Flood Preparedness Training and Exercises

Preparedness is the key to provide an effective response to drowning, whether it is a single person at risk of drowning through unplanned entry into water or a larger number through a disaster such as flooding. Preparedness is achieved by training and exercise. There is increased awareness that water search and rescue response needs to become more effective as worldwide flood risks grow [1]. Teams identified as water incident responders need training and exercises to acquire and consolidate the knowledge, skills and behaviour that are needed to deliver a safe, effective response. This should be a cyclic and holistic process that allows to approach to identify gaps and barriers that reduce the effectiveness.