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                                     Rescueswimmer     Missions    Training 

The missions assigned to the squadron can  roughly be divided to search-, rescue- MedEvac-, surveillance and executive assistance missions (fire departments  and the police for instance). The majority of the missions head to the sea, where the charctaristics of the job is very dependent on the prevailing weather conditions. Darkness, coldness, stormy winds and high waves effect directly to how hard the job is to the rescueswimmer. Due to the cold waters we use drysuits almost through the year.

Other problems are caused by the helicopter itself. For example: the strong downwash from the mainrotor causes the sprayeffect, which makes the visibility quite poor during hoists from the water.

Winching is always the last option (though sometimes the only option) on a rescuemission. When the the patients or victims are to be hoisted to safety,  we use  simple stropes or a specific stretcher designed also for a safe hoist ("RescuePac"). The rescueswimmer comes up with the victim as a”double hoist” or stays down on scene controlling the hoist with a quideline.