Rescue vs. Recovery Operations

At the scene of a water rescue emergency, time is critical. Many people do not realize that individuals have been revived successfully after being under the water for over one hour.

• Influencing operational factors include:
  • Individual and team safety (number one factor)
  • Personnel and equipment available
  • Victim’s condition
  • Length of time submersed
  • Complexity of the rescue
• Keeping track of the time from when the victim was last seen on the surface will help determine if the team is in a rescue or recovery mode.
  • Most teams use the “golden hour” as a benchmark to function in rescue mode from the time of submersion.
  • The team will switch to recovery mode when specific criteria have been met.
• Rescuers have needlessly lost their lives due to rescue operations being pushed by family and media.
  • Use judgment and experience, not compassion, for decision-making. Compassion kills!
  • Designate a person to work directly with the family and answer their questions.