The Safety Break

Cumberland Blues 28.04.2026 37:55 ↓

A paddler encounters a surprising entrapment scenario on the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River. 

Beacon Village 15.09.2025 37:34 ↓

Paddlers join forces to help save their neighbors trapped by the rising floodwaters of the Swannanoa River. 

Blind Drop 16.07.2025 28:20 ↓

A hidden strainer creates a day of carnage on Overflow Creek in Georgia. 

Gambling with all the Marbles 27.05.2025 33:09 ↓

A solo paddler encounters a hidden strainer in the spring runoff of the Beartooth Mountains of Montana.

A Conversation with Charlie Walbridge 30.04.2025 37:43 ↓

Charlie Walbridge describes his career of river safety education, his work with the AW Accident Database, and recent conservation efforts involving Big Sandy Creek. 

Big Splat 04.04.2025 42:42 ↓

A missed roll leads to an upside down run over a waterfall, directly onto a rock. We'll discuss management of multi-system trauma in the wilderness, plus a bonus story from Jeff Snyder describing one his best screw-ups on Big Sandy Creek, from his early days of cutting edge paddling. 

The Right Place at the Right Time 14.12.2024 37:55 ↓

A successful live-bait rescue and resuscitation on the Green River Narrows.

Testing the Waters 30.10.2024 38:07 ↓

Returning to the rivers of Western NC after Hurricane Helene.

Risk and Reward on the Russell Fork 14.10.2024 40:53 ↓

A close call in an undercut rock on the Russell Fork Gorge, plus some history of the race and the annual river rendezvous.

Royally Screwed 17.04.2024 35:05 ↓

A cold water immersion and entrapment on California's Royal Gorge.

The No Fall Zone 16.03.2024 27:53 ↓

A high water swim on the North Fork of the Payette

We just saw it from a different point of view: Tangled up in the leash debate 14.12.2023 37:37 ↓

Exploring the issue of paddleboard leash entanglement. Cover photo by Paul Clark.

The Saluda Boys, Green Race Safety, Part 4 25.10.2023 20:44 ↓

A conversation with one of the legendary Green Race safety crew. Cover photo by Todd McGinnis.

The Safety Net, Green Race Safety, Part 3 20.10.2023 24:12 ↓

A look at the complicated logistics of Green Race safety.

The Mental Edge: Green Race Safety, Part 2 20.10.2023 25:35 ↓

Tackling the mental and physical challenges of Green Race preparation.

Go Left and Die: Green Race Safety, Part 1 13.10.2023 24:08 ↓

A hard crash and entrapment during a race practice lap.

Picking Up the Pieces: Shoulder Dislocations, Part 2 01.10.2023 23:57 ↓

An interview about shoulder health and rehabilitation after injury.

Up Against the Wall, a Shoulder Dislocation on the Stikine, Part 1 12.09.2023 35:35 ↓

A paddler confronts a shoulder injury deep in the Canadian wilderness. All about shoulder dislocations and how to fix them.

Resurgence 13.05.2023 35:51 ↓

A whitewater athlete finds his way back to the river after a life-changing accident.

Behind the Curtain on the Agua Azul 25.03.2023 37:31 ↓

A paddler is trapped behind the curtain of a large waterfall, with no clear way to escape.  After more than an hour, his friends reach him using a live bait rescue technique.

A Glance at the Abyss, Part 2: Resuscitation 16.02.2023 27:37 ↓

A close look at the resuscitation of a drowning victim on the Jalacingo, and essential CPR education.

A Glance at the Abyss, Part 1: Submersion on the Jalacingo 07.02.2023 24:43 ↓

A paddler has a brush with death after a prolonged submersion. Once his friends retrieve him from the water, there's some serious work to be done to bring him back. Part 1 of 2, examining drowning resuscitation.

Sieve Extraction on the Rio Topo 17.01.2023 28:29 ↓

A paddler clings for his life to a watery perch while his group desperately tries to reach him in the Ecuadorian jungle.

The Safety Break Trailer 11.12.2022 2:25 ↓

Welcome to The Safety Break, the whitewater rescue podcast. Full episodes coming soon...