A water rescue device which can be easily secured to the arm of a victim, thereby, enabling the victim to be pulled from the water without having to grasp onto the device is provided. The water rescue device has a floatation member with an aperture extending therethrough to receive the victim's arm, a belt having an adjustment means to allow the belt to be secured to the victim's arm, an attachment means for securing the belt to the floatation member and a rescue line attached to the adjustment means. A rescuer, while holding onto the rescue line, can throw the flotation member to the victim. The victim can place his or her arm through the aperture in the flotation member. Once the victim has placed his or her arm through the aperture, the rescuer can pull on the rescue line causing the adjustment means to secure the belt to the victim's arm. And, then the rescuer can use the rescue line to pull the victim from the water.

A life ring is disclosed which is adapted to fit generally about the waist of a person and to secure their arms so as to prevent them from accidentally slipping out of the ring as they are pulled from the water. The life ring comprises a generally rigid inner ring with a flexible outer ring located externally around the same. The outer ring is adaptably secured to the inner ring and the two rings are disposed a spaced distance apart. The iner ring has an approximately circular outer circumference and an approximately circular central aperture extending therethrough. The outer ring includes a mechanism for varying the circumference of the same. The outer ring is also adapted to attach to a towing or hoisting rope. The person enters the aperture within the inner ring and positions their arms in the space between the inner and outer rings. As tension is applied to the towing rope, the circumference of the outer ring is varied, and the outer and inner rings engage about the arms of the person thereby securing the person within the life ring.

A flotation device for rescue of individuals in distress in static or swift water or under icy conditions. A preferred embodiment includes a throwable disk having an annular groove wherein the disk is divisible into a pair of separate, positively buoyant subassemblies. A web-like harness is stowed in a recess within each subassembly and a line is fixed at one end to the harness. In the nondeployed condition, the line is wrapped, spool-like, about an annular groove in the disk, thereby holding the subassemblies together. In use, a rescuer holds the free end of the line in one hand and, with the other, throws the disk in the direction of the person to be rescued. During flight, the line unwinds from the disk. Desirably, the disk is thrown beyond the person in distress to be subsequently drawn by the rescuer toward that person. When the line has been unwound from the disk, the subassemblies separate and the harness is pulled out of the storage recesses in the subassemblies. At this point, the separated subassemblies float on the water surface, with the harness deployed between them.

A floatation device in the shape of a throwable airfoil, similar to the shape of a FRISBEE.RTM. brand toy, which can also be used as a cushion to sit upon. The device is comprised of a supporting structure which attaches to a bottom surface of a floatation structure. The supporting structure is preferably constructed of semi-rigid material which functions to maintain the proper shape of the device and is provided with a handle which is gripped by a person in order to throw the device. The floatation structure is preferably constructed of a soft, resilient material, such as polyvinyl chloride foam. The device is optionally provided with straps, arm holes, and central openings for holding onto the device when in the water and, optionally, provided with a bumper ring and a retractable handle mechanism for cushioning the impact of the device.