What strategies do rescue teams employ to navigate a city submerged by floodwaters?

On an otherwise normal Friday in August 2011, few Pittsburgh residents took notice as light rain began to fall. However, the situation quickly escalated as the rain turned into a torrential downpour, causing water levels to rise to 9 feet (nearly 3 meters) during rush hour, transforming city streets into dangerous, fast-moving rivers filled with debris.

Drivers who had been caught by the sudden flood managed to escape from their stalled cars, seeking refuge on rooftops, trees, and utility poles, as rescuers — most in regular uniforms instead of water-specific gear — scrambled to find boats, borrowing them from nearby marinas to carry out life-saving operations in a scene described by survivors as "chaotic."

A 45-year-old woman and her two daughters, ages 12 and 8, tragically drowned after their vehicle became trapped against a tree by rapidly rising floodwaters. Emergency responders passed over the submerged vehicle while rescuing a man clinging to a tree; the car had completely sunk, disappearing beneath the murky water. Days later, the body of a 70-year-old woman, who had been missing during the flood, was discovered, nearly carried out to sea. [sources: Associated Press, Associated Press]

The devastating flash floods prompted Pittsburgh's emergency teams to adopt new strategies for accessing rescue equipment and receiving specialized training. Now, inflatable boats, life jackets, and rescue gear are strategically positioned along flood-prone routes. In addition, responders undergo specialized training to form swift water rescue teams, capable of navigating the city during flash floods. [source: KDKA]

When another intense deluge hit Pittsburgh in July 2013, the city was ready for a much more effective response. Emergency crews, which included cross-trained members from fire, police, and ambulance teams, swiftly conducted over a dozen water rescues. Thanks to these preparations, no deaths or injuries occurred during the flash flooding. As the waters receded, it was evident that faster response times had made a significant impact. [source: Navratil]

Pittsburgh's approach, as well as that of numerous other communities, has shifted away from outdated floodwater rescue systems that depend on a small group of elite responders. Now, teams with basic water rescue training are able to save more lives during flash floods, leaving specialized teams for more perilous rescue operations.

This change in strategy began after the critical lessons learned from the personnel-strained response to flooding during Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. Over 1,800 people lost their lives in New Orleans and Mississippi, many due to drowning in floodwaters. [sources: Hurricane Katrina Relief, Schleifstein] The devastation of Hurricane Katrina also sparked a vital question: How can a flooded city be quickly searched for survivors?

Building, Training, and Deploying Flood Rescue Teams

While hurricanes, tornadoes, and lightning can cause immense destruction, floods—especially inland floods that inundate urban areas—remain the leading weather-related cause of death in the U.S.

Floods claim nearly as many lives annually as hurricanes, tornadoes, and lightning combined, underscoring the urgency of effective flood response [source: Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner].

Flood rescue teams often consist of local and regional responders, such as fire, police, or ambulance personnel trained in water rescue, or volunteers with similar skills and knowledge.

Additionally, specialized teams of highly trained flood rescuers can be activated for large-scale responses. The U.S. National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) sets the training standards for these teams, using its Technical Rescuer Professional Qualifications manual as a guide for rescue procedures [source: Turnbull].

Proficiency in rope skills, including knot tying and setting up rope systems, is essential for an effective water rescue team. Teams also need to know how to safely use a rescue stretcher, or 'litter,' and return it with a person aboard to the watercraft. Standard equipment like whistles, megaphones, extra life jackets, rain gear, lanterns, and flares are always kept on hand [source: North Carolina Department of Public SafetyIRIN News].

Rescue teams must navigate their boats through urban flood zones, avoiding obstacles like buildings, cars, hidden hazards, and dangerous debris. Floodwaters are often contaminated with sewage and chemicals, and they can flow rapidly and unpredictably, with currents shifting due to obstacles in the water [sources: Environmental Protection Agency, IRIN News].

Before a rescue operation begins, teams must identify the areas most likely to flood. Rescuers rely on maps to locate flood zones and also need to figure out how to find survivors when landmarks are washed away. People trapped in floods may struggle to communicate their location without familiar reference points.

In some cases, teams are dispatched in response to distress calls received by local emergency services. Information from on-site volunteers can help pinpoint those trapped by floodwaters. Teams may also get support from aerial reconnaissance, like helicopters, which search flooded areas from above to spot stranded individuals. This approach goes far beyond simply cruising flooded streets in a boat to find survivors.

Flood Rescue Teams in Action

Survivors of the flood may find refuge in unexpected places, like the second floor of an office building that has transformed into a temporary pool. In other cases, homeowners might climb onto their rooftops to escape the rising waters below.

Rescuing victims from floodwaters goes beyond simply maneuvering a boat toward a building. The strong current makes transferring someone from a stable surface to a boat a dangerous task, requiring rescuers to study hydrology—the science of water, including its behavior under various conditions [source: United States Geological Survey].

Understanding the behavior of fast-moving water in narrow channels is crucial for rescuers. They must know how to angle their boat to avoid fighting against the current, and they need to be able to read the water's surface to identify hidden hazards like submerged posts or vehicles.

To improve safety, floodwater rescue teams often send one member upstream (or up the street, depending on the situation) to alert others of approaching large debris. Crew members stationed downstream hold ropes to assist anyone who might fall into the water before they can board the rescue boat.

Flood rescue teams are trained to execute precise techniques, such as sending a second boat upstream to create an eddy — a circular current that flows against the fast-moving floodwaters — allowing the rescue boat to stay steady against a building while rescuers help survivors aboard.

The rescue process is repeated until all stranded individuals are brought to safety. Rescue boats can only carry three or four passengers along with the crew, so priority is given to the young, elderly, and injured—sometimes providing first aid during the trip. If anyone falls into the water while waiting for rescue, a spotter on the boat will keep them in view until they can be pulled out.

Once the rescued individuals reach land, they are transferred to relief agencies that provide food, shelter, and other necessary aid following a natural disaster [source: IRIN News].