ENGINE COMPANY OPERATIONS: VEHICLE ACCIDENTS IN WATER

BY ALEXANDER D. LOBETO

Emergency services trade magazines, courses, and videos present much information regarding vehicle accidents that occur on land, but very little information is currently available about vehicle accidents that involve a body of water. Not only is Florida surrounded by water but, like many other localities, it also contains countless natural and man-made bodies of water. Water-retention areas, such as canals, ponds, lakes, creeks, are required for virtually all types of construction in our state. These bodies of water are in our neighborhoods, lie dangerously close to highways, and are along rural roads. Often, we are called to incidents where vehicles, many times with people inside, have intentionally or accidentally left the road and ended up in the water.

A South Florida Sun-Sentinel article by Michael Turnbell and Dana Williams (Nov. 18, 2002) re-ported that 99 people in South Florida (Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties) died during the period from 1996 to 2000 as a result of their vehicles plunging into bodies of water near the roadway.

In 2000, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, law enforcement agencies indicated “ran off the road into water” as the first or subsequent harmful event in 1,332 vehicle crash reports in Florida in which 69 people died and 1,193 were injured. Not all the victims died as a result of drowning, but all the incidents involved vehicles that had entered a body of water.

In some of these accidents, media accounts noted that vehicle occupants were trapped underwater after their car veered off a road into a canal, landed in a swamp after dropping off a retaining wall, or hydroplaned and careened off the road and landed upside-down in a five-foot-deep retention pond.

(1) This incident involved a single occupant, who ran off the road into a local canal. The driver was not injured and managed to escape from the vehicle. Even with very low water, the location and position of the vehicle would have made this an intricate rescue operation. (Photo by author.)

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(2) The same canal during a normal heavy rain in South Florida. If this same vehicle would have fallen into the canal during this weather, rescue may have involved an extensive water operation. (Photo by Patrick K. Taaffe.)

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Most often, the first-in engine company, not the specialized dive or technical rescue teams, is assigned to the initial rescue operations. This article presents information that will assist first-arriving engine, ladder, or light rescue squads to effect viable victim rescues when a vehicle has entered a body of water and to mitigate the emergency or control the scene until other responders arrive. The information does not deal with specialized technical rescue company, dive team, or body-recovery unit techniques.

NFPA 1670 AND 1006

First, review and make sure you understand the standards that cover water rescues, such as National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1670, Standard on Operations and Training for Technical Rescue, and NFPA 1006, Rescue Technician Professional Qualification. NFPA 1670 identifies and establishes performance levels for safely and effectively conducting operations at technical rescue incidents. NFPA 1006 establishes minimum job performance requirements for fire service and other emergency response personnel who perform technical rescue operations. Chapter 5 deals specifically with surface water rescue. As a first step, your agency must determine the following:

• Can this type of emergency happen within my jurisdiction?
• If so, how often does it happen? (Water-related emergencies can happen almost anywhere in the United States.)
• What level of service can my agency provide to mitigate these emergencies?

NFPA 1670 and 1006 present three distinct levels of qualifications. If an agency has the resources of a technical rescue team that is proficient in water rescue emergencies, then the first-arriving companies may operate at the Awareness or Operations level to assist the technical team, depending on their training. The first-arriving company may need to operate at the Technician level if lives depend on it and the technical team response is not immediate or is not available. It is imperative that an agency determine the level of service it can give with the resources available. The technical standards and manuals are provided to help ensure that emergency responders attain certain levels of proficiency.

• Awareness level. This level of responder is certified to assess the area, conduct size-up, identify resources, implement an emergency response system, control and manage the scene, recognize and mitigate hazards, and determine whether the operation will be a rescue or a recovery.
• Operations level. At this level, the responder is certified to fulfill all awareness requirements, assess personal safety and water conditions, conduct witness interviews, determine if trapped victims are present, evaluate the rescue plan, develop a plan to meet operational objectives, assist at the technician level, deploy and use watercraft, be proficient at self-survival and rescue techniques, package victims and transfer them to EMS, and search surface water.
• Technician level. At this level, the responder is certified for site operations, sizing up a rescue incident, managing incident hazards and resources in a rescue incident, conducting a search, performing ground support operations for helicopters, managing victims, maintaining and inspecting equipment, rigging and using ropes, planning a response within the organization’s resource capabilities, and conducting procedures for “Go” rescues.

