Questions to Provoke Discussion on River Safety
Address these topics for the entire group prior to embarking on the river. There are many correct answers; the trick is to have your boatmen and participants all on the same page. A pre-trip safety meeting with boatmen and the trip leader will help you arrive at a consensus on the answers of the following questions. A thorough pre-trip prep will improve your chances of dealing successfully with the unexpected and reduce your personal liability.
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People fall out of the boat when least expected.
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How do you pull someone back into a raft?
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How can you get back in by yourself?
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If you can’t get back in the raft immediately, what is the proper way to swim rapids?
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When can you breathe?
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When is it reasonable to swim to shore?
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If you are out of the raft and being washed toward an obvious hazard, what can you do?
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What can the passengers do if the boatman falls overboard?
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What should the passengers do if the boatman loses or breaks an oar?
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When can you take off your life jacket?
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How can passengers help keep a raft from flipping over?
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If a raft flips upside down, how can you get up on the bottom of the raft?
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What are your other options?
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What do you do if you surface underneath the raft?
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How do you get an overturned raft to shore?
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How do you flip it right side up?
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How do you use a throw bag?
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How do you get a raft unstuck from a mid-river rock?
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Who on your trip has the most river rescue experience?
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Who will lead in a rescue attempt?
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Who is second in charge?
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Where are the first aid kits?
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Where is the satellite phone?
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Who are the lead and sweep boatmen?
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Who has first aid skills?
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Who has first aid experience?
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Who will take charge in a medical situation?
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Who is second in charge?
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What are your options if you have to get out of the Canyon?
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Who has medical considerations such as diabetes, allergies, asthma, or a heart condition?
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What are the warning signs?
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Where is their medication?
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How much water should you be drinking?
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How do you know if you are drinking enough?
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What is hyponutremia?
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What are the symptoms?
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