Whitewater Rope Operator (WRO)
The Whitewater Rope Operator course follows on from the Whitewater Rescue Technician – Professional course. It is designed for outdoor professionals working in gorges/canyons where vertical access/egress may be required. As with the WRT-PRO, the focus is on solutions to common rescue situations, and effective use of river rescue kit.
Contact hours
32 hours (4 days)
Prerequisites:
Course content includes
- Prerequisite knowledge from WRT-PRO
- Rescue planning and incident management for whitewater rope operations
- Incident size-up for whitewater rope operations
- PPE and specialist equipment for whitewater rope operations
- Rope system design criteria
- System safety checks
- Loads and forces
- Prerequisite skills from WRT-PRO
- Knots
- Anchor systems
- Rope protection
- Work restraint
- Fall arrest
- Personal ascending and descending
- Climbing over a 90 degree edge in ascent and descent
- Mechanical advantage systems
- Fixed high directionals
- Rope-based raising and lowering systems (without a stretcher)
- Team-based pick-offs
- Passing knots through a system whilst raising and lowering
- Access/egress on low or moderate angle slopes
- Casualty care and packaging for low angles
- Low and moderate angle casualty transport
Course standard, learning outcomes and key teaching points
Rescue 3 Europe course standards, learning outcomes and key teaching points
The course standards, learning outcomes and key teaching points are provided as pre- and post-course reference for people involved in the delivery of Rescue 3 courses (eg Rescue 3 training providers, instructors and students). They are not to be used for any other purpose without the express written permission of Rescue 3 Europe.
Taught by:
- Whitewater Rope Operator Instructor (WROI)
Recertification options
Instructor to student ratios
Student resources
Student resources for Rescue 3 courses can be accessed here.
Instructor resources
Instructor resources for Rescue 3 courses can be accessed here.

