Guidelines for Water Rescue And Escape

When an off-road journey is blocked by a small river, or when rescue operations need to cross flowing waters, wading becomes a variable technical challenge. Clear river water may hide soft riverbeds, smooth pebbles, or unexpected deep pits, while flowing water exerts invisible lateral forces on vehicles and rescue equipment. Properly handling water rescue is an important advancement in off-road experience.

Necessary assessment before wading through water

After arriving at the river, the first task is to park and observe, and never jump into the water rashly. The four core information that must be obtained are water flow velocity, water depth, riverbed material, and slope on the opposite bank.

Observe the water flow and determine the velocity. The white waves on the water surface or the sound of water hitting rocks often indicate that the flow is too fast and vehicles may be washed away from the route after wading through the water. Throwing floating objects such as tree branches into the water and observing their movement speed can assist in judgment.

Measuring water depth requires personal involvement, but personal safety must be ensured. Wearing water pants or waterproof pants, holding a long pole to explore, slowly stepping into the water. Focus on detecting the planned route of the vehicle and confirming whether there are deep pits or boulders. The safe wading depth for general off-road vehicles is about the center height of the wheel hub (about 70-80 centimeters), which can be appropriately increased after modifying the wading hose, but the position of electrical equipment is strictly limited.

Observing the riverbed material: Soft sediment is prone to sinking, smooth pebbles cause loss of adhesion, and hard rock beds are the most ideal foundation for traffic. Feel the riverbed with your feet and determine its load-bearing capacity.

The slope on the opposite bank is equally crucial. Vehicles need sufficient traction and ground clearance to land, and steep and slippery slopes may cause vehicles that successfully wade through the water to end up stranded on the shore.

Special equipment for water rescue

In addition to conventional rescue equipment, additional preparations are required for water wading environments:

Waterproof equipment: Water pants or high waterproof boots are essential to ensure safe movement of personnel in water. Waterproof walkie talkie or waterproof phone case ensures uninterrupted communication.

Long pole probe: used for hiking to detect water depth and riverbed conditions, and can also assist in balance.

Winch remote controller: allows the operator to control the winch from a safe position away from the vehicle, which is crucial in turbulent water flow.

Waterproof damping bag: A damping bag made of specialized waterproof materials or heavy clothing that can be soaked in water to ensure effective damping of the trailer belt in water.

Rope extension strap: When the rescue vehicle cannot approach the river, the extension strap allows the winch or trailer strap to apply force from a greater distance.

Preparation work for vehicles before wading through water

If it is confirmed after evaluation that attempting to wade through water is possible, the following preparations need to be completed:

Turn off the electronic fan of the vehicle to prevent water from entering the fan blades and damaging the radiator. Some vehicles can remove the fan fuse.

Check and ensure that the extension pipes of all ventilation holes (front and rear axles, transmission, transfer case ventilation holes) are connected properly to prevent water from entering and damaging the oil.

Dismantling the belt should be done before heavy water immersion to prevent the water pump from reversing or the belt from slipping.

Leave a gap in the car window for emergency evacuation.

All valuable items in the car should be moved to a higher location, and electronic devices should be placed in waterproof bags.