TRAINING PROGRAMS
River and Flood Rescue Technician Program
This 40 hour technician program is a comprehensive River & Flood Rescue Technician course meeting the most current NFPA 1670 and 1006 standards for Technician level. During the course, students will begin with the fundamentals of hydrology, river classification and assessment, size up and management of a scene, and theory of rescue systems and techniques. The course then focuses on swiftwater swimming skills and maneuvers, self-rescue techniques and practical evolutions, and introduction to rescue system setup and deployment for shore, swimmer, and boat based rescue. Students will participate in multiple scenario evolutions to demonstrate and develop these fundamental swiftwater rescue skills. Basic boat handling skills and an introduction to rope systems, including mechanical advantage and anchoring and deploying a boat on Tyrolean, for the swiftwater environment will also be covered. After mastering the fundamental water rescue skill sets, students will progress into more involved and challenging SAR evolutions, including a night search and rescue simulation, that allow the students to integrate their newly developed skills in realistic rescue situations. This is an intensive program which will provide extensive time in the water and the ability for a novice to acclimate to the swiftwater environment, while also pushing experienced rescuers to challenge themselves in new ways.
River and Flood Rescue Boat Technician Program
This 40-hour technician program is a comprehensive boat operations course delivered on the IRB and Jon boat platforms in static and dynamic water, up to class 3 whitewater. During the course, students learn the fundamentals of hydrology and how it relates to boat operation, design, and construction. Other skills covered are operation and maintenance of inflatable boats and outboard engines, SAR theory and techniques utilizing the IRB and GPS, self-rescue and victim recovery strategy and techniques. Using both paddles and outboard engines, students will get 4 days of hands-on skills development evolutions, emphasizing: use and avoidance of hydraulics, ferrying and pinning drills in various current flows, towing, docking, pacing and crew transfer, self-recovery and victim pickup and recovery sequences, throwbagging from an IRB, and deploying a rescue swimmer from an IRB. Other exercises include a night search and rescue simulation and multiple scenario situations, that allow the students to integrate their newly developed skills in realistic rescue simulations. Students will receive the new CA State Fire Training 40-hour R&FRT Boat certificate. FEMA US&R members may also get their taskbook signed off for IRB and Jon boat in this course.
FEMA US&R Rescue Boat Operator Program
This 24-hour operations program is delivered on the IRB and Jon boat platforms in static and dynamic water, up to class 3 whitewater. During the course, students learn the fundamentals of hydrology and how it relates to boat operation, design, and construction. Other skills covered are operation and maintenance of inflatable boats and outboard engines, SAR theory and techniques utilizing the IRB, and self-rescue and victim recovery strategy and techniques. Using both paddles and outboard engines, students will get 2.5 days of hands-on skills development evolutions, emphasizing: use and avoidance of hydraulics, ferrying and pinning drills in various current