The effect of emergency breathing systems during helicopter underwater escape training for land force troops

• Published in: Safety science Vol. 47; no. 8; pp. 1129 - 1138
• Main Authors: Taber, Michael J., McCabe, John
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier India Pvt Ltd 01.10.2009; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Emergency breathing system; Functional task analysis; Helicopter underwater escape training; Medical sciences; Prevention and actions; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Specific populations (family, woman, child, elderly...); Troop transport; Canada; North America; America; Helicopter underwater escape training; Troop transport; Emergency breathing system; Functional task analysis; Human; Army; Helicopter; Accident; Person evacuation; Submersion; Emergency; Wreck
• ISSN: 0925-7535; 1879-1042
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ssci.2008.12.002

A functional task analysis was carried out for 12 troops during helicopter underwater escape training (HUET) to identify performance difficulties while egressing from a submerged and capsized helicopter simulator. Troops and qualified HUET instructors rated performance during 22 trials of specific skill sets known to aid personnel in the event of a helicopter ditching into water. Results indicate that troops took considerably longer to egress through a forward exit and experienced fewer difficulties when using an emergency breathing system (EBS). Results further indicated that without an EBS, only 58% of the troops successfully escaped whereas 100% escaped unaided when using an EBS. To maximize survival rates in the event of a ditching, it can be concluded that all troops should be issued and trained to use an EBS.