White water rafting is a high-risk water sport. Life jackets (PFD) are essential safety equipment, which can greatly improve the probability of survival when falling into the water. **If you are not wearing a life jacket, it is strongly recommended to cancel or postpone the event**. If it must be carried out due to extreme special circumstances, the following strict measures need to be taken to reduce the risk, but it still needs to be clear: **These measures cannot replace the role of life jackets, and the risk is extremely high.**. --- ###**Risk control measures in emergency situations** 1. **Choose waters of very low difficulty** - Only **Class I (still water or extremely slow flowing water)**, avoid any rapids, whirlpools or obstacles. Even a slight current of water can cause drowning. -**Absolutely avoid **White water of Class II and above (such as waves, rocky areas). 2. **Teamwork and equipment replacement** -**Multiple people must travel together**, and at least one experienced guide must carry rescue equipment such as life jackets and ropes. -Temporarily use **inflatable floats** (such as waterproof bags, bundled and fixed after inflation) or **empty plastic buckets** as floating aids, but the stability is extremely poor. 3. **Strict environmental assessment** -**The water temperature is higher than 25℃**: Cold water can easily cause hypothermia, muscle spasms, and accelerate physical exhaustion. -**Stable weather**: Avoid rainy days, floods or low visibility. 4. **Self-help skills preparation** -Practice **Supine floating posture** in advance (face up, mouth and nose exposed to the water, breathe slowly to save energy). -Learn to identify the **reflow area** (may help to get close to the shore), but it is difficult to effectively use the water flow without a life jacket. 5. **Emergency plan** -Make sure that at least two people carry waterproof communication equipment (satellite phones, walkie-talkies), and inform the shore personnel in advance of the detailed itinerary and estimated return time. -Bring a simple first aid kit, including a tourniquet and thermal insulation blanket. --- ###**Risk warning** -**Legal and ethical responsibilities**: Laws in many regions stipulate that life jackets must be worn for rafting, and violations may lead to legal liability. -**Physiological limit**: Even if you are good at swimming, the weight of clothes in the rapids can increase by more than 20 kg after absorbing water, and ordinary people can only maintain buoyancy for a few minutes. -**Fatal cases**: According to statistics, more than 90% of white-water drowning accidents are directly related to the failure to wear a life jacket. --- **Highly recommended**： Postpone activities until you get a life jacket, or choose a safer alternative (such as still water boating). The safety of life is much higher than the urge to take temporary risks.