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Civilian Emergency Platform
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — You are in a river and being swept downstream by fast-moving water.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — NOT EXPERT REVIEWED — NOT FOR PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — You cannot wade to shore — water is above your knees and pushing hard.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — You are being swept downstream and cannot stop.
Scene hazards: Rocks and debris, Foot entrapment, Underwater branches, Cold water, Waterfalls downstream
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — If swept off your feet — immediately turn onto your back and float.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Keep your feet up and pointed downstream to push off rocks.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Use backstroke or sidestroke to angle toward the nearest bank.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Look for eddies (calmer water behind rocks) where you can rest.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — When near shore, swim hard to land. Do NOT stand until water is below your knees and calm.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Never put your foot down in fast water — it can get trapped between rocks.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Shout to people on shore. If you have a phone, call 112 with your location downstream.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — After any river rescue, seek medical care — hypothermia and internal injuries are common.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Do NOT stand up in moving water above your ankles — foot entrapment causes drowning.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Do NOT try to grab someone else while in the current — you will both go under.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Do NOT swim toward a low-head dam or weir — these create deadly recirculation.
MYTH: DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — You should stand up quickly if you fall in a river
REALITY: DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Standing in fast water risks foot entrapment — your foot gets wedged and the current pushes you under.
DANGER: DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Foot entrapment is a leading cause of river drowning.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Fast river water can knock you off your feet and trap your foot between rocks. The current is stronger than it looks from shore.