bim guide to personal survival techniques

8/13/2019 BIM Guide to Personal Survival Techniques

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BIM Guide toPersonal Survival

Techniques (PST)

24 hour EmergencyTelemedical Support Unit


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Personal

Safetysaveslives

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Welcome to this course onPersonal Survival Techniques.

We hope that you will neverhave to put into practice whatyou learn here today.

Todays course will demonstrate what anunforgiving workplace the sea can be andhow lack of knowledge and understandinghas led to so many tragedies in the past.

During the course we aim to give you theknowledge that will help you to survive ifthe worst happens.

The course is split into two parts: thetheory part is in the morning and there isa wet drill in the afternoon so you can putinto practice what you learned earlier.

Please inform the instructor of any medical

problems you may have or any medicationyou are currently taking. Dont forget tobring your swimming kit with you. Overallsare supplied for the pool drill.

Remember never take a chance while atsea or working in or around water. All toomany accidents happen because peoplebecome complacent and believe nothingwill ever happen to them.

Boarding a life raft is part of the wet drill on thecourse

PST Course Introduction

Suggested Course Timetable

09.30-10.45 hrs - Course Introduction and Lifejackets

10.45-11.00 hrs -Tea break

11.00-12.30 hrs -The Inflatable Life Raft

12.30-13.30 hrs - Lunch

13.30-14.30 hrs - Helicopter Rescue and Hypothermia

14.30-17.00 hrs -Travel to Pool and Wet Drill


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What is Survival? 1

Case Histories 2

Survival Factors 3

Lifejackets 5

Abandon Ship 7

Life Rafts 9

Emergency Aids for Distress Alerts 12

Man Overboard (MOB) 14

Helicopter Rescue 16

Hypothermia 18

Glossary 19

Contents

It is a requirement that all crew attend a relevant training course. Please use these noteswith the BIM STCW-95 Personal Survival Techniques (PST) course. This booklet is notintended as stand alone personal sea survival advice. This Personal Survival Techniques(PST) course is part of a three day training course leading to a BIM Safety Card.

Acknowledgements:BIM wish to acknowledge the medical advice we received in preparing this manual fromDr. Jason van der Velde, MEDICO Cork at Cork University Hospital (CUH). The editors aregrateful for the valuable input from all BIM personal survival techniques instructors.


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The very core of this

course is DO NOT GETWET.Try to board your liferaft or lifeboat dry. If you getwet, your chances of survivalare greatly reduced.

Survival is defined as the ability to stay alivewhen life is threatened after shipwreck by:

fire;

explosion;

collision;

grounding; or

Man overboard (MOB).

A SOLAS Lifejacket will keep you afloat

Seven saved more than 100 miles off the southcoast of Ireland

The Marine Casualty Investigation Board(MCIB) was established in law in 2002. Thefunction of the MCIB (see www.mcib.ie)is to carry out investigations into marinecasualties that take place in Irish waters orinvolve Irish registered vessels.

The main purpose of the Boardsinvestigations is to establish the cause orcauses of a marine casualty with a view tomaking recommendations to the Ministerfor Transport, Sport and Tourism for theavoidance of similar marine casualties.BIM recommends that you visit thesite and review some of the incidentsinvolving fishing vessels. Please read therecommendations arising from the incident

in the reports.

The key to survival is knowledge andtraining. It may be too late to learn howto use a lifejacket when your vessel isflooding. Let us look at the past to seewhat we have learned from other tragedies.

What is Survival?


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The most famous maritime disaster wasthe sinking of the RMS Titanic on 15 April1912 which resulted in the Safety of Lifeat Sea (SOLAS) Convention being set up.

This ensured that all vessels were obligedto carry the required lifesaving equipment.However, the lessons from this disasterwere not learned as the plight of MVLovat clearly demonstrated.

In January 1975 in a southwest galethe MV Lovattook on a severe list tostarboard 18 miles off southwest England.

A MAYDAYwas transmitted. At 06:30 theorder to abandon was given. The 13 crewmembers took to the 10-man inflatablelife raft. Unfortunately, in the 15 or sominutes that it took to board the raft, thelower buoyancy tube was damaged sothat by the time all 13 had boarded theraft, the tube was no longer fully inflated.

