

JoeSpareBedroom wrote:


Don't forget: How to manage a MOB who's panicking, ready to grab
anything (or anyone), and threatens to sink YOU if you're in the
water. Lifeguards are trained to deal with this, although sometimes
the victim's strong enough to still cause trouble. Then, lifeguards
improvise.


That's a good point. I fished a big stupid jet skier out of the
Columbia river who fought me as I tried to get him in the boat. Maybe
he thought I was going to abandon his sinking POS jet ski instead of
towing it in. This was in the middle of the shipping channel well after
sunset with no other small boats on the river. The moron wouldn't even
take a warm blanket or a shot of hot coffee after I got him in the boat.

Actaully, that is a realitively common occurrence when someone is
drowning. Years ago, when I took life guard training, we had to
practice varrious manuevers to elude someone if they attempted to attack
the would be rescuer.