Oceans, lakes, ditches, pools: Water is everywhere in your jurisdiction, but it’s the survival scenario no one practices. You run through active shooter and car stop drills in your head, but how often do you truly simulate an attacker shoving you—in full duty gear—into water?
From Calibre Press: Surviving a Fight in Water
When you’re running through officer survival scenarios in your head, how often are you imagining a scenario when you’re in full duty gear and plunged into water by an assailant? You may think that if you’re not assigned to a marine unit, that concern is irrelevant or excessive, but think about the potential exposure you may have to water in your jurisdiction when you consider oceans, bays, rivers, lakes, creeks, ponds, reservoirs, drainage ditches, canals, even backyard swimming pools.
Here are some tips from longtime trainer Dave Young, co-founder and Vice President of Training at Vistelar and a water survival expert, to help you react quickly and get back in the fight—if that’s to your advantage—if you’re shoved into water:
- Before you hit the water, make an effort to remember to take in air.
- As you fall forward, tuck your chin, close your mouth, and do whatever you can to protect your head and firearm from the attacker.
- When you hit the water, try not to surface quickly. Seize the initiative by taking your attacker under the water. He will probably not be ready for a sudden forced immersion and will likely panic. Use this against him.
- The farther you take a combative subject down from the surface, the harder it will be for him to focus on attacking you. You can also use this tactic on subjects who try to climb or jump on you…pull them down. Use the advantage of their sudden panic to get them to release you, then swim to the surface.
- If you want to disengage, creating distance of 12 feet should be your minimum goal. That’s about four to six freestyle strokes. If you need to reengage, the fight now is more likely to be on your terms, with your choice of positioning, grips and weapons.
- Remember that surviving a fight in water takes a lot more than knowing how to swim and tread water. So you don’t end up the one who panics, practice your skills in the water with the weight and bulk of full duty gear (use a facsimile gun, OC, radio, and an old, out-of-duty vest since this equipment can be damaged by water.) Practice controlling and stabilizing struggling suspects in water deep enough that you can’t touch bottom. Practice grips and grabs, empty hand strikes and other force options under these conditions. Train to use weapons and your radio while treading water and—especially important—learn how to disengage from an attack by swimming, treading and submerging.
Chances are you will someday do your job next to or near water and you never know when the unexpected will plunge you into or under it. Be sure you’re prepared to handle that scenario.
Ever been in a fight in water? Were you ready for it? Any additional thoughts to share…ways to prepare? Things to be ready for? LET US KNOW! E-mail us at: editor@calibrepress.com