The crowded occupants were soon sitting

waist deep in cold water (about 8 degreesCelsius) in ordinary clothing.

None of the occupants appeared tohave experience or training on how tooptimise the use of their raft. The seaanchor was not streamed, and although anattempt was made to close the canopy, acombination of cold hands and unfamiliarityprevented it from being achieved. The

water was washing in faster than theycould bail. They agreed to lighten the loadby taking it in turns to enter the sea.

The container ship Discovererarrivedalongside the heavily listing ship at 07:05.

The Lovateventually sank 45 minutes afterthe crew had abandoned.

The raft occupants sighted Discoverer

close by (within shouting distance). Theirnumbed, cold hands could not open thelife raft survival pack to get the flares.

None were aware of the knife on one ofthe canopy support arches. By now manywere semiconscious from the cold. Ahigh-sided car ferry located them but coulddo no more than keep them in its lee andact as the on-site rescue co-ordinator.Fifteen minutes later (08:30), a smallrescue helicopter arrived. The raft waspartially submerged with the four remainingconscious survivors standing, two to eachentrance. Two dead bodies were floatinginside the partially flooded raft; the sea had

washed out the others.

In strong wind and high seas the helicopterbegan to rescue the first survivor. Thisrescue attempt was unsuccessful. About40 minutes later a larger helicopter arrived,by now only 2 of the original 13 hadsurvived the two and a half hour ordeal.

After this incident the British governments

Department of Trade instituted anobligatory sea-survival training programthat all seafarers must complete beforebeing certified for a seagoing job.

The STCW Conventionand Code sets out thestandards of training,certification and watchkeeping for seafarers

In both of thesecases, lack ofequipment andtraining werefactors which ledto loss of life.

The real killer here was the cold. The verycore of this course is DO NOT GET WET.If you can, board your raft or lifeboat dry. If

you get wet, your chances of survival aregreatly reduced.

Case Histories


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Survival Difficulties

The three main dangers to cope

with in sea survival are:

Exposure (cold shock)

Drowning

Lack of Water and Nourishment(to a lesser extent)

You can drown, very quickly, in a small

amount of water - not even a lung full isrequired. If your mouth and nose is not clearof the water then you may breathe in smallamounts which make you cough and thusinhale more. When you fall into cold wateror choppy seas, you are at most risk ofdrowning...however; a properly adjustedSOLAS lifejacket will provide someinvaluable protection at this stage by helpingto keep your airway clear of the water while

getting over your initial breathing difficulties.When you survive the initial immersion inwater, the next problem is general bodycooling (hypothermia). There are ways thatyou can protect yourself against thesedangers. You will be taught these techniquesduring this course.

Survival Factors

Your survival will depend on a number offactors, but the three key factors are:

1. Equipment - Do you know where tofind all the survival equipment on yourvessel? Rough weather and darkness canbe very disorientating. This makes it difficultto find your way around, so make a mentalnote of where the equipment is and wherethe exits are.

Make sure you check the muster list onyour vessel so that you know what yourduties are in an emergency situation.

2. Knowledge - Know where yourlifejacket is and know how to put it on. Youshould also know how to launch and boardan inflatable life raft and know what type ofequipment is available in the life raft.

Know how to put on your Personal Flotation Device(PFD) correctly - it can save your life

3. Will to survive -This is very important.Without the right mental attitude to faceup to the situation you find yourself in, youwill not survive. You must stay calm andhelp others. You must maintain your will tosurvive at all times.

Never give up

During disaster situations the followinggenerally happens:

25% of people will panic

25% of people will immediately takeactive measures to survive

50% of people will be paralysed to

inactivity(Reference: Survival Psychology 1994by Dr. John Leach)

Survival Factors


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Loss of Life at Sea

During World War II,

of the 45,000 RoyalNavy personnel lostat sea, about 30,000successfully escapedthe sinking ship only todie from drowning orhypothermia. Cold waterwas the main killer. Watertakes away body heat 25times faster than air atthe same temperature.