DISPATCH OF INCIDENT

Engine 211 from ECC: Vehicle accident at 4800 block of 30 Avenue West. Caller advises semisubmerged vehicle in a lake with reports of entrapment.

The first-in companies must listen to all the information dispatch gives, to determine if the job will be a rescue or a recovery. Additional units should be called based on the information gathered. Rescues from vehicles in water require more resources than the engine company usually has. The officer in charge should begin to develop a game plan. This officer’s performance can make or break the operation.

RESOURCES

Depending on your area, additional resources may include more engine companies, EMS, dive teams, technical rescue units, tow truck operators, marine patrol, or the Coast Guard. Of course, the officer in charge must first arrive on-scene to determine the course of action, but initially it would be very useful to direct at least another engine company to the scene for additional staffing. Special units, such as dive teams, the marine patrol, or the Coast Guard, will usually be used for body recovery depending on the time it takes them to get to the scene. Time is of the essence. By the time these resources are organized, it most likely would be too late for a viable rescue unless an agency is blessed with such first-due resources. If available, immediately call additional specialized units. Implementing technical rescue training “co-ops” among neighboring agencies would allow you to call specially trained rescuers to the scene or have a specified number of technician-level personnel on duty. You should be familiar with your neighbors’ capabilities and resources. You can do that by sharing knowledge and training together.

SCENE ARRIVAL

ECC: Engine 211 and 212 on-scene with a single sedan half submerged in the water, front end first. The vehicle is approximately 30 feet from shore. Engine 211 will be in command and will advise additional. Please dispatch Engine 231, Battalion 2, and law enforcement. Respond another EMS unit as well.

The first-due officer must present a detailed size-up of what is seen on arrival and be prepared to relay additional information as received. Establishing a command system allows this officer to begin to develop a plan to determine if this incident is a viable rescue or body recovery. The additional units on-scene offer the incident commander preliminary resources for rescue. The request for command-level officers and law enforcement provide for assuming command, crowd control, and specialized teams (in our case, the county sheriff’s office and the Manatee County Dive Team). Do not hesitate to call for your resources! These types of incidents are time-sensitive. You can always send the resources back.

SIZE-UP

This is the most critical point of the incident. Information must be gathered from all available resources. From the information gathered, the incident commander will decide the risk level to which the engine company will be subjected. The issue of viable victims is not always clear at water-related incidents. This is where the tough job lies. The incident commander must ask questions and analyze the information available to determine the next course of action. Some of the questions involved are

• How many vehicles are involved? Look at the big picture.
• What type of vehicles are involved? Obviously, a compact car holds fewer people than a mini-van. The larger the vehicle, the greater the number of possible victims and rescuers.
• What is the condition, depth, and type of water? Is the body of water a lake, river, or canal? Is the water flowing or still? Has recent rain increased the level or flow of the water?
• Is the vehicle floating? Obviously, vehicles with rolled-up windows will float longer than those with windows rolled down or broken. If the vehicle is floating, victims and rescuers will have more time. Also, it is quite easy to move a floating vehicle. If teams are quick enough, they may access the floating vehicle and easily pull it to shore. As a matter of fact, we have done this during training. Our agency submerges a vehicle in a spring-fed pond for a realistic feel. We have intentionally left the windows intact, so most of them close. This creates an air pocket inside the vehicle. When the vehicle is towed into the water, one person on the other side of the pond is able to pull the vehicle to where we want it. Then, we let it sink.
• Is the vehicle submerged? How long has it been submerged? Rescue companies must have some sort of time window within which rescue operations cease and body recovery begins. If victims are not located within a certain amount of time—say, 30 to 60 minutes—it may be time to go into recovery mode.
• Remember, the engine compartment, be-cause of its weight, will generally descend first. It is possible to have the vehicle go belly-up as it descends if the water is deep enough. If witnesses advise that they saw a sedan with the engine compartment in the front, and you know the depth of the water is greater than the length of the vehicle, it may be on its side or top when it finally settles.
• Are there any witnesses? Events like these draw bystanders from everywhere, at all hours of the day and night. The incident commander must separate the information given by bystanders from that given by true witnesses. Confirmed eyewitnesses and law enforcement are the most reliable. Be firm; get answers to your questions. Immediately remove all nonessentials from the area. Scene control is imperative. Never permit freelancers of any kind, civilian or rescuer.
• How many people are in the vehicle? At times, a victim may be able to remove himself from the vehicle. This person is invaluable in determining if others are still inside.
• Are the vehicle lights on? This can help in determining the time, the location of the vehicle, and how long the vehicle has been in the water. If the vehicle has just entered, chances are that the lights will not have shorted out and may still be on.
• Floating debris can assist in determining the type of victim for whom you are looking. Car seats, toys, and purses can identify who may be in trouble.
• Look for floating oil or fuel residue to help identify the location of the vehicle.
• Be cautious of surrounding obstacles such as mangroves, shopping carts, construction materials, and steep embankments.
• How far away from shore is the vehicle? Can it be accessed easily?
• Are tires tracks or brake marks visible? From what direction was the vehicle coming? Many times these vehicles are intentionally driven into the water. Lack of brake marks or other diversionary marks can point to the vehicle’s being put in the water intentionally.
• Can you see the vehicle’s license plate? This information will help determine if the vehicle was stolen and the owner. Law enforcement can call the owner to gather pertinent information. If the owner says his spouse and three children were out shopping and have not come home, then you may have a problem. If the vehicle was stolen, chances are that it was intentionally driven into the water. If accessible, the glove box may hold pertinent information as well.

