Swiftwater Rescue - Rescue Operations

Rescue Operations

As a Swift Water Rescue Scene evolves, the Incident Command System (ICS) will emerge. ICS is a national protocol used for managing emergencies in the United States. Initially created for use by the United States Forest Service and United States Bureau of Land Management to manage wild fires, ICS has become the benchmark by which all disasters are managed in the United States. "ICS is based upon a flexible, scalable response organization providing a common framework within which people can work together effectively. These people may be drawn from multiple agencies that do not routinely work together, and ICS is designed to give standard response and operation procedures to reduce the problems and potential for miscommunication on such incidents." All rescue operations demand vigilance with regards to safety. ICS provides that a Safety Officer be present to monitor and address all safety issues. One of these issues pertains to the incident scene.