You are not totallyhelpless if you haveknowledge of survivaltechniques and the will tosurvive.

Check list for vessel

When you are joining a vessel for the first time check thefollowing:

Check locations of SOLAS lifejackets and survival suits

Try on your lifejacket; there are many different types

Check the muster list and find your station for anemergency situation

Examine the inflatable life rafts to see if they have beenserviced

Check that the life rafts have Hydrostatic Release Units(HRUs) fitted and that they are in date

Know where the EPIRB is stowed

Know where the SARTs and Flares are kept

Ask a question if you are unsure of anything

Remember its your life. Never go to sea unless you arehappy with your vessels lifesaving equipment.

Survival Factors

Stay insulated in your life raft to conserve energy


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Ships Drills

All vessels are required by lawto hold Abandon Ship and FireDrills. This helps everyone onboard to know what their roleis if an emergency situationarises. It is your right and theSkippers duty to see that thesedrills are held and that the crew

participates.

During the drills, all crew should bemustered and survival equipment checkedto make sure everything is in good workingorder. New crew members should bebriefed on launching the life rafts and toldwhat their duties are in an emergencysituation.

Organisation is very important. All crewmembers should understand their dutiesand muster lists should be posted in theliving accommodation and public areas onthe vessel, for example, the galley.

The new manufacturing standard EN ISO 12402

Personal Flotation Device (PFD)

Make sure that all equipment on board isin good working order and that rafts andHRUs (Hydrostatic Release Unit) are withintheir services dates.

If there are any faults or deficiencies, reportthem to the Skipper immediately.

Lifejackets

Students on a PST course swim in a crocodile tail formation


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SOLAS LifejacketsA SOLAS Lifejacket must be worn whenabandoning ship. They are not intendedfor everyday use. It must be fitted with asignalling whistle, light, towing strap andretro-reflective tape.

A lifejacket like the one above, isapproved by SOLAS, and will keep aperson afloat with their airway well clearof the water if properly fitted and tightlysecured to the body.

Why a SOLAS Lifejacket?

Because of their design theseLifejackets are less likely to bedamaged and are not dependent onany mechanical operation in order tofunction. They cannot be worn whileworking on board as they are too bulky.

Standard?

SOLAS approved 150 Newtons

Personal FlotationDevice (PFD)

A Personal Flotation Device (PFD)must be worn at all times by everyperson working on board a fishingvessel.

From March 2002 under S.I.586 of

2001 all crew members have to wearPersonal Flotation Devices and underS.I.587 of 2001 are required to haveappropriate training.

Why an EN ISO 12402

Lifejacket?

The PFDs design and size make itideal for daily use for crew members

on board a fishing vessel. Its purposeis to keep a crew member that hasaccidentally fallen overboard afloat untilhelp arrives.

Standard?

The 150 Newton is the minimumbuoyancy required for fishers workingoffshore.

The term Personal Flotation Device (PFD) is used for many kinds ofemergency buoyancy aids; however there are considerable differencesbetween a SOLAS Lifejacket and a Personal Flotation Device.


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Checklist for Abandon ship

Put on warm clothing Put on your SOLAS lifejacket, making

sure it is on tight and has no loose ends

Before abandoning ship, ensurethat flares, EPIRB, SART and VHFemergency transceiver with sparelithium batteries are gathered for useon the life raft

Check that a Mayday call has beensent and acknowledged

Get off the vessel dry if possible

If it is necessary to jump, stand at thedeck edge

- Lock and Block (see page 8)

- Check below

- Look straight ahead, keep feettogether and step off

- Do not unblock your mouth andnose until on the surface

The signal for muster stationson any ship should be seven

or more short, rapid blastsfollowed by one prolonged blaston the ships whistle. The orderto abandon ship is given verbally

by the Skipper.

When you hear the alarm you shouldput on as much extra warm clothing as

possible and then put on your SOLASlifejacket. You should be able to put onyour lifejacket in no more than 30 secondsin the dark. The more layers of clothes youwear the better. If you do end up in thewater, the extra clothing will trap a layer ofwater between your skin and the clothing.

