Large Animal Water Rescue

Dr. Rebecca Gimenez

VMAT-3 Member

Primary Instructor, TLAER

LAR Water Rescue (circa 1922)

<- He has an excuse – he’s blind.

WHAT is this guy THINKING?

LOW HEAD DAM

BUT - it CAN be DONE!

WHERE ANGELS FEAR TO TREAD!

Water Rescue Scenarios

Does this look like an easy scenario to solve?

Do a RISK ASSESSMENT!

Is the floodwater still coming up? Can you use your assets to bring forage, feed and water to stranded animals?

Courtesy Dr. Tom McGinn

WHICH ONEof these Scenarios is the MOSTDANGEROUS?

Photo courtesy Barry O’brien

This scenario brings to mind its own set of concerns.PRIMARILY – the PERSON!

Shallow and still it may seem – but when sharing that space with a 1,200 lb terrified and injured animal – it is VERY DANGEROUS!

Photos courtesy of Barry O’BrienAustraliaSevere Neck Fracture

1

2

3

4

5

Water Rescue

Develop a unit policy on:“Go” and “No Go”

Based on:• Risk assessment• Training• Personnel• Available PPE

Is there ANYTHING that looks prepared and safe in this picture?

Hurricane Floyd

PRIORITIZE – “RETHROG-H”(adapted from Human and Small Animal training)

• Reach – Use a pole to grab victim?

• Helo – LAST choice, may consider in certain situations.

• Go – Get out of the boat and perform a swimming rescue of the victim. NEVER in LAR!

• Throw – Throw a floating object to victim?

• Row – Get into the rescue environment with victim in a boat or watercraft. Possibly with planning.

HUMAN RESCUERS ARE ALWAYS MORE VALUABLE THAN A VICTIM, and ESPECIALLY AN ANIMAL VICTIM.

Are YOU going in here?

LAR Water Rescue• DO NOT attempt unless you have certified training in water

(swift & flood) rescue, and cert. updated regularly.

• MUST have adequate gear / equipment for water rescue. Water helmet , Rescue Personal Floating Device (PFD) ,Dry/wet suit , Shoes , Knife, Gloves , Goggles

• Ten percent of the fatalities during Hurricane Floyd (CDC) were due to lack of flood rescue training and equipment.

Fun Factoids: A 9 mph current exerts 300 p.s.i. on the rescuer.

When the speed of water doubles, it QUADRUPLES its force.Never get downstream of the victim, never tie yourself to ANYTHING!Flood waters ARE Hazardous Materials, and they are floating in it!90% of your training in water rescue is HOW TO RESCUE YOURSELF!

Beaver DamCollapse

30 minutes after the owner successfully haltered and evacuated the horses, the barn collapsed. Be EXTREMELY careful sending any rescue personnel into structures affected by floodwater.

Horses do not perceive objects (like fences, farm implements, etc.) when they are covered with floodwaters and will get caught in them.

Photo courtesy of United Animal Nations

Does this pass the SMART test? Does it look HUMANE? Do they look PREPARED? Is this person really going to be able to prevent this pig from drowning?

Is this an animal YOU would want to eat after it has sloshed around in hazardous materials in the water for a few days?

Public Health and Food Safety concerns MUST be addressed with food animals.

Courtesy of Dr. Tom McGinn, VMAT –3

Hurricane Floyd, NC 1999

Animals CANNOT swim for miles, if leading the animals try to stick to shallow water and tie the animal off to the boat. Some fractious animals may attempt to get IN the boat and can be very dangerous to small craft.

Fire Ants

Courtesy of Dr. Tom McGinn

Plan for Cadaver Removal – Recovery Operations

Exhaustive Time, Effort, Expense, Public Health Concerns. This cannot be allowed to happen on a grand scale!

Rx:Cool WaterHosing BID,Tincture of Green SoapSpray, Allow to Dry.

DO NOT Touch, Rub,Or Bandage.

Courtesy: Dr. Janice Baker, CPT, US ARMY Vet Corps

“Karma” the swimming volunteer.Photos Courtesy Ginger Bross

CurrentRESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT for an answer to the problem…..

Equine Floatation

Device (EFD)Prototype

“Karma” models the EFD Prototype.Photos Courtesy Doug Johannessen

Equipment Needed:Surcingle Harness with buckles2 Air Logs with buckle attachments2 Adjustment Straps with CarabinersBreastcollarInner Tube (inflated)Polypropylene Tow RopeAir Source (bottle or compressor)Air Line (minimum 20 feet)

EFD

“Karma” demonstrates the EFD.Photos Courtesy Palm Beach Fire/Rescue

Remember what we said about

PREPARATION?