Carry more than …just your paddle.

In every river running aspect, the chance of an emergency is always present. According to Murphy’s low, the least expected trouble, will happen at the least expected place, the only place in the whole river, where help is out of reach.
That’s why, every paddling team, should be prepared to face an emergency, like an injury, equipment damage or loss, even an unexpected biwac.

Team’s emergency supplies, must be well thought, to cover quite much everything and should be carried by an experienced member. It’s perhaps wiser for this paddler, not to lead those difficult rapids, so that the package stay safe.

Think of what you will carry, every single time. Think about the river, the weather, the Team.
Some questions to ask yourself

What river will you run?
• A creek? Make sure to have extra paddles and sticker stitches in the first aid kit. Pulleys, ropes and prussic cords could help in extraction cases. Biwi-bags and fire starters should be considered.
• Big water? Get a longer safety line and some warm clothes, as a swim will last longer. Internal communication with radio units can help in those long distances between the eddy before and the one after that huge rapid.

What's the weather like?
• Is it a cold winter day? Have a thermos of hot tea or chocolate with you
• Will it be a long sunny day? Get sunblock and more water(or water purification tablets)

• Does the Team have a novice member? Get ready for everything. Have another spare paddle, a spare boat, a spare car, spare nerves and time to spare. Don't be dispaired!
• Is the Team strong? It doesn't matter. Get everything with you, as always. Strange things happen to the best out there.

Beside the Team’s kit, every paddler should also have a Personal emergency pack with him.
You never know when you’ll be the only one close to a situation, or when you’ll end up alone in the river.

Take some time to figure out where to stock your stuff.
In the back of your boat? On you?
Some more thought on that:
Don’t leave any carabiners, or other stuff hanging loose on your PFD. These things can become a real danger if stacked while passing under a strainer. Have in your pocket everything you can’t afford to miss (like the car key). Have part of your z-drag tools in your pocket.

Keep a list of what you have inside your kit (same with the team’s kit) and check every time, what you have used, or is damaged and you need to replace.

Keep a list of your medicines, along with the basic instructions (what medicine is for which case, dosology, symptoms, etc). Everybody, trained or not, must be able to search the kit and find out what will be the right solution to the problem.