Prior to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, floods were an often overlooked natural disaster. In reality, floods kill more people than any other type of natural disaster in the United States. Those courageous swift water techs are presented with great danger on a regular basis, and to be successful one must be prepared for all the dangers the flood presents.

Swiftwater is made so dangerous because it is extremely powerful, and it does not dissipate. Fortunately, the behavior of swiftwater can be predicted. Before entering into swiftwater, rescuers must be well prepared and well equipped.

Before entering the water, it’s important that the swift water tech be familiar with the situation. The more one knows about the hazards the better, but there are always unknowns. It is important to be aware of these unknowns. Ideally, swift water techs will have had experience in a controlled environment, simulating these conditions beforehand so they can be prepared for what awaits them. And always use the “buddy system” so as to maintain control over the situation.

One of the most important things one must bring to swiftwater is a personal floatation device (PFD). This will keep the person afloat in the vicious water in case they get overpowered. Beyond that, OTB Boots can be helpful with their ability to drain the water out of one’s boots once they become wet, thus eliminating one of the x-factors and allowing the rescuer to better focus on the task at hand.

One of the most important things to know about in water rescue is how to utilize eddys. When a force of water strikes a rock, the wave splits around on either side of the rock, creating a small area behind the rock of relatively calm water. In order to navigate along in swiftwater, rescuers must move from eddy to eddy in order to remain safe.

In moving from eddy to eddy, the “ferry angle” technique allows better control of your motion. By angling your body at 45 degrees to the current, you can compensate for the current and still move in a specific direction.