  (3)All the components for reach, throw, tow, and then go (pike pole, throw bag, ladder). Entering the water should be the last resort. (Photo by Troy Toman.)

• What is the temperature of the water? The waters of South Florida are very warm. Chances that a person can be resuscitated from warm water are less than if a person has been submerged in cold water. Submersion in cold water initiates the intuitive response known as the “mammalian dive reflex.” The body shuts off blood circulation to less vital parts of the body and redirects the flow to the brain, heart, and lungs. This phenomenon permits the body to survive even after extended submersion in cold water. If the waters are cold, it will take more time to don appropriate personal protective equipment such as wetsuits. This will decrease the rescue time window.

  Agencies with less than adequate personal protective equipment for cold water entry must be cautious. Rescuers entering cold water can quickly suffer hypothermia. Do not be fooled by the relative term “cold water.” A water temperature of 50°F can induce immediate shivering to the point of reducing or preventing verbal communication (from personal experience). This could prove disastrous to the rescue team.

  • Are dangerous marine animals present? Be on the lookout for toothy reptiles! I have seen our county’s sheriff’s office dive team have a shotgun-armed spotter protecting the divers from alligators. In some areas of the country, the incident commander may have to consider this hazard.

  All these questions will help you determine whether the incident is a rescue or a body recovery and whether your organization is capable of performing the rescue.

  ACTION PLAN

  ECC from Command: We have one driver occupant from the vehicle who advises there is still one other person in the vehicle. The person still entrapped is reportedly a three-year-old male. The driver advises the vehicle has just entered the water by accident. Also, the vehicle has stopped sinking and is visible only at roof level.

  With this information provided by the driver, the incident commander has obtained enough resources to proceed with rescue operations. It may be necessary to remove or control other responding agencies or units not properly trained in these types of operations. The intentions of emergency service personnel are good. Sometimes they are too good, and a disregard for personal safety creates additional problems. The next step is to determine a plan of action to access and remove the person from the vehicle.

  First, determine if the victim can help himself. Obviously, in this case, he cannot. At times, depending on the situation, you may encounter a victim on the top or the sides of the vehicle. In these cases, the rescuers can determine if the victim can assist with his removal. This option keeps the rescuer out of the water, which is the safest method.

  Remember: reach, throw, tow, then go. If the victim can be assisted by reach, throwing a line, or towing him to shore, then certainly use these means.

  In this case, the decision will be to enter the water for rescue. Two teams will be used. One team will be in the water; the other will be on shore as a support team. The teams will work in pairs at the minimum. The objectives will be to access the vehicle, search the vehicle, and remove the victim.