This will help conserve your body heat.

When you arrive on the boat deck, carry

out your duties as assigned by the musterlist. Remember that you never abandonship until you get the order from the

Abandon ship

The new TAMAR Class Lifeboat RNLB Killarney at Kilmore Quay, Co Wexford


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Skipper and only leave your vessel as avery last resort. Your vessel is the best liferaft. Many people have left their vesselbelieving it to be unsafe only to perish inthe sea when the vessel remained afloat.

There are many dangers to be aware ofwhen jumping into the sea, such as coldshock and physical injury from hitting thewater. It is important to keep your feettogether and stand at the deck edge when

jumping. Cover your mouth and nose withone hand and use your other hand to holddown your lifejacket - this is what is calledlock and block. You are pushing yourlifejacket down, locking it when you hit thewater to prevent it riding up to injure you;and you are blocking your mouth and noseto avoid taking in water. Before you jump,look down to see that all is clear below;then look straight ahead and step off. Keepyour nose and mouth blocked until you

float to the surface.

Abandon ship

The Lock and block technique is practised duringpool drill

Your vessel is the best life raft Image courtesy of www.RFDBeaufortMarine.com


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Marine life rafts are madeof rubber material and are

designed to support survivorsand to keep them dry and clearof the water. This is achievedby two buoyancy chambers- one on top of the other andconnected by non return valves.

The life raft is designed to keep

its full load afloat even if one ofthese chambers is deflated.

The life raft offers protection from the seaby having a floor which can be manuallyinflated in cold climates and a canopywhich covers the occupants. The canopyis double-sheeted which traps a layer of airbetween the sheets. This layer of air heatsup and helps to keep the survivors warm.

The entrance can also be closed.

The life raft can help make you visible torescuers because it has a bright orangecanopy with strips of retro-reflective tape.

A SART should also be deployed. There isalso a light on the top of the life raft whichis powered by a saltwater battery or normalbattery built into the light unit. Life supporton the life raft is provided by a survivalpack which contains food and water,location aids and other equipment.(See life raft equipment for a full list).

On board the ship, the inflatable life raftsare stored in reinforced plastic containers.Each raft is fitted with a quick release knownas a Stenhouse Slip and a HydrostaticRelease Unit (HRU). On the top of thecontainer, important life raft information willbe displayed such as the number of peoplethe raft will hold, the date of last service andnext service due date.

Launching the inflatable life raft

There are two ways to launch the life raft:manually or automatically.

Inflating Manually

Make the painter fast. (This is the ropecoming out of the container.)

Release the securing arrangement.

Never roll the life raft container acrossthe deck as you may damage the raft.

Always slide or carry it.

Double check that the painter issecured.

Launch the life raft into the water.

Pull the painter until the life raft inflates.(There will be at least 15 metres ofpainter line.)

Once the life raft is inflated, try to

prevent it from rubbing alongside ifpossible.

Inflatable life rafts

Manually launch a Life raft in the swimming pool


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Alternatively, a life raft can be launchedautomatically using the Hydrostatic ReleaseUnit (HRU).

Inflating Automatically

The HRU is made fast to the securingarrangement of the life raft and to a strongpoint on the vessel and will work when

immersed in water between 1.5 and 4metres deep.

Once the life raft container is clear of thecradle, the painter tightens and inflates thelife raft. After inflation, the buoyancy of thelife raft is too great for the weak link on theHRU and this breaks allowing the raft tocome to the the surface. In shallow waterit may be necessary to pull out the excess

painter from the cannister in order to inflatethe raft.

It is very important to make sure thatthe HRU is fitted correctly and that it isreplaced or serviced on a regular basis. Itshould also be noted that the HRU shouldnot be painted over as this will prevent theunit from working effectively.

Boarding the life raft and action

to take after boarding

Once the life raft has been launched itis then time to start boarding. If at all

possible, board the raft dry. Once you makecontact with the life raft, do not let go as thewind can drive the raft away quicker than youcan swim. If you let go, you may not get achance to grab it again.

