Chapter 4 Review — Emergency Preparedness

Before proceeding to the quiz for Chapter 4 — Emergency Preparedness, take a moment to review some of the chapter's highlights.

RENDERING ASSISTANCE

If involved in an accident, you are required to exchange information with the other operator.

Additionally, operators must always assist those in the accident without endangering their own life or the safety of their vessel. If you see a distress signal, you should assist those in distress if you can do so without putting your vessel or crew at risk.

• Be sure to stay centered and low in the vessel.
• Always maintain three points of contact when moving about the vessel.
• Do not overload the vessel, and ensure the load is distributed evenly.
• Take corners at a safe speed and angle.
• Watch for other boats' waves and take them head-on off the bow.
• Reduce your speed or avoid boating in bad weather that creates rough water.
• Remember to never tie an anchor rodethe anchor line. line to the sternrear portion of a vessel. of the boat. This will place even more weight at the back of the boat and increase the chances of swampingfor a boat to fill with water to the point where it will sink.

PREVENTING A CAPSIZING

The following actions could help to prevent a capsizing:

• Take corners at a safe speed and angle.
• Take the waketracks left in the water caused by a moving vessel. from another boat head on, off the bow.
• Reduce your speed or avoid boating in bad weather that creates rough water.
• Be sure to stay centered and low in the vessel.

SURVIVING A CAPSIZING/FALL OVERBOARD

If someone does fall overboard:

• Assign one person to keep sight of the overboard person.
• Slow down, stop if possible, and throw something buoyant to assist the person overboard.
• Carefully maneuver to recover the overboard person — keep them on the operator's side of the boat.

The following actions could help to survive a capsizing or fall overboard:

• Improvise flotation with floating items like coolers.
• Try to right the boat or get onto the capsized boat.
• Stay with the boat unless it is headed for a hazard.
• Stay calm and conserve energy.

COLD WATER IMMERSION

Many drownings and boating related fatalities are a result of cold water immersion, which is why if you do end up in cold water due to an accident or emergency situation, it is important to get your body out of the water as soon as possible.

If you fall into cold water, you will only retain the motor skills needed to swim for about 10 to 30 minutes. In cold water immersion cases, boaters often drown as a result of swimming failure — NOT hypothermia.

During longer-term immersion, as the body's core temperature falls, a person will eventually lapse into unconsciousness.