  ACCESSING THE VEHICLE

  In this situation, the vehicle has come to a rest at the bottom of the water. Only the roof is visible, and the vehicle is right side up. The incident commander has determined this will be a “Go” rescue, in which rescuers will enter the water. Small boats, canoes, or other appropriate vessels may be used to access the vehicle if available. The team entering the water and all rescuers near the water shall be wearing personal flotation devices (PFD), which should be class III-V and equipped with a whistle, secured knife, strobe light, and glow stick. Other tools that may be needed and should be available are center punches or heavier glass breaking tools such as a small halligan. Remember: The windshield will be harder to break, as it is made of safety glass and it is difficult to gain enough striking force through water. Also, the water pressure will make it difficult to open doors until the vehicle is filled with water.

  Team members should enter the water one at a time. Each member in the water should be secured with a quick-release device rope attached to the PFD or a handheld rope. At no time should the rescuer be tied to the rope where immediate release cannot be accomplished either by letting go or pulling the release.

  The first rescuer should enter the water, avoiding any wakes. Rescuers should have some type of flotation device, such as a water buoy or tube. This device will help in removing the victim by flotation, and the rescuers can use it themselves. Floating as soon as possible will help to avoid getting stuck in the bottom muck or on other hidden debris.

  Once the first rescuer reaches the vehicle and is secure enough to act as safety, the second rescuer should begin his approach. On shore, each rescuer entering the water has one spotter on the rope he is on. These spotters are also prepared to enter the water as needed if the rescuers in the water need assistance.

  (4)Consider winching the vehicle from the water first if this would make rescue easier. Removing the vehicle from the water before making a rescue sometimes may be an option. The incident commander should have prearranged towing resources or have winch-equipped apparatus on the scene. (Photo by Troy Toman.)

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  At this point, four rescuers are in the water, and one incident commander is on the scene, quite typical for a two-engine response for most agencies.

  Once both rescuers have accessed the vehicle, a systems approach search can begin. One rescuer acts as a safety as the other searches the vehicle. The incident commander should be looking at ways to secure the vehicle if possible. One effective method for doing this is to attach a winch cable to the vehicle. If a bumper or other section suitable for securing the cable is found, rescuers can attach the cable hook to it. This cable provides stabilization and can also be used to pull the vehicle out of the water.

  THE SEARCH

  The emphasis here is on teamwork. One rescuer searches; the other acts as safety. With his safety on guard, one rescuer begins the eight-sided search of the vehicle—top, front, right side, back, left side, inside, outside, and under. All must be searched, if accessible. If precise information is given, such as where the victim was riding, the rescuers should begin the search at that point. Keep in mind that passengers may have moved to areas where air pockets exist. The air pockets will be determined by the angle of the vehicle. The search should move in a specific pattern, clockwise or counterclockwise. Try not to pass areas that you will have to return to and search. The rescuers may share the search. Be sure to always have one rescuer as the safety.

  The search in and around the vehicle is limited to where the rescuers can reach. When searching the interior of the vehicle, never insert your entire body into the vehicle! Using light tools or your feet and looking into the vehicle with a mask will suffice. Inserting your entire body removes you from the safety and creates extensive entanglement hazards. Snorkeling is also an option, but it must be taught by certified personnel before it is used in a real emergency.

  Remember: This information is not a dive course! Never go beyond your training or equipment capabilities! When searching the outside area, you will be limited by your reach (feet) or the length of your tool. If the water is above your head, you will be limited once again to searching only the areas you can access. Call for specialized teams.

  A special note concerning the use of self-contained breathing apparatus (firefighting SCBA) in water: This type of equipment is not designed for this application, and I do not advocate its use in water. Use self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA). Using SCUBA gear is a highly technical procedure; only properly trained individuals should use it. Agencies must decide if this equipment can and will be added to their resources.

  VICTIM REMOVAL

  Once the victim has been located, the team begins to remove the victim from the vehicle. Several factors can influence the removal. Seatbelts may have to be cut, or small children may have to be cut away from car seats. Entanglements from floor pedals may present problems. Keep in mind that the vehicle may be extensively damaged or may not be right side up. Victims may not be where they were when the vehicle was on the road. In some cases, it might be necessary to pull the vehicle out of the water before removing the victims. The team’s job of entering the water may be changed to securing the vehicle for tow. In this case, units with winches on-scene or tow trucks may be used.

