Ice Rescue Awareness & EMS Objectives 2027
EMS Specific Objectives:
Drowning: patient handling
- Explain cold shock and cold stress in terms of patients and rescuers.
- Explain the hypothermia curve and how we can use its information to prevent rescuer hypothermia and cold stress.
- Describe the process and function of shivering and explain the problems of shivering in the water.
- Explain the difference between heat loss in air and in water.
- Explain the process of vasoconstriction due to cold, and describe the functions and problems caused by this vasoconstriction.
- Explain how cold stress and hypothermia can result in hypovolemia.
- Define cold and immersion diuresis.
- Explain why rescuers working in the water or ice, should have their pulse and blood pressure checked before and after the rescue. What should be done with this information.
- Explain why hypertension and asthma are contraindications for in water/ice rescue jobs.
- Explain why rescuers should splash their face with water or "kiss the water Hello" before performing the rescue.
- Describe at least three major causes of drowning in the U.S. for both adults and children.
- Define near, long term and cold water drowning.
- Describe traumatic, dry and wet drowning in terms of mechanism and physiological process.
- Explain what happens to an accidental cold water immersion victim in terms of respiratory minute and blood pressure changes, end tidal carbon dioxide partial pressure, gasping and aspiration, cold induced diuresis, hypothermia, metabolism, the cardiovascular system, and drowning.
- Define laryngospasm with its function as it relates to drowning and near drowning.
- Explain the difference between dry and wet drowning.
- Explain how foam is formed in a drowning victim airway, and why it sometimes is mixed with blood.
- Describe the immersion hypothermia reflex.
- Explain why patients must be handled exceedingly gently to prevent ventricular fibrillation.
- List four problems with administering intravenous medications to a long term drowning victim.
- Explain the pros and cons of administering ALS pre hospital care instead of BLS
LGS Surface Ice Rescue (EMS Specific Objectives, Tender & Rescuer awareness classroom only, no hands on) January 24, 2026, 0800 hrs to 1200 hrs. Course fee $50.00 per student *. Balance is due at the beginning of the class and is payable whether or not you attend or complete the class. The only exception to this may be made at the discretion of Bayport FD Engine Company 1 and may be made if we are able to replace you with another student prior to the class. Payment along with this reservation form by voucher, PO Order or check will guarantee your position in the class.
Event Information
| Event Date | 01-23-2027 8:00 am |
| Event End Date | 01-23-2027 12:00 pm |
| Cut Off Date | 01-21-2027 7:00 am |
| Capacity | 30 |
| Registered | 0 |
| Available Place | 30 |
| Individual Price | $50.00 |
| Location | Bayport Fire Department Headquarters |
Speakers
Butch Hendrick
President / Founder
As President & Founder of Lifeguard Systems, Butch has been teaching, developing rescue procedures and performing surface and subsurface water rescues for over 30 years in 15 countries. He and his family started and ran one of the first scuba resorts in the Caribbean in Puerto Rico. They were innovators, pioneers, and leaders in the sport diving industry. They installed and ran the only nonmilitary hyperbaric chamber in the Caribbean. Hendrick performed many rescues of divers and other people in the water, and he started the first diving rescue team in the area. Butch had his boat Captains license before he had his driver’s license. He went on to develop many of the procedures used and taught today such as the rescue do-si-do and in-water mouth to mouth for scuba accidents. He developed many Island safety emergency management plans and safety protocols, such as those used today by the Cayman Islands and Bonaire.
In the 1970’s Butch established the training program, and conducted the dive training for FDNY Rescue Companies dive teams, including, in 1991, the FDNY diver instructor training course. He has trained other noted teams such as FDNY Rescue Companies, U.S. Parks Dept., Washington DC FAA, South African Paramedics Dive Team, and hundreds of other fire, police, EMS, and military teams.
Published over 300 times, Hendrick is a noted International public speaker, and expert.
Hendrick has been training public safety dive teams, sport divers, and rescue personnel for over 35 years in over 15 countries. He is a major innovator and contributor to the water rescue industry. He is one of the most important fathers of diver safety education, always striving for increased safety standards.
President and founder of Lifeguard Systems, Inc., an international rescue and recovery training company. Lifeguard Systems is the oldest Public Safety Diving and Ice Rescue Training company with the same continuous owner and President in the United States.
President and founder of RIPTIDE, Inc, a nonprofit organization dedicated to drowning prevention, drowning victim recovery, and homicidal drowning investigation.
Butch’s credentials include:
- Expert Legal Witness for diving and other water-related incidents
- Homicidal Drowning Investigation, assists law enforcement and private citizens with homicidal drowning investigations
- Numerous Media Interviews
Andrea Zaferes
Vice President
Andrea began teaching diving with Dr. Lee Somers and Karl Huggins at the University of Michigan’s Scientific Diving Program. She served as a Diving Safety Officer for the American Museum of Natural History’s Animal Behavior Research Department, and had three research papers published by the age of 22. She took her first diving rescue course at age 16 with Walt Butch Hendrick. Since that time she has become Vice President of Lifeguard Systems Inc. and RIPTIDE Inc, a course director and instructor trainer, a well published author, a noted public speaker, an award winner, a program designer, and is one of the leading trainers in the international water rescue and recovery industries today.
Andrea teaches over hundreds of police, fire, EMS, military, and USCG personnel annually throughout the U.S., Canada, Asia, and Caribbean.
Andrea, Vice President of Lifeguard Systems and RIPTIDE, a NAUI & ACUC course director, and a PADI, DAN, and Red Cross Instructor, teaches approximately 1000 surface rescue and dive personnel annually. She co-authored with Walt Hendrick such videos and books as Surface Ice Rescue,
Scuba Instructor Readiness Series, Field Neurological Evaluations, Public Safety Dive Operations, Blackwater Contingency, and Homicidal Drowning Investigator, was the managing editor of SORTIE Magazine, she manages the www.wateroperation.com discussion group, and has over 100 published articles. She is a noted public speaker, is an award winner, and is a NYS EMT. Her main mission is to keep you alive and well.
Andrea’s credentials include:
- Expert Legal Witness for diving and other water-related incidents
- Homicidal Drowning Investigation, assists law enforcement and private citizens with homicidal drowning investigations
- Numerous Media Interviews
Barry Lipsky
Instructor
- NAUI Technical Diver
- TDI Decompression Diver #310402
- Trelleborg Diving in High Risk Environments
- Trelleborg Chemical Testing on Dry Suits
- Dive Rescue International Boat Based Operations & Current Diving
- Lifeguard Systems Overturned Vessel Dive Training
- Emergency Medical Technician
- OSHA 10 hour
- Lifeguard Systems PSD Ice Diving
- 2004 – current Bayport Fire Department: Lieutenant Water Rescue, Dive Instructor
- 2008 – current Long Island Divers Association, Vice President
- 2003 – current The Dive Club of Bayshore
- 2000 _ current Boy Scouts of America Dive Advisor, Sea Base Florida
- 1977 – current Professional Ski Instructors of America