The current water levels on the Kennet provided Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS) with optimum conditions for the Caversham-based Water Rescue Unit (WRU) to practice at County Weir in Reading today.
Practising recovery from the top of the weir:
'Stranded' on the lip of the weir...
...retreived from upstream by a tethered rescuer...
...and returned to the bank above the weir. Note the barrages across the river in the background. It is apparently not uncommon for inebriated individuals to take a swim after trying to cross the top of these.
A managed 'swim' with a tethered rescuer:
Going...
...going,...
...gone.
Note that the eddy formed by the lock river right is the best direction to swim,...
...and provides a laddered climb out just below the weir. At lower levels than today's water there can be a strong tow-back river left.
A specialist WRU inflatable sled is used for rescue from above and below hazards:
Approaching a person stranded on a hazard from above...
...and rescuing from below, having shot the weir without hitting the person to be rescued...
...before towing to the eddy.
