Swift Water Rescue Training

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Story Published: May 27, 2009 at 11:19 PM PDT

By Stacy Lilienthal

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It isn't summer, but we've already seen deaths on both the Columbia and the Yakima Rivers. Getting people out of the water when they're in trouble is a skill not many have. Action News shows what it takes.

The Yakima Sheriff and Fire department brushed up on their swift river rescue skills. They rescued each other, and also learned techniques to keep themselves safe while in the fast current. Yakima Sheriff's Department Search and Rescue worker Davin Tusler just stepped out of the water when we talked to him. "When it hits that water right there, you go from about 1 mile and hour to about 7 or 8. It's that quick and it's pretty rough."

They say if your caught in a rapids being rescued, keep and ear out for instructions. "Right now with the river as high as it is, it's unfortunate but there's not a lot of good places to go that are not dangerous." says Instructor Chris Jonason.

But these guys are getting ready for the worst conditions. In one exercise, they train how to rescue people off logs or anything else holding them in the water reports Stacy Lilienthal. If you're caught on something like a log, stay as still as possible as they come to you.

But they say the best way to ensure you'll be safe, is to avoid dangerous areas of the river. Especially when the water level is high and the current is this strong.

Rescue crews go through swift rescue training several times a year, but say they're especially grateful for this one as more people head to area rivers.

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