Bronze Star – Inflates Clothes and Huddle

To successfully the water proficiency component of a Bronze Star course participants must demonstrate how-to inflates clothes and huddle. Participants must demonstrate a backward roll entry wearing a minimum of a shirt and long pants, swim 10 to 15 meters, remove and inflate pants and form a huddle with other participants for 1 minute. Participants learn these skills so that they can develop self-rescue skills while wearing clothes and be proficient in entering the water in emergency scenarios while wearing clothes. This exercise also provides candidates with a brief understanding of the difficulties of swimming while wearing clothes.

To successfully complete this component of the course participants must:

  • Swim the 15-meter distance wearing clothing without stopping.
  • Remove pants effectively and easily and properly inflate them.
  • Effectively communicate with other participants in the creation and formation of the huddle.
  • Participants must maintain the huddle position for at least 1 minute.

Additional Notes:

  • Participants should complete the entry, swim, inflation, and huddle all in one continuous sequence.
  • It is important for participants to understand that the first course of action when in cold water is to get out if the distance is not a factor.
  • Participants should experiment in the huddle position using a varying number of participants and other buoyant objects such as PFDs, lifesavers, cooler, kickboards, etc.

To successfully complete the Inflates Clothes and Huddle component of a Bronze Star course participants should have a strong understanding and be able to demonstrate the skills and knowledge mentioned above.