If you get wet you will get cold andhypothermia will set in. A life raft is verydifficult to board from the water. Get inwhile it is alongside the vessel. If you do

find yourself in the water and have to boardthe raft, then enter from the side with thestep. Find the ladder, (the step); get yourfeet onto the top step of the ladder andreach up as far as possible to the handholds at the entrance; then pull yourself in.

Do not jump into the life raft or jump on topof it as this may cause injury to yourself orother survivors already inside. Jumping on

the life raft may also cause you to bounceoff and land in the water.


Senhouse slip

It is recommended

that lashing

arrangements arechecked to ensure the

manual quick release

arrangement can be

easily released.

Weak link

Strong point

When immersed,chisel cuts rope and

releases lashing.HRU

Ensure strapping

is tight otherwise

chisel in HRU may

not cut rope.

A Hyrostatic Release Unit (HRU) with weak link


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There are very important steps

to take once everyone is on

board the life raft

Boarding procedures:

Cut the painter

Stream the drogue

Close the canopy

Maintain the environment

Treat injuries

Take anti-seasickness tablets

Do not eat or drink anything for thefirst 24 hours

Get a routine going to maintain alook out

Do not give up the will to survive

Close the canopy opening tokeep the heat in and water out. Ofcourse, if conditions are very hot,this can be left open

Maintain the environment withinthe life raft. Pump the floor up,treat injuries, dry up the liferaft and keep everyone busy.

Have the flares ready in case apassing ship or rescue craft passesby.

Be careful how you use thepyrotechnics and make sure to usethem discriminately.

The following equipment is in

your survival pack:

rescue quoit + 30 metres line

floating knife

sea anchor + line

paddles

sponges

bailer

repair kit

hand pump

raft operating instructions

fishing kit

waterproof signalling torch, sparebatteries and bulb

signalling mirror

first aid kit

anti-seasickness pills

emergency rations, water inshrink-wrapped bags,graduated plastic drinking cup

The survival pack will also containpyrotechnics (flares), smoke canistersand a RADAR reflector.

Find out what equipment your life raftcontains.



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A selection of flares are carried on board in a safe

place

Flares

There should be 12 of these on board yourvessel stored in a watertight container. Yourlife raft will also contain flares.

The red rocket is used to signal a distressto vessels far away. It will reach a heightof 300 metres and burn for about 40seconds. It can be seen from about 25miles away.

The firing instructions will be clearly markedon the side of the flare and also the expirydate. Do not use flares that are out of date.(Flares should be replaced every threeyears).

To fire the flare, hold upright and fire

downwind.

Never use a rocket parachute flare near arescue aircraft.

Hand-held Flares are used to attract theattention of vessels that are close andhoming in on your position.

There should be six of these flares on

board your vessel, stored in the samecontainer as the parachute flares.

The firing instructions should be clearlymarked on the side of the flare along withthe expiry date.

Once activated, it should burn for 60seconds. The cylinder of the flare willbecome white hot so hold it by the handleand well away from your body. Keep itpointed downwind.

If the flare doesnt work when you activateit, drop it into the water. Do not attempt tofix it.

A line-throwing apparatus is used to firea line by means of a rocket. The housingcontains 250 metres of line which ispropelled by a solid fuel rocket. As withflares, this should be replaced or servicedevery three years. Instructions for firing areclearly marked on the side of the housing.Make sure that the end of the line issecured to a strong point before firing.

Flares - Main Points

Make sure they are in date

Follow firing instructions

Point away from your body anddownwind

If they do not fire when activated, drop

in water Do not use parachute flares near

helicopters or aircraft

Hand-held flares get very hot so holdby the handle

Emergency Aids for Distress Alerts


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Emergency Position Indicating

Radio Beacons (EPIRBs)

An EPIRB is a distress alerting device.Once activated, in association withsatellites, it determines the position of thecasualty. An EPIRB provides the simplestmeans of alerting the Rescue authorities.

The EPIRB system is operated on 406MHzby the COSPAS/SARSAT organisationwhich uses polar orbiting satellites. Theoperation, testing and registration of

EPIRBs must be clearly understood by allcrew members.

