Tennessee Safe Boating Course

Chapter 7: Emergency Preparedness

7.1 Rendering Assistance

If you are involved in an accident, you should exchange information and assist those in the accident without endangering your own life or the safety of your 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. If you cannot assist, make sure you notify the nearest boaters or authorities who can assist.

7.2 Capsizing Emergencies

Capsizing - the overturning of a vessel on its side or turned over - is most common in small sailboats and canoes, but can still occur with ANY type boat. Capsizing can occur from operator error or from heavy winds and rough waters. Capsizing illustrates the importance of always wearing a PFD. Luckily; smaller boats will usually stay afloat after capsizing and provide support to the victims.

Surviving a capsizing:

• Stay calm and conserve energy. If possible, take a headcount and signal for rescue.
• Stay with the boat unless the boat is headed for a hazard.
• If possible, try to right the boat. At the very least, you should try to get as much of your body out of the water and onto the capsized boat as possible to conserve energy and delay the onset of hypothermia (cold water).
• Improvise flotation: If the boat is not nearby - use floating items around you to help you stay out of the water and afloat (empty cooler, fuel tank, fender).
• When separated from your boat in a swift river current, you should float on your back with your feet downstream.

Prevention of capsizing:

• 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 rode line to the stern of the boat. This will place even more weight at the back of the boat and increase the chances of swamping.

7.3 Falls Overboard Emergencies

The major cause of fatalities involving recreational boats is drownings from falls overboard. In certain weather conditions and on some vessels, boaters are wise to wear a safety harness with a safety line secured to the vessel. To reduce the risk of falling overboard, all boaters should remain seated at all times, especially when the vessel is underway. If you must move around, remember to always keep three points of contact with the boat as this will help you and the boat remain stable. If someone does fall overboard:

• Slow down, stop if possible, and throw something buoyant to assist the person overboard (this will also help to briefly mark the spot if the person overboard submerges)
• Assign one person to keep sight of the overboard person and have him/her continuously point to the victim's location
• Carefully maneuver to recover the overboard person - keep them on the operator side of the boat for powerboats

Establish contact with the victim using a buoyant heaving line or lifebuoy secured to the boat with a line, and recover the person. Be sure to turn off the prop - if retrieving from the stern. A heavy rope, chain or cable secured at both ends and draped over the side, almost touching the water, can provide a makeshift step if no boarding ladder is available.

Learn a recovery technique that works - and PRACTICE!

7.3.1 Coldwater Immersion

Initial Reaction: If you fall in cold water - your body's initial reaction is a 'gasp reflex'. This initial reaction can result in swallowed water. If operating in cold water, ensure your PFD has enough buoyancy to keep you high in the water and reduce the possibility of face immersions.

Short-Term Immersion: If you do end up in the water, particularly in cold water, it is most important to find a way to get your body out of the water as soon as possible. In cold water, you may only retain the motor skills to swim for between 10 and 30 minutes. In cold water immersion cases, boaters drown as a result of swimming failure rather than hypothermia.

7.4 Hypothermia Prevention

Even in the warmest waters - boaters should be aware of the risk of hypothermia from prolonged exposure to the elements in wet clothing or from direct immersion.

Hypothermia - is a drop in body temperature below the normal level. Hypothermic victims should receive immediate medical treatment.

At this lower temperature a person's muscle and mental functions are affected. A person exposed to cold water, and becoming hypothermic, can exhibit certain progressive signs and symptoms:

• Early stage - shivering and slurred speech, conscious but withdrawn
• Intermediate stage - slow and weak pulse, slow respiration, lacks coordination, irrational, confused and sleepy
• Final stage - weak, irregular or absent pulse or respiration, loss of consciousness

If rescue is not imminent - you must conserve energy and body heat. You may extend your survival time by adhering to the following tips:

	Wear your PFD or lifejacket. You can expend valuable energy treading water without it. This is especially important if you are involved in activities such as hunting or fishing, in cold waters.
	Try to get as much of your body out of the water as possible. Climb onto your boat or any nearby floating objects or debris if possible.
	H.E.L.P. - 'heat escape lessening posture.' You want to keep as much body heat as possible from escaping. If you are alone, cross your arms tightly against the chest and bring your knees up close to the chest.
	If other passengers are in the water as well, use the 'Huddle' technique to maintain body heat. Get the sides of everyone's chest close together with arms around the back and legs intertwined.

