Students should bring three unlined clothing layers (base, middle, outer), as used in canoeing, coasteering, sailing or other adventure sports. High visibility clothes would be an advantage.

Kit List

The following equipment is needed by each student for proper survival swimming sessions:

This will get wet:

1. T-shirts (long and short sleeves).
2. Hoodie, sweatshirt or pullover.
3. Trousers, cargo pants or jeans.
4. Anorak and rain pants or overall.
5. Trainers or sports shoes and socks.
6. Poncho as shelter and changing room.
7. Sleeping mat as float and for sitting on.
8. Rucksack (see below) with three large heavy-duty plastic bags (for food, clothing and sleeping bag).
   
   This should be kept dry in waterproof bags:
   
9. A large beach towel
10. Plenty to eat and drink.
11. Sleeping bag (mission-dependent).
12. Dry clothes and shoes to change into afterwards.

Students will wear full gear during training and testing unless otherwise instructed in this publication. "Full gear" means two long sleeve tops, trousers, socks and boots, a helmet where required, and a waterproofed rucksack which will be used as a flotation device. A sleeping bag and sleeping mat will be externally attached to the rucksack.

A waterproof rucksack allows you to swim across to an island, change into dry clothes, have a meal and spend the night in a dry sleeping bag. Comes the morning your wet clothes have dried so you can pack up and swim back or onwards to another island.

If properly waterproofed, all rucksacks have enough flotation potential to keep even the largest camping equipped student afloat. Therefore, a rucksack becomes an asset during water survival training. The rucksack is waterproofed with plastic bags.

Waterproofing Your Rucksack

To waterproof and secure the rucksack, use the following procedures:

Arrange all gear neatly inside a plastic bag with the most commonly used items on top. Fold or roll clothing. Press the bag tightly to squeeze out excess air. Use a series of folds to form a watertight seal of the bag, and keep the folds in place with a rubber band. Place the bag inside the rucksack. Close the drawstrings of the rucksack as tightly as possible.

Place the sleeping bag inside a plastic bag, and press out excess air. Use a series of folds to form a watertight seal of the bag, and keep the folds in place with a rubber band. Place the bag inside the waterproof bag. Tie the waterproof bag closed as tightly as possible, ensuring that the plastic bag is entirely inside. Securely attach the waterproof bag to the back of the rucksack under the closing adjustment straps.

Securely attach the sleeping mat to the top of the rucksack under the closing adjustment straps. You should now have a waterproof bag that will float. You can either wear it on your back or tow it behind you.

Lifeguard and Safety Equipment

A qualified lifeguard must be on duty at all times during water survival training. The lifeguard must have a current American Red Cross Lifeguard Training certificate and must be certified in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

The following safety items should be on-site while conducting water survival training:

• Whistle.
• Reaching pole.
• Throw line.
• Ring buoy.
• Spinalboard with tie-down straps.
• Cervical collar.
• First aid kit.

The length and width distance requirements for the exercise in this section are based on a pool 25 meters long by 15 meters wide. For larger or smaller pools, instructors will adjust accordingly.