An EPIRB is a distress alerting device

Search and Rescue Radar

Transponder

(SARTs)

SARTs provide a homingsignal by transmittinga specific response toa radar signal. Thesesignals are displayed onthe rescue vessels radarscreen.

Personal Locator Beacons

(PLBs)

PLBs are new on the market.

To get the most from your PLB, eachPLB should be registered so that ownerdetails as well as location details can becommunicated to the emergency services,which, in many cases, assists in speedingup rescue operations.

PLBs must be registered with owner and locationdetails

PLB owners can register their PLB inIreland using ComRegs new web portal.For more information on how to registeryour PLB please go to www.comreg.ie andfollow the path: Licensing and Services Personal Locator Beacons.

There is a requirement under ShipRadio Licensing law for any updates ofinformation to be given to the MaritimeRadio Affairs Unit (MRAU) of theDepartment of Transport, Tourism andSport to assist in a fast response toincidents.

Please read the relevant Marine Notices atthe following link:

http://www.dttas.ie/upload/general/13478-MN13OF2012_SHIPRADIOLICENCE_EPIRB_DATABASES-1.PDF

Emergency Aids for Distress Alerts

SARTs provide a homing signalon a radar screen


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MOB Procedure:

Raise the alarm Keep sight of the person in the

water

Launch the MOB smoke buoy

Get ready to recover the person asthey come alongside

Man overboard (MOB)Man overboard situations happen oftenon fishing vessels and often lead to loss oflife. It is important to be ready for such asituation by knowing what to do and howto work together as a crew to recover yourMOB. Again, drills and discussions on howto deal with this are the best means ofpreparation.

Smoke composition

Ballast weight

Lithium battery

LampFiring Mechanism

A Man Overboard (MOB) is located on each sideof the wheelhouse

Do not be complacent and think that thiswill never happen on your boat.

MOB smoke and light buoy

The vessel should also be fitted with anMOB smoke and light buoy. This can bequickly launched by pulling a pin. Once itsin the water, it will mark the MOB positionby emitting smoke and light. A person inthe water can be very difficult to see sokeep your eyes on them.

Save your present position as a waypoint

Man Overboard ProceduresWhen the crew has raised the alarm thatthere is a Man Overboard (MOB) situationthe skipper or watch keeper should:

Press the MOB button on the GPSnavigator to give a starting point if asearch is needed. This will install thecurrent latitude and longitude of thevessel and the time into the memory ofthe GPS navigator.

Launch the MOB smoke floats oneach side of the wheelhouse by pullingthe quick release pin or throw the lifering over the side.

Man Overboard


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Williamson Turn

The skipper should then, if possible, carry

out a Williamson Turn; this will bring thevessel back to the same position wherethe crewmember fell over the side. TheWilliamson turn is achieved by using fullhelm to turn the vessel 60 towards the sidefrom which the crewmember fell over, then,the rudder is put hard over in the oppositedirection until on reciprocal (or opposite)course.

If you lose sight of the person in the water,the skipper should transmit a designatedDistress Alert on the vessels DigitalSelective Calling (DSC) unit indicating aMOB. The nearest Coast Guard Station willacknowledge this.

Recovery of Man Overboard

How the person is recovered from the

water will depend on the type of vessel.

Each vessel will have its own recoveryproblems. You will only discover thebest recovery method for your vessel byconducting regular drills. Pilot ladders,scramble nets, crew savers, fenders andspecialist equipment like Jasons cradleand DACON (www.dacon.no) scoops canbe used for man overboard recovery.

Check List for Skipper in the

event of MOB

Hit MOB on GPS

Release MOB lifebuoy

Make visual contact with MOB

Commence Williamson Turn

If visual contact is lost, transmit amayday

Standby to recover MOB as they

come along side

This will vary from vessel to vessel and should

be adjusted following a trial

At heading +60 puthelm hard over to port

At heading +180 steer

reciprocal course

Helm hard over

to starboard Man overboard- note heading

+60

+180MOB

Begin

reducingspeed

Man Overboard

The Williamson turn brings a vessel back to the same position

For many small vessels a simple round turn is as effective as the Williamson manoeuvre, particularly whenvisibility and weather conditions are good and the casualty is in full view.