Additional Hypothermia Protection:

• Floater suit - a full nose-to-toes PFD
• An anti-exposure worksuit - a PFD with a thermal protection rating
• A dry suit - to be used in conjunction with a flotation device and a thermal liner
• A wet suit - traps and heats water against your body
• An immersion suit - to be used in extreme conditions upon abandoning vessel (usually for off-shore use)

7.5 Fire Emergency Preparedness

Gasoline fumes are heavier than air. Fuel and fumes on-board need only a spark to explode or start a blaze. Fires need three things: heat (like a match or spark from the ignition), fuel (gasoline, propane etc.), and oxygen (air). Removing any of the aforementioned fire elements can extinguish the fire.

If your boat is underway and fire starts:

• Stop the engine immediately - this should always be your FIRST action!
• Position the boat - so the wind will blow the fire away from the boat.
• Try to separate the fuel source from the fire.
• Grab the extinguisher.

Using a Fire Extinguisher:

• Aim the extinguisher at the base of the fire.
• Pull the pin and squeeze the two levers together.
• Use a sweeping motion with the extinguisher while maintaining focus on the base of the fire.
• Continue to extinguish until the fire is COMPLETELY out.

7.6 Running Aground Prevention and Response

Running aground is a common occurrence among boaters, though it does not have to be. The best way to prevent running aground is to follow general safe boating guidelines:

• Secure a nautical chart of new or unfamiliar waterways or seek the advice and knowledge from local marinas and boaters before heading out.
• Keep a proper lookout - this includes keeping your eye out for shallows and sandbars.
• Maintain a safe speed - a speed at which you can take necessary action to avoid grounding.
• If you have a depth finder: set your finder to shallow alarm alert. Continue to monitor the bottom visually and with the depth finder.
• Look for any marker buoys indicating shallowness.

Should you ground your boat, follow these tips:

• Survey and assess the situation: Is anyone hurt? (your passengers are your first priority) Is there damage to the hull? Look for leakage.
• If you have serious damage or injuries use distress signals to alert other boaters of your situation.
• Stay aground - If you have suffered serious damage to the hull then you should STAY put rather than venturing to deeper water. Flag down a fellow boater and secure a tow if practical.
• Back off - If you are not ground too deep you may be able to reverse the vessel off the rocks, mud or sand. Shift weight away from the point of impact and push off.
• If you are aground on a sandbar - you may be able to get on the bar, lift the bow or raise the motor and push to deeper water.

7.7 Accident Reports

If you are involved in a boating accident you need to know what is required by law. Examples of reportable accidents include: injuries requiring medical treatment, death, disappearance of a person, or property damage. If you are involved in an accident you are required to:

• Stop
• Identify yourself and your boat
• Provide assistance, if possible and warranted
• Take down pertinent information with dates, time and conditions
• File an accident report with the local law enforcement authority (Federal Law)

7.7.1 Accident Reporting in Tennessee

In Tennessee, operators must report any accident involving $500.00 or more in damages, complete loss of a vessel, and injuries to any person requiring treatment greater than first aid or the death or disappearance of any person.

When an accident occurs that requires a written report, the operator shall, without delay, by the quickest means available, notify the TWRA of the accident on an accident report form:

• IMMEDIATELY for an accident resulting in death, or injury requiring medical treatment beyond first aid, or the disappearance or a person
• within 10 days of an accident causing property/equipment damage only

Failure to file a required accident report is a criminal offense.

Chapter Summary

Upon completion of reading Chapter 7, you should have knowledge of:

• Rendering assistance
• What capsizing is and steps, how to survive if it happens, and how to prevent it from happening
• Falls overboard and what to do
• Hypothermia and hypothermia prevention
• Running aground, measures to prevent it as well as tips if it should happen
• How to report an accident.

Tennessee Safe Boating Course