# Go Rescue Aids

Part of the Lifesaving Merit Badge Digital Resource Guide: [Introduction & Overview](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/lifesaving/guide/index.md)

*Rowing & Go Rescues*

> **7.** List various items that can be used as aids in a "go" rescue. Explain why buoyant aids are preferred.

When you must enter the water to rescue someone — the "Go" in Reach-Throw-Row-Go — never go empty-handed. Bringing a rescue aid with you dramatically increases the safety of the rescue for both you and the victim. The type of aid you bring can mean the difference between a controlled rescue and a dangerous struggle.

### Buoyant Aids

Buoyant aids float. They provide additional support for both the rescuer and the victim, and they create a physical barrier between you and a panicking person.

**Rescue Tube:**
- A long, flexible foam tube (usually red or orange) with a strap and tow line.
- The standard tool for professional lifeguards.
- Can be wrapped around a victim's chest or held between rescuer and victim.
- Provides enough buoyancy to support two people.

**Rescue Buoy (Torpedo Buoy):**
- A hard, torpedo-shaped plastic float with handles and a tow line.
- The victim grabs the handles while the rescuer tows with the shoulder strap.
- Extremely buoyant and easy to present to a victim.

**Ring Buoy:**
- Can be thrown from shore or carried into the water.
- The victim holds onto the ring while the rescuer tows or swims alongside.

**Kickboard:**
- A pool training tool, but it floats and can be held between you and the victim.
- Not as buoyant as a rescue tube, but widely available at any pool.

**Life Jacket / PFD:**
- A spare life jacket can be handed to the victim for instant flotation.
- Requires the victim to be calm enough to put it on or at least hold it.

**Improvised Buoyant Aids:**
- Empty plastic jugs with caps sealed
- Sealed cooler
- Pool noodles (limited buoyancy but better than nothing)
- An inflated beach ball or inner tube
- Any air-filled, sealed container

![A collection of rescue aids arranged on a pool deck: rescue tube, torpedo buoy, ring buoy, kickboard, life jacket, and a sealed plastic jug](https://ik.imagekit.io/doulacoop/tr:w-800/mbu-assets/merit-badges/lifesaving/guide/buoyant-aids-lineup?v=944de61c)

### Nonbuoyant Aids

Nonbuoyant aids do not float, but they still serve an important purpose: they extend your reach in the water and provide something the victim can grab that is not your body.

**Towel or Shirt:**
- Extend one end to the victim while you hold the other.
- Useful for towing a calm, cooperative victim.
- Sinks eventually, so must be used quickly.

**Belt or Strap:**
- Similar to a towel — extend one end to the victim.
- Stronger and less likely to rip than a wet shirt.

**Rope or Line:**
- Can be used to tow a victim while you swim.
- Must be careful not to entangle yourself or the victim.

### Why Buoyant Aids Are Preferred

This is the core of the requirement, and there are several clear reasons:

**1. Flotation for the victim.** A panicking victim's primary need is to keep their head above water. A buoyant aid meets that need instantly. The moment the victim grabs a rescue tube or buoy, they can breathe — and a victim who can breathe can start to calm down.

**2. Separation from the victim.** A buoyant aid placed between you and the victim acts as a barrier. The victim grabs the aid instead of grabbing you. This is critical because a panicking person will instinctively climb on top of anything — including their rescuer — pushing them underwater.

**3. Energy conservation.** Swimming while towing a person is exhausting. A buoyant aid supports the victim's weight, meaning you are only towing the drag of the aid through the water — not carrying a person.

**4. Support for the rescuer.** If you become fatigued during the rescue, a buoyant aid keeps both of you afloat while you rest and recover.

**5. Works with unconscious victims.** An unconscious victim cannot grab a towel or hold a rope. But a rescue tube can be wrapped around their chest to keep them at the surface while you tow them in.

> **Safety First!**
>
> The single most important rule of a "Go" rescue: **always bring a buoyant aid.** A swimming rescue without a flotation device puts you in extreme danger. If you cannot find anything buoyant, seriously reconsider whether you should enter the water at all.

> **Tip**
>
> For your counselor discussion, prepare a list of at least five buoyant aids and three nonbuoyant aids. Then explain in your own words why buoyancy makes such a difference. Connecting the concept to the instinctive drowning response (the victim's need to stay at the surface) shows deep understanding.

> **Did You Know?**
>
> The modern rescue tube was invented in the 1960s by a lifeguard named Pete Peterson. Before that, lifeguards used heavy metal rescue cans that weighed over 10 pounds — difficult to swim with and dangerous if they hit a victim. Peterson's lightweight foam tube revolutionized water rescue.

[American Red Cross — Lifeguarding Resources](https://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/lifeguarding): Information about lifeguard training, including the equipment used in professional water rescue.

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- Previous: [Rowing Rescue](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/lifesaving/guide/req6/index.md)
- Next: [Buoyant Aid Rescues](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/lifesaving/guide/req8/index.md)