10 Scary Rescue Videos

[Glenn MacGrady]

"These videos also serve as a learning opportunity. Unlike Hollywood horror, the dangers of water are real. Watching rescues allows us the chance to stop and reevaluate our own safety tool kit. Do we have appropriate training and equipment? Would we have done anything differently? How could that situation have been avoided?"

Top 10 Scariest Paddling Rescue Videos Of All Time

As proven by the undying popularity of horror movies, we humans often get an odd thrill out of watching terrifying events—it's how we're wired. Especially

paddlingmag.com

 

[yknpdlr]

Not mentioned was the low head dam disaster near Binghamton NY in Sepember 1975. The video from the uninformed "rescue" attempt is often used during swift water rescue training classes, such as I had a couple of. years ago. Three firefighters' lives were lost.

Bring Your Own Plates

 

[ppine]

My three worst nightmares are pins, sieves and low dams.
Back in the 1960s a friend of mine slipped on a rock and took a swim in Feb at Great Falls of the Potomac. He managed to get out of the river on a rock island. We were looking for a body recovery. He had been an ocean lifeguard and saved himself. There were no cell phones. We had to drive to find a pay phone. The local fire dept tried to use a hook and ladder truck to reach him. No dice. He was eventually rescued by helicopter.

Since then swift water rescue has advanced by a lot. When I first moved to Nevada in 1987 there was no swift water rescue. Now there are trained teams with dry suits and inflatable boats with fancy rope systems to reach people. We have fatals sometimes on the Truckee River. This will be a big water year and it is likely to happen again.

No one ever died on a portage. Avoid low head dams. Scout all major rapids. Life jackets, dress for immersion and practice rescues. I have run the Truckee R in rafts with several people only once. They had zero awareness and terrible skills. An example would be a throw bag stuffed with coiled rope. You cannot throw it when you need it. Canoeing and rafting are team sports. You must depend on your team members for rescues. If they don't have the skills, don't paddle with them.

 

[Blukanu]

Due to my scuba diving connections I got recruited to volunteer on the safety team for whitewater kayak racing.

Was stressful covering my assigned section of the course hoping none of the participants needed rescue. One time I got stationed at the bottom of a falls, fairly technical section. Almost every kayaker flipped upside down. Sometimes took them a while to flip back upright. During that time you’re trying to figure if they are just slow or if they are in trouble. If you interfere and attempt an unnecessary rescue their run gets disqualified. Luckily no one needed rescuing and I needed a stiff drink after that day.

 

[Cheeseandbeans]

Luckily no one needed rescuing and I needed a stiff drink after that day.

I bet! No thanks…

 

[scratchypants]

Sometimes took them a while to flip back upright. During that time you’re trying to figure if they are just slow or if they are in trouble.

Not to make light, but I instantly thought that it's similar to welding when a spark lands in your boot and you have a very brief moment when you must decide if the spark will simply go out or if you need to launch your footwear across the garage.

 

[madmike]

Not mentioned was the low head dam disaster near Binghamton NY in Sepember 1975. The video from the uninformed "rescue" attempt is often used during swift water rescue training classes, such as I had a couple of. years ago. Three firefighters' lives were lost.

Bring Your Own Plates

To this day, that dam remains unmodified. It is still a killer.