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All persons on deck must be wearingSOLAS approved lifejackets andgloves.

Steer a course towards the helicopterdeparture point. This will shorten theirEstimated Time of Arrival (ETA) to youand save fuel.

Clear the deck of any obstructions

that may hinder the winch operator ordamage the helicopter.

Have an empty fish box ready inwhich to coil the high line. (ON NO

ACCOUNT MAKE THIS LINE FAST).

Before winching starts put radar onstandby and monitor a watch on Ch16 VHF.

Helicopter rescue is the most practicaland rapid way to recover survivors off ourcoast. They are however slowed down byrange and fuel load. Also, they may not be

able to spend a long time on the scene. Tohelp make the rescue as safe as possiblefor the flight crew:

Do not have any lights shining towardsthe helicopter.

Steer a course, as directed by thehelicopter crew.

This will allow the helicopter to hover intothe wind giving the pilot a good view of thevessel.

Always keep in radio contact with thehelicopter and follow instructions. Whenbeing winched into the helicopter, keepyour hands by your sides. When at thedoor of the helicopter do not reach out orupwards - the winch operator will swing

you around to face away from the door andpull you in. You will then end up sitting onthe helicopter floor.

Helicopter Rescue

The Irish Coast Guard deploys the S92 helicopter for Search and Rescue (SAR)


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Hypothermia

Falling overboard or getting wetwhile abandoning ship can lead

to hypothermia, sometimes withfatal results.

Our normal body temperature is about37C. When our inner core temperaturefalls to 35C, then hypothermia sets in.

How quickly you lose body heat willdepend on a number of factors:

water temperature;

type of clothes worn;

relative water movement;

survival equipment; and

your metabolism (the rate at whichyour body uses energy).

Some people will cool quicker than others.

Humans are warm-blooded and whenyou fall into cold water, your body goesthrough a number of changes. The initialresponse when youre suddenly immersedin cold water is called cold water shock. Ifyou lose control or panic at the cold shockstage of immersion, you can drown. Themost common response to cold shock isthe loss of ability to control breathing. If you

take deep breaths, the water intake maylead to drowning. The colder the water, theworse the affects of cold shock.

After about five minutes, your breathingshould settle down as your body adjuststo the cold water. Shivering will be violentas your body tries to keep the inner corewarm. Hands and toes become very coldbecause the blood vessels constrict tokeep the warm blood around the vitalorgans such as the heart and lungs.

As body temperature falls, you will becometired, confused and disorientated.

When your core temperature reachesabout 31C, the shivering might stop andbe replaced by muscle stiffness. By thetime your core temperature drops to 30C,you might lose consciousness. Again thiswill depend on your metabolism. At thisstage, it is very difficult to determine if aperson is dead or alive as death is definedas failure to revive on re-warming.

To slow down body cooling, it is best notto swim unless you are very close to aplace of safety. Float in the water with yourknees raised up into your chest and yourhands tucked under you lifejacket. Thisis known as the Heat Escape LesseningPosition (HELP).

Slowly re-warm a hypothermic casualty


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Hypothermia

Normal body temperature

May complain of cold

Looks and feels cold,

shivering

Acts strangely,

withdrawn/switched off

Drowsy or confused,

shivering stops

Jerky limb movements,

limbs stiffen up

Unresponsive

Fixed pupils, looks dead

Irregular pulse

Death

Hypothermia

What HappensFALLING INTO COLD WATER

Cold Shock is the bodies immediate

response to falling into cold water.

For a few minutes, a person will have NOcontrol over

Extremely rapid, gasping-breathing

Dizziness with pins & needles

Panic

Racing heart rate

High Blood Pressure

The problem

Inhalation of water

Drowning

Stroke or heart attack

Try to Stay Calm. Symptoms will improveafter 2-3 minutes.

Average Irish sea temperature

The Barnett survival curve shows the theoreticalsurvival times in seawater if properly attired andwearing an approved Lifejacket. Without PPE,hypothermia in Irish waters will be established inabout 30 minutes.


