Reach Assist

Reach Assist  #

Introduction  #

The Reach Assist safety skillSafety skillA method which improves the ability to interact with water in a way that increases the likelihood of avoiding and/or recovering from a hazardous aquatic situation. develops Rescue Competency and Risk CompetencyRisk CompetencyRisk Competency is the knowledge, skill, and experience necessary to understand, analyze, and assess the risks of aquatic environments, and to be able to cope with risk by applying risk-management strategies. Cognitive abilities associated with this competency include problem solving, analyzing options, and determining how best to avoid or reduce risks in a given situation. Affective abilities include responding to stimuli and situations in a calm manner and an awareness of how emotions can affect decision making. as primary competencies. Reach Assist is a rescue skill used to teach students how to identify a person in trouble and the proper way to react to safely assist them. Drowning situations where a bystander intervenes is one of the key components in drowning prevention identified by the Global Report on Drowning. Instruction topics for students include: identifying the first steps in an emergency situation, how to identify a drowning victim, identifying which objects are best used to assist in a rescue, and situations where the Reach Assist would be the most appropriate rescue technique. Students should also be able to identify why entering the water with a drowning victim is unsafe.

Safety knowledge  #

Note: Students must respond to both prompts to receive a ‘+’ for this knowledge objective.

Assessment prompt #1  #

If you see someone who needs help, should you go into the water to help them?

Acceptable responses  #

  • No!
  • It's not safe to enter the water when someone is in danger.

Assessment prompt #2  #

What can you do to help?

Acceptable responses  #

  • Call or go get help
  • Reach or throw, don't go
  • Find something to reach out to them
  • Throw them something that floats

Description  #

The Reach Assist safety skill is defined by the following steps.

Reach Assist Description  #

Rescuer sequence

  1. Get help; call 911 or ask someone to call 911
  2. Talk to victim to calm them
  3. Lay on deck to lower center of gravity
  4. Extend flotation aid to victim
  5. Remind the victim to hold on tight, remain calm, and help kick to safety
  6. Pull victim to wall
Reach Assist Demonstration  #

Video demonstration of the skill.

Assessment  #

Test course  #

Depending on class ability level, students may act as the victim for other class members. If students do not have the ability to float or tread proficiently, the instructor should act as victim. Begin the assessment with the rescuer/student in a standing position and the flotation aid (noodle) on the ground nearby.

Scoring  #

The following scoring rubricScoring rubricA guide that includes rating scales and descriptions of one or more criteria used to evaluate the performance of a skill. lists the gradients of key requirements and deficiencies that provide an overall description of different competence levels. A single score is assigned based on the instructor’s judgment of the student’s performance.

Reach Assist Scoring Rubric  #

1

Exhibits any of the following:

  • Does not call for help or does not ask someone to call 911
  • Does not perform without multiple instructor prompts

2

Performs all of the following:

  • Calls for help or asks someone to call 911
  • Extends flotation aid to the victim
  • Pulls the victim to the wall

Exhibits any of the following:

  • Starts assisting the victim before calling for help or asking someone to call 911
  • Does not lay on the deck or lays on deck after extending flotation aid

3

Performs all of the following:

  • Calls for help or asks someone to call 911 before assisting the victim
  • Lays on the deck
  • Extends flotation aid to the victim
  • Pulls the victim to the wall

Exhibits any of the following:

  • Does not talk to the victim throughout the rescue

4

Performs all of the following:

  • Calls for help or asks someone to call 911 before assisting the victim
  • Talks to the victim throughout the rescue
  • Lays on the deck
  • Extends flotation aid to the victim
  • Pulls the victim to the wall