Rescue 3 Europe: Water Safety & Rescue Training

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Water Safety and Rescue Training Courses

Water Safety & Rescue Training Courses

Rescue 3 has a long history in water rescue, developing the original Swiftwater Rescue Technician courses in the USA over 30 years ago. Since then the course portfolio has broadened and strengthened.

The courses offered by Rescue 3 Europe are at the cutting edge of technical water rescue. They are suitable for a wide range of people and organisations, whether you have a few people who need training how to effectively use a lifejacket, are a recreational river user and wish to improve your rescue skills, are a member of the emergency services who requires flood or water safety training or are a manager responsible for deploying emergency service personnel into flooded areas. Rescue 3 Europe has the courses that will fit your needs, and experienced instructors to deliver them.

Water and Flood Awareness (WFA)

The Water and Flood Awareness course is a classroom-based course designed to provide personnel who may be working near water with sufficient knowledge to be aware of the hazards created by this environment and develop an understanding of water rescue techniques.

Basic Water Rescuer (BWR)

The Basic Water Rescuer course is designed for personnel who may be deployed to a basic (still) water environment, such as lakes, ponds and canals, where they may be required to undertake rescues.

Lifejacket Competent User (LJCU)

The Lifejacket Competent User course is designed for personnel who will operate in the 'warm' zone at a water rescue incident and personnel who will operate near water as part of their key job function, eg construction works, or EA water hydrometry staff. As such, it is not intended that they will enter the water, so a manual or auto inflation lifejacket is worn as PPE for accidental water entry only.

Swiftwater and Flood First Responder (SFR)

As well as being prepared to work around the water and undertake bank based and shallow water wading rescues, one of the main roles of a First Responder is to support the teams of Swiftwater Rescue Technicians at an incident. To enable this, a responder will have the ability to self rescue, skills in shallow water working, basic boat handling and basic rope work.

Swiftwater and Flood Rescue Technician (SRT)

The Swiftwater and Flood Rescue Technician course complies with Defra Module 3 content requirements, and for many years has been seen as the benchmark training course for swiftwater and flood rescue teams. This training course is intended for personnel who may be required to carry out rescues in a swiftwater and flood environment, including emergency services personnel and mountain rescue teams.

Swiftwater and Flood Rescue Technician - Advanced - Water (SRTA W)

The Swiftwater and Flood Rescue Technician Advanced - Water course is for existing Rescue 3 Swiftwater and Whitewater Rescue Technicians looking at advanced rescue situations both in and over water including search management in a swiftwater and flood environment. This is the water module, which can be taken separately, or combined with the rope module into a single five day course.

Swiftwater and Flood Rescue Technician - Advanced - Rope (SRTA R)

The Swiftwater and Flood Rescue Technician Advanced - Rope course is for existing Rescue 3 Swiftwater and Whitewater Rescue Technicians looking at advanced rescue situations both in and over water including search management in a swiftwater and flood environment. This is the rope module, which can be taken separately, or combined with the water module into a single five day course.

Swiftwater and Flood Rescue Technician - Advanced - Water and Rope (SRTA W&R)

The Swiftwater and Flood Rescue Technician Advanced - Water and Rope course is for existing Rescue 3 Swiftwater and Whitewater Rescue Technicians looking at advanced rescue situations both in and over water including search management in a swiftwater and flood environment. This is the single five day course, but the water and rope modules can also be taken separately.

Whitewater Rescue Technician (WRT)

The Whitewater Rescue Technician course is designed for the outdoor professional with existing river experience to provide you with the necessary skills to perform rescues in whitewater river situations.

Whitewater Rescue Technician Advanced (WRTA)

The Whitewater Rescue Technician Advanced course follows on from the Whitewater Rescue Technician course and is designed for outdoor professionals working in challenging environments, such as grade 4/5 water, unsupported expenditions or in gorges/canyons where vertical access/egress may be required. As with the WRT, the focus is on solutions to common rescue situations, and effective use of river rescue kit.

Rescues from Vehicles in Water First Responder (RVWFR)

Designed for Swiftwater and Flood First Responders, the Rescue from Vehicles in Water First Responder (RVWFR) course provides the opportunity to utilise an in-water vehicle to apply and develop existing techniques and knowledge.

Rescues from Vehicles in Water (RVW)

The Rescue from Vehicles in Water (RVW) is a specialist course for Swiftwater and Flood Rescue Technicians that explores the skills required to deal with rescues from vehicles in water. The course looks at vehicle behaviour and stabilisation in water as well as access techniques and casualty extrication.

Rescues from vehicles in water are a growing hazard faced by Fire and Rescue services. Whilst generic Swiftwater and Flood Rescue Technician skills and techniques can be utilised for these rescues, current training does not provide realistic and specific exposure to these incidents.

Since 2004 there has been continued development of this specialist course to its present format.

Hazardous Area Response Team Inland Water Operative (HART IWO)

Hazardous Area Response Team Inland Water Operative (HART IWO) course.

Flood Operations for Emergency Planners and Workers (FOEPW)

The Flood Operations course has been designed in conjunction with local government agencies with the aim of providing their Emergency Planners & Workers with the necessary knowledge and techniques to enable them to assess and work in flood environments.

Flood Operations for Vehicle Recovery Patrols (FOVRP)

Flood Operations for Vehicle Recovery Patrols

Swiftwater and Flood Operations for Search and Rescue Helicopter Personnel (SAR HELO)

Management of Water and Flood Incidents (MWFI)

The Management of Water and Flood Incidents course is designed to meet the need for incident commanders at water and flood incidents to have the underpinning knowledge and skills to successfully manage such operations.

Whilst it is not envisaged that such managers will need to have the same level of technical knowledge and skills as specialist water rescue teams, it is imperative that managers have a level of specific knowledge to be able to manage the event plus sufficient personal skills and experience to safely operate in the 'warm' zone at these incidents.

The course is dual accredited by Rescue 3 International and the University of Central Lancashire. In addition to Rescue 3 certification, delegates who successfully complete the course will receive a University Certificate in Management of Water and Flood Incidents. In addition, the credits from this course can be used towards the Foundation Certificate in Swiftwater and Rope Rescue, run by Rescue 3 in partnership with the University of Central Lancashire.

Searching Rivers and Floods (SRF)

The Searching Rivers and Floods course is intended for agencies responding to water-based searches. It focuses on the development of in-water search operations and management appropriate to the flooded urban environment and river corridor searches. It also provides an insight into the overall search management process.