K38 Water Safety Corporation

Shawn Alladio and K38 Water Safety continue to progress and evolve with training programs for open water, surfline, swiftwater, flood and flatwater conditions, as well as custom courses.  K38 Water Safety has thorough knowledge and expertise in all of these areas.

Shawn Alladio has personally been involved in over 8,000 hours of instruction and worked with over 400 various agencies, not including numerous seminars, assemblies and recreational activities or networking.  The student ratio is 6 students per every instructor with courses up to 24 students and covering 3 days of instruction.  Optional night operations exist for rescue and patrol work.

All K38 Water Safety instructors are certified by the National Safe Boating Council Instructors Course and use Personal Watercraft in their job applications.  Combined, these instructors have over 160 years of experience!  These highly trained professionals use their knowledge from actual field work and on the job rescues to assist and guide students from their own personal evaluations.  K38 instructors are actively working on various types of water safety management issues, from the public safety sector, to racing, to legislative involvement and solutions.  These people are actively involved in all facets of  Personal Watercraft use and issues that apply recreationally, occupationally and in management positions.

Brief History:  Shawn met Larry Giles (a Southern California Lifeguard) in 1994 and created a base of instructors with various backgrounds to fill the growing demand for water safety professionals.  Larry had at that point created a platform device used behind the PWC.  Shawn was in the process of developing her own concepts at this time.  Larry's agency was using Waverunners extensively off their beaches for rescue and patrol.  His board design was very versatile for both swiftwater and surfline applications. 

Victim Pick-Up:  
(Illustrated in the animated image above)

Operator and Rescuer always state verbally the following when getting underway: "Clear!" in a loud audible voice.  Proper communication is key to the success of your mission. 

1.  Operator approaches on a trackline towards victim (boat is 30' in advance on idle speed).  Operator is in 'standing position', making transition to bending position, using the leverage of their body not to injure their lower back or limbs.  All joints are in bending position, no shock loading of the joints. Operator tracks victim in current/swell/water action...

Rescuer is on Rescue Board, in kneeling position, close to the pump, helping 'trim' the boat for the operator...

2.  Operator makes audible contact with victim with verbal commands, "Give me your left hand," or such.  Practice firm voice commands and never allow the victim to take control of the situation.  Be firm and direct upon initial contact with an able bodied victim (If you have a situation that is high risk, you can drop of your rescuer, don their swim fins and make a swim contact.  Then after initial contact and assessment, when there is a safety threshold for the boat and operator, make a pick up of victim and rescuer...or rescuer will have to swim victim to a safety zone...)

Rescuer prepares for receiving victim by adjusting his body position.  Operator grabs victim's left hand if making a Port side contact, and right hand if making a Starboard side contact (caution: lanyard and throttle response can be delayed or halted).  Operator bends at lower waist, and gently guides victim towards the stern of the craft towards the rescue board and rescuer. 

Types of 'Grabs' or 'Assists:' Hand to hand; Elbow lock to forearm, or arm in bent position; Forearm to forearm.  (there is no right way due to situation issues, contact, timing and victim size, status all determine the best approach at hand)

Always Practice Port and Starboard Side Pickups:  
Never become dependent upon one side of the boat, balance your ability and skills by practicing various forms of 'pick-ups.'

Operator maintains control of vessel, watching for water/current/swell/wave/debris/action, trims boat with body position and throttle control.  Operator is not applying any throttle during this process.

3.  Operator transfers victim to the 'stern' of the craft to the rescuer who is in the receiving mode to transport victim.  Rescuer assists the victim by the hand, waist, thigh, leg, or underarm and places them face down onto the rescue board.  Rescuer then places one leg between the crotch of the victim and places both arms over the victims upper body or chest, or under the victims shoulder/arms to secure them to the deck of the rescue board.  Once in position, Rescuer and Operator communicate with an audible "Clear!"  If a problem occurs, rescuer will then stay with the victim either on the rescue board or exiting with victim back into the water depending upon the situation needs. Variations occur for large size victims, multiple victims or injuries/ behaviors; this is merely a training technique....

When you slow down your approach to the victim and when you exit the 'rescue zone' and apply throttle, there are various phases.  You will notice the boat changes phases from planing speed to displacement. Watch your 'stern and bow' wakes... using your body as 'trim' to maintain the V hull position and balance of the boat on the centerline or keel.  These phases of change are due to Operator technical ability, weather/water conditions, throttle response and weight factors.

The Rescue Board in conjunction with your boat, is a 'technical piece of equipment.'  It requires a proper training background in usage and a thorough operational ability of your boat and the various dynamics that apply to weight, trim, throttle, water and jet pump technology and boating knowledge. You should have strong swimming ability and thorough knowledge of the aquatic environment you are working in.

Note:  The 'trays,' (footwells)  while in a displacement position can fill up with water which will change the factor of handling the boat on an idle speed or no speed position, and could cause you to capsize your vessel if you are not observing all these factors.   This is a training  technique to practice skill building confidence, the reality of an actual rescue will be dependent up many factors...typically rescues and approaches are conducive to environmental factors and hazards, as well as victim status and limited capacities of other situation abilities. 

Note: This is a skill taught in a our professional course, these are skills developed over a period of time and in a structured environment  where safety is our first concern this is not to be used as a training aid. 

Rescue boards should be utilized with a 3 point anchor system to your boat for a 2-1 Safety Ratio for back-up.  Personnel should know when to go...when not to.

Recommendations:

-Set Water Safety Standards for your New Aquatic Response Team
-Adopt the USLA Water Safety Standards for your Water Response Team
-Set rigorous Water Safety Swim Standards and Tests for Personnel
-Make sure you have Proficiency Tests for Personnel (Seasonal)
-Know your equipment and waterways (Pre-op's, Post Op's, Seasonal)