USNWC Swiftwater Rescue Courses

Swiftwater and Flood Rescue Awareness Level Course

This four hour comprehensive presentation provides students essential knowledge and is a must for any support staff faced with a swiftwater or flood event.  This course can be offered at the home site of your department or at the U.S. National Whitewater Center.

COURSE CONTENT INCLUDES:

  • Recognizing the need for water search and rescue
  • Implementing the assessment phase
  • Identifying resources necessary to conduct water rescues
  • Pre-planning and mitigation
  • Hazards and hydrology
  • Determining rescues vs. recoveries
  • Understanding equipment need to perform water rescues

PREREQUITES:

  • No prerequisites required

OTHER COURSE INFORMATION:

  • $45 per person
  • Experience Level:  Beginner
  • Duration: 4hrs
  • Course Capacity: 10 – 100 participants
  • Courses outside our 100 mile radius will incur a travel fee

COURSE AVAILABILITY:

  • Contact us at apeeler@usnwc.org to set up a course for your team
  • Course offered by request only

USNWC Swiftwater and Flood Rescue I: Technician

This intensive two day course is the first part of a five day course.  We will focus on recognition and avoidance of common river hazards, execution of self-rescue techniques, and simple rescue methods used in team dynamics.  The USNWC Swiftwater and Flood Rescue I course meets and exceeds the NFPA 1006 and 1670 standards for Surface, Swiftwater, and Flood Rescue.  Each day will start in the classroom and will move to the river for hands-on training in the afternoon.  This course is designed for the rescue professional looking to complete the standards required to become a technician in swiftwater and flood rescue disciplines.

Course Content Includes:

  • Hazards and hydrology
  • Self-rescue techniques
  • Preparation and planning
  • Basic use of rescue equipment
  • Knots and basic anchor systems
  • Wading
  • Dealing with foot entrapment
  • Tensioned diagonals
  • Basic understanding and use of the rescue vest

Minimum Gear Requirements:

  • Dress appropriately for weather (drysuit, wetsuit, etc.)
  • Helmet (lightweight water or kayak helmet)
  • PFD (USCG Type III or V)
  • Shoes (thick-soled water booties or tennis shoes)
  • Throw bag
  • Two locking carabineers

Prerequisites:

  • Basic swimming ability
  • In good physical shape

Other Course Information:

  • Price: $225
    • Course book included
  • Experience Level: Beginner – Intermediate
  • Duration: 2 days (16 to 18 hours)
  • Minimum Age: 18 years old
  • Course Capacity: 8 – 18 participants

Course Availability:

Swiftwater and Flood Rescue I  (Price: $225)

Swiftwater and Flood Rescue I + II (Price: $500)

Contact us at rescue@usnwc.org to set up a class for your group.

USNWC Swiftwater and Flood Rescue II: Technician

This intensive three day course is the second part of the five day technician level course for swiftwater and flood rescue.  This course focuses on specialized rescue techniques for a variety situations the professional rescue might face.  Topics covered include, but are not limited to, urban flood rescue, search and recovery operations, rope rescue applications for swiftwater, and night operations.  This course also includes a day of paddle boat operation and guiding techniques.  The USNWC Swiftwater and Flood Rescue I course meets and exceeds the NFPA 1006 and 1670 standards for Surface, Swiftwater, and Flood Rescue.  Each day will start in the classroom and will move to the river for hands-on training in the afternoon.

Course content includes:

  • Advanced shore-based rescue operations
  • Large scale urban flood operations
  • Search and recovery operations
  • Night operations
  • Boat based rope systems
  • Bridge rescue applications
  • Introduction to paddle boat operations

Minimum gear requirements:

  • Dress appropriately for weather (drysuit, wetsuit, etc.)
  • Helmet (lightweight water or kayak helmet)
  • PFD (USCG Type III or V)
  • Shoes (thick-soled water booties or tennis shoes)
  • Throw bag
  • Two locking carabineers

Prerequisites:

  • Basic swimming ability
  • In good physical shape
  • Must have completed USNWC SWR I

Other course information:

  • Price: $275
  • Experience Level: Advanced
  • Duration: 3 days (24 to 27 hours)
  • Minimum Age: 18 years old
  • Course Capacity: 8 – 18 participants

Course availability:

Swiftwater and Flood Rescue II (Price: $275)

Swiftwater and Flood Rescue I + II (Price: $500)

Contact us at rescue@usnwc.org to set up a class for your group.