[Paddlewise] Rescues and group dynamics

     The great part about monitoring this net is the quality of the posts 
     --- and the bad part is the <quantity> of posts.  I've been watching 
     the "group dynamics" thread with interest, tagged a couple of notes to 
     which I wanted to respond, and now can't find them!  The gist of the 
     contributions I felt comfortable addressing centered on the decision 
     to effect a rescue despite the risks --- and, to a lesser degree, the 
     "military" attitude toward rescue decisions, which, I think, was in 
     reference to the loss of the Coast Guard rescue boat in the Pacific 
     Northwest.
     
     My 30 years association with the U.S Navy ended a year ago, with my 
     earlier years spent in flying combat search and rescue (CSAR) 
     helicopters --- including a Viet Nam tour in '68-'69 off the coast of 
     (then) North Viet Nam.  As one who has been "in the business", I'd 
     like to offer another perspective on the issue brought up in John 
     Winter's post --- an issue which may not have been read the same by 
     all.  
     
     To review, John Winters, from my reading, did <not> say that his trip 
     members agreed that they would not try to rescue another member in 
     distress --- but rather that they would not try to rescue another 
     member if conditions made it <likely> that the rescuer would wind up 
     in the water, as well.  The word "likely" is, I think, mine, but it is 
     significant; it's an interpretation and a judgement call to be made in 
     the face of extremely adverse, probably life-threatening conditions.  
     (And, although I may be throwing in a red herring here, if the 
     potential rescuer were in a double, it complicates the decision to 
     effect a rescue, as well.  But I won't go there --- yet.)
     
     Taking that interpretation as a departure point, consider the risk 
     analysis of CSAR or Coast Guard SAR aircraft or boat commander when 
     going out on a rescue mission; this mission commander is probably 
     going in harms way from the get-go --- joining in whatever scenario 
     has put another person in distress.  (CSAR is complicated a bit by the 
     fact that a lot of bad guys are also trying to kill you --- but, in 
     kayak analogy, let's just consider that conditions are getting worse, 
     maybe a lot worse!)  There's an overarching dedication to the rescue 
     mission --- not because the commander is "in the military", but 
     because there's somebody out there who will die if the mission 
     commander doesn't make the rescue, and because that's the job!  As a 
     mission commander, you are never ordered by your superiors to effect a 
     rescue at all costs --- the potential cost of your life and your 
     aircraft.  That call is left to the mission commander.  And there is 
     another factor --- you're not out there by yourself (remember the 
     "double"?).  My guess is that it's exactly the same for the boat 
     commander with his or her crew, but I can only speak as a helicopter 
     aircraft commander (HAC), and the fact that it's not just <my> life on 
     the line as the HAC is also significant.  
     
     Bottom line, despite the risks, I've never known a Navy search and 
     rescue crew to abort a SAR mission, although I have known several 
     crews that went on missions and did not come back.  While there's 
     nothing written or even verbalized in the search and rescue business 
     that you "do the job or you <don't> come back", there are still 
     serious risks taken to make a rescue, and there are decisions that 
     have to be made on the fly by the person in charge, often decisions 
     taken under extreme duress.  My guess is that, if one of John Winters' 
     paddling partners had gone over and was unable to self-rescue, despite 
     their agreement, some or all would have risked their own lives --- 
     possibly to the point of being "likely" to dump, themselves --- to 
     save their partner.  At least I guess I'd like to think that.  It's in 
     the nature of some people do do dumb stuff like that.  If anyone's in 
     Washington and is interested, I could show you the names of some of 
     those dumbies on a wall.
     
     Namaste.
     
     Jack "Joq" Martin
     
     
     
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