Robert Ambriz, Safety Program
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| Katie Noland diving into whitewater during river rescue training. |
This year for the first time, the WSDA Safety Program purchased river rescue training from Wet Planet Whitewater for the Pest Program and the Natural Resources Assessment Section (NRAS).
During April, seven WSDA staffers took part in this three-day course that’s designed for those who work on or around rivers. The training, which was held in White Salmon, uses scenario-based rescue situations to teach how to respond when a river rescue is necessary. Participants earn internationally recognized certification.
Those participating in the first course offered April 20-23 were Brad Blowers, Chad Philips, McKenzie Watson and Jonathan Still, whose work takes place in or near the water as they to treat and eliminate Spartina, an aggressive, invasive weed.
On April 28-30, NRAS participants were Katie Noland, Matthew Bischof, and Abigail Nickelson. These employees wade into rivers and streams to collect water samples for pesticide monitoring.
The instructor explained what a river rescue is and why it’s important. He described how to check the river’s flow and develop a rescue action plan. He also covered communication, roles, equipment, and area awareness.
Rescue skills
Abigail Nickelson practices throwing
a water rescue bag.
An important part of the training is learning how to use the “throw bag” - a floatable bag stuffed with rope. The rescuer holds one end of the rope and throws the bag with their other hand. The rope uncoils from the bag as it soars through the air.
The instructor demonstrated how to use a throw bag, and then participants practiced in teams of three.
The trick to tossing the bags is to let the person in distress reach for the rope - not the bag – so there’s less rope to reel in. After throwing the bag, placing the rope behind the rescuer’s back prevents them from being dragged into the water. They must maintain support and hold on tight.
Next, participants put on wet suits and headed into the river. Everyone had to jump into the river and swim against the strong current to get to the other side. To take the course, you must have moderate to excellent swimming skills. Still, this was not easy!
Everyone in class had a chance to be submerged underwater, toss the throw bag, and rescue one other person.
After all participants were exhausted, they took off the dry suits and learned how to tie knots.
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| Matt Bischof reads the river. |
Prepared for the unpredictable
“I feel very fortunate to work for an agency that prioritizes workplace safety,” said Katie Noland with NRAS. “For those of us in the field, it’s important to have trainings such as these to make sure we feel comfortable when the unpredictable happens.
“Although I don’t plan on swimming through class 3 rapids again like I did in the training, I now know how to read the water and swim to safety,” Katie continued. “The streams we wade in have flows that can rise by the minute, so it’s valuable to know when to get out and what to do if something goes wrong.”
Wet Planet did an amazing job and as did the trainees, who showed tremendous heart and dedication under what would be a dangerous circumstance.
In summary: This year for the first time, the WSDA Safety Program purchased river rescue training for the Pest Program and the Natural Resources Assessment Section. During April, seven WSDA staffers took part in this three-day course that’s designed for those who work on or around rivers. Read about the training in this Insider blog post.