  Once the victim is removed from the vehicle, the team should secure the victim in as stable a position as possible. The victim was in a compromised situation before being removed from the vehicle. Now the rescuers must ensure that the victim is moved from the secured position to the shore. Secure positions can be on the roof of the vehicle, a flotation device, a backboard, or a ladder. A ladder with attached flotation devices on both ends and in the middle will float enough to carry equipment or a patient on a backboard. It is also a means by which to access the vehicle with added stability. Any position that maintains the victim’s airway (remember, you are in the water!) and allows for time to be taken to shore can be considered a secure position. It is possible to remove a victim from a submerged vehicle and keep him in a secured position until other means of removing them from the water is organized.

  So far, we are right on track with our systems approach to the rescue. We now need to move the victim to the shore. Once again, the team in the water must share work and safety assignments. If possible, one rescuer should remain as a safety while the other moves the patient to shore. Other rescuers may be called to assist with the removal if safety and resources permit. The shore team can tow the rescuer with the victim to shore, or some method of floating the victim (floating backboards or ladders with flotation devices attached, for example) can be devised. Care should be taken to maintain the victim’s airway and immobilize the spine.

  SCENE TERMINATION

  It is possible that all indications of a viable rescue may be present even though no one is found in the vehicle after rescue attempts have been made. The best you can do is to offer your level of training, know your resources, and train for possible emergencies. By working in teams, each member can ask the other: “Are you sure no one is in here?” If the answer to the best of your ability is no, then you have done all you could do. Arrangements should be made to have the vehicle removed from the water and the trunk checked.

  Techniques for removing victims (in this case, the victim is on top of the submerged vehicle): (5) Reaching for the victim with a pike pole.

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  (6) Throwing a rope bag line to the victim.

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  (7) Towing a victim in with a ladder set up to float. Two PFDs were tied to each end of a straight ladder for flotation. A rope was secured to one end and pulled toward the victim. The other end was pivoted on shore. (Photos by Troy Toman.)

  POINTS/CONSIDERATION TO REINFORCE

  • Know your capabilities and resources.
  • Rescuer safety first! We are called to improve the situation when a crisis occurs. Never make matters worse by disregarding safety.
  • Develop standard operating guidelines and training programs. Agencies must determine their level of competency. How many of your personnel swim? What is their level of comfort in the water? When, if ever, have you trained in a pool?
  • Use a systems approach to rescue. Never use a shotgun approach to rescues or searches.
  • Use an incident command system.
  • Never wear bunker gear or boots into the water! Bun- ker gear will make the rescuer extremely heavier and movement cumbersome. Stay as light as possible. Besides, bunker gear was not designed for this type of use.
  • Never completely insert your body into the vehicle!
  • Never secure someone by a rope he cannot let go of or that cannot be quickly released!
  • Time is crucial. The scene will become a recovery operation if the victim is not found within a designated time period. The agency must determine the time period and any extenuating circumstances—30 to 60 minutes may be a good time window to consider. By that time, specialized units can be on-scene. For example, a victim inside a submerged vehicle with the windows down has limited time to survive. A victim looking back at you from inside a submerged vehicle with its windows up affords you more time. You would set your window of time based on the circumstances.
  • No freelancing! The incident commander must ensure accountability of all personnel at all times. Any rescuers not accounted for are presumed to be missing and in the water. Rescuers must communicate constantly with the incident commander regarding their actions.
  • Prearrange water testing. Consider that anyone entering the water might be exposed to microorganisms that pose health hazards. Rescuers who have entered the water should bathe as soon as possible after the incident.
  • Have a critical incident debriefing team available to your personnel if a victim is found. These incidents are very stressful.
  • Train, train, then train some more. The knowledge and skills gained may save your or someone else’s life.

  ALEXANDER D. LOBETO is a suppression captain for Cedar Hammock Fire Rescue in Manatee County, Florida, where he has served since 1987. He has an associate’s degree in fire science and an advanced certificate in fire department management, both from Manatee Community College, and is an instructor with Starfire Training Systems, the FDIC H.O.T school bus extrication team, and the Sarasota County Technical Institute Fire Academy.