a) PERSON OVERBOARD:    Lifeguards are taught not to jump into the water to rescue someone because the victim will unwittingly drag the rescuer down with them. Similarly, when a person falls overboard buoyant heaving lines, life buoys and/or adequate devices for re-boarding the vessels (ladders) should be used. The operator of the pleasure craft should have a rescue procedure to recover a person who has fallen overboard that should include the use of safety equipment, the tasks of persons onboard and the movement of the craft. The operator should ensure that all persons on board are familiar with all three aspects of the rescue procedure. A recommended procedure is to sound the alarm and then slow down, or preferably stop the craft. Throw something buoyant to the person in the water and have one person continually point to the person in the water. Carefully maneuver the boat and recover the person from the water.

  b) BREAKDOWNS   A pleasure craft operator should maintain a pleasure craft and its equipment on a regular basis so that they function properly and the risk of breakdowns occurring is reduced. In October 1999, a four metre sailboat experienced mechanical failure on Lake Huron. The 6 to 8 foot waves caused the boat to capsize. Fortunately, another boater witnessed the accident and notified the Coast Guard and OPP. In the event of a breakdown while on the waterways, the operator's response should be to : alter the speed of the craft as appropriate to the circumstances, anchor the craft as appropriate to the circumstances, investigate the problem, correct the problem if possible and use or exhibit signals to indicate distress and need of assistance if necessary. Anchoring the craft is a safety option to consider when the craft is disabled or when severe weather threatens. Remember to fasten the inboard end of the anchor line to a secure point on the pleasure craft and to securely fasten the outboard end of the anchor to the anchor. 

  HULL LEAKS OR FLOODING:     an operator should carry on board at all times the tools and materials to temporarily stop hull leaks or flooding. When there is water either rising in the craft or accumulating in the bottom of the craft, the operator is to : locate the source of the water intake, stop it, remove accumulations by using hand-held bailers, manual pumps or bilge pumping systems and use or exhibit signals to indicate distress and need of assistance if necessary.

  d) CRAFT DISASTERS:

Should the pleasure craft capsize, swamp, sink or run aground, the following actions should be taken: put PFDs/lifejackets, stay with the craft where appropriate, account for passengers and use or exhibit signals to indicate distress and need of assistance if necessary.

  HYPOTHERMIA:   Hypothermia is a real danger while out on the waterways. Hypothermia occurs when the body temperature drops below the normal level. This drop occurs when the body experiences prolonged exposure to abnormally low temperatures. When boating, this can occur when an individual is in cold water, exposed to cool air while wearing water-soaked clothing or being out in low temperatures. Canadian waters are typically cold, even in the dog days of summer. Hypothermia can lead to death because at a lower body temperature, a person's muscles and mental functions are affected.

Hypothermia progresses through three stages:
1^st Stage: shivering, slurred speech, conscious but withdrawn
2^nd Stage: slow and weak pulse, slow respiration, lack of co-ordination, irrational, confused and sleepy 
3^rd Stage: weak, irregular or absent pulse or respiration, loss of consciousness

In order to help a person recover from hypothermia, the person should be removed from the source of the cold exposure and provided with dry shelter. The most important thing to do is to prevent further decreases in the body's temperature and to gradually warm the person's body. This can be achieved by doing the following:

Replace wet clothing with dry clothing
Wrap the person in blankets
Place dry coverings over the person
Cover the person's head and neck 
Cover the person with an isolating device and vapour barrier 
Apply warm dry objects that are between 40 and 45 degrees Celsius
If a person asks for a drink, warm liquids are fine but alcohol or hot liquids are not appropriate. It is very important that the person's body and extremities (feet and hands) not be rubbed or massaged. The body needs to be warmed gradually. If necessary, use the exhibit signals to indicate distress and need of assistance.

If a person is alone in the cold water and cannot be removed from the water by a vessel or onto land, the person can survive longer by crossing his arms tightly across the chest and drawing the knees up close to the chest (referred to as H.E.L.P. "heat escape lessening position"); climbing onto a nearby floating object will also help by getting as much of their body out of the water or at least above the water. Where there is a group that cannot get out of the cold water, it will help them survive longer if they do a group huddle by getting the sides of everyone's chest close together with arms around mid to lower back and legs intertwined. Wearing a lifejacket/PFD and assuming one of the above positions will help a person to survive longer.

                                                                                     
                         H.E.L.P                          Climb onto floating object/rock                   Group Huddle

   

When one goes into a situation where hypothermia is a possibility, the following may provide additional protection to a person's body, from hypothermia: Dry suit (used with a flotation device and a thermal liner), wet suit (traps and heats water against the body), immersion suit (in extreme conditions), survival suit (a full nose-to-toes PFD), exposure coverall (a PFD with a thermal protection rating), multiple light layers of dry clothing and water and wind proof outer layer. 

Whichever additional protective wear is chosen, it is imperative that the equipment be in working condition. For example, on April 10, 1995 three crew members of the Hili-Kim put on immersion suits when they abandoned ship off the coast of British Columbia. Two of three immersion suits were faulty and those two crew members died from hypothermia, the third crew member survived.