This practice covers the recommended water rescue procedure for performing the heat escape lessening posture (HELP) position and HUDDLE position for groups (see further below).

You sometimes may be immersed in cold water for prolonged periods of time or shore is too far away, rescue is not imminent, no boat is available to get into or on top of, and no flotsam is available.

If you are wearing a life jacket or PFD (Personal Flotation Device) or buoyant clothing, your survival time can be increased by adopting the HELP position. This position somewhat protects the core areas of the body from rapid heat loss.

If you fall into the water without protective clothing or a survival suit, it is only a matter of time before your body temperature drops enough to render you unconscious and you become a victim of hypothermia.

You can prolong your survival time. If you’re alone, you should adopt the heat-escape-lessening posture (HELP), which involves leaning back against the collar of your life jacket and folding your arms across the front of the jacket to hug it close to your body. You should cross your legs below the knees and draw them up toward your chest as high as you can. In this way, you will trap as much heat as possible within the immediate vicinity of your body.

1. Keep your legs together
2. Press both arms against your upper body
3. Keep your head out of the water

   This position protects the body's three major areas of heat loss (groin, head/neck, and rib cage/armpits). Wearing a life jacket or holding on to a buoyant aid allows you to draw your knees to your chest and your arms to your sides.

This fun activity teaches the importance of staying together in a group in case of an emergency. Huddling with other people in the water lessens the loss of body heat and is good for morale.

Also, rescuers can spot a group more easily than individuals in a large area of water. If you drift apart, rescuers may not find all of you.

The HUDDLE position is useful for small groups wearing life jackets. It works on the same principle as the HELP position by reducing the loss of body heat.

This is an especially valuable survival technique for children, who develop hypothermia more quickly than adults. Medical researchers say the huddle position can increase your survival time by 50 percent.

Preparation

Get your group to put on two or three layers of clothes, including hooded garments like anoraks or hoodies. You loose 1/3 of you body heat from your unprotected head.

Always wear your life jacket. Even if you become helpless from hypothermia, your life jacket will help keep you afloat. If you don't have life vests, use a buoyant aid like a rescue ring, car tire tube or such.

Start Floating

Jump into the pool and get into a ring-shaped "huddle" position to practice staying afloat as a group.

The younger children go into the middle of the group while everyone else gets as close as possible, holding on to one another by wrapping their legs together and putting their arms around each other.

1. Hold on to buoyant bits
2. Press the sides of your bodies together
3. Put your arms around each other's backs at waist or shoulder level
4. Keep a positive outlook - it will increase your survival chances.

   If you are one of two or more people in the water, you should all huddle closely together with your arms around each other’s shoulders and your chests in contact. Wrap your legs around each other to maintain body contact.

Use life jackets and buoyant bits to help you float.