SESKStuff Everyone Should Know
SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/scout-reach-throw-row-go

What is the order of water rescue methods Scouts learn?

Reach, Throw, Row, Go.

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  1. Go, Row, Throw, Reach
  2. Throw, Reach, Go, Row
  3. Reach, Throw, Row, Go ✔

Why: Start with the safest rescue: reach with an arm, leg or object. Then throw something that floats, then use a boat. Going into the water is the last choice.

Huh, didn't know that: Go can also mean going for help when a rescue is too hard to do alone.

The dad joke
Why did the lifeguard bring a ladder? To take the rescue to the next level.
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References

Answer: Reach, Throw, Row, Go. Start with the safest rescue: reach with an arm, leg or object. Then throw something that floats, then use a boat. Going into the water is the last choice.

  1. Lifesaving merit badge pamphlet filestore.scouting.org/filestore/Merit_Badge_ReqandRes/Pamphlets/Lifesaving.pdf
    The Reach, Throw, Row, Go progression guides rescue planning.
    Checked 2026-10-09.

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Test yourself in the game

Outdoors & CampingBefore reaching from a dock to pull in a struggling swimmer, what should you do first?Outdoors & CampingWhat is Rule No. 1 for anyone trying to save a person in the water?Outdoors & CampingWhy should a rescue swimmer avoid touching a panicking swimmer?

That's stuff everyone should know.