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Hypothermia

If body temperature

above 34C

Move out of wind to warm

dry place

Remove all wet outer

layers

Put on layers of dry clothes

and/or place in a goodsleeping bag

If conscious, give warmfood and sweet drink

NO alcohol

If body temperature

below 34C

Alert coast guard

Talk to MEDICO Cork

As above but NO food ordrink

No hot shower or bathunless fully conscious and

monitored throughout

Move patient VERY gently

Hypothermia

What to do

HOW TO AVOID DROWNING Wear layers of clothing

Wear Immersion suit

Wear SOLAS approved lifejackets

Immediately inflate your lifejacket

Immediately pull over spray-hood

Try to stay calm knowing that thesymptoms of Cold Shock will improverelatively quickly.

Try to hold onto something and donot attempt to swim if possible untilbreathing slows down.

Look for others in the water

Link into a crocodile tail formation

Follow Man Overboard Procedures

Use Man Overboard Equipment

Use PLBs

WEAR SOLAS APPROVED

LIFEJACKETS

BIM training routine of the crocodile / line asternposition


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DTTAS Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport

EPIRB Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon

GPS Global Positioning Satellite

Heliograph A daylight signalling mirror.

HRU Hydrostatic Release Unit

IMO International Maritime Organisation

MEDICO CORK The national 24/7 emergency tele-medicalsupport service in Ireland for ships at sea

MES Marine Evacuation System

MSI Maritime Safety Information

Muster list This is a list showing where people on boardshould assemble if there is an emergency. It also

states what peoples duties are in the event of anemergency.

Painter A length of rope. A painter line is a length of ropeattached to the life raft and secured to the vesselbefore throwing the life raft overboard.

BIM (PST): Glossary of terms


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PFD Personal Flotation Device (this is a general termfor buoyancy aids and lifejackets. Please note

that all lifejackets are PFDs but all PFDs are notlifejackets)

PPE Personal Protective Equipment

Quoit A small rubber ring with a rescue line attached

RadarReflector A geometric shaped (cube or diamond) metaldevice that reflects radar transmissions well andhelps ships to spot a rescue target for example,a life raft.

SART Search and Rescue Radar Transponder

S.I. Statutory Instrument a law

SOLAS Safety of Life at Sea Convention Regulations

Stations A Muster Station is a space where crew willassemble in the event of an emergency.

STCW-95 International Standards of Training, Certificationand Watchkeeping Convention

StenhouseSlip A quick release mechanism,-the life raft from itscradle.

T P A A Thermal Protective Aid is a plastic bag used toslowly re-warm a hypothermic casualty


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Who to contact at BIMfor Personal SurvivalTechniques training

DisclaimerAll material and graphics produced in this publication are for illustrative purposes only.Bord Iascaigh Mhara and its servants, agents or employees are not responsible for any loss arising from or caused by the use of thispublication or for any error or omissions in the content. This booklet is for reference only. You are responsible and accountable for yourown conduct.

ISBN 1-903412-39-8

BIM National Fisheries CollegeBord Iascaigh MharaIrish Sea Fisheries BoardGreencastleCo. DonegalIreland

Tel: +353 (0) 74 93 81068 +353 (0) 74 93 81099Fax: +353 (0) 74 93 81278Email: [email protected]

BIM Regional Fisheries CentreBord Iascaigh MharaIrish Sea Fisheries BoardThe Pier, CastletownbereCo. CorkIreland

Tel: +353 (0) 27 71230Fax: +353 (0) 27 70858Email: [email protected]

Bord IascaighMhara

Block BPark Road, ClogheenClonakiltyCo. CorkIreland

Bord IascaighMhara

P.O. Box 12Crofton RoadDun LaoghaireCo. DublinIreland

Tel: +353 (0)1 214 4100Fax: +353 (0)23 883 6928Fax: +353 (0)1 2144 254Email: [email protected]

BIM Coastal Training Unit No. 1:Tel: (087) 683 7134 Email: [email protected]

BIM Coastal Training Unit No. 2:Tel: (087) 233 4620 Email: [email protected]

bim guide to personal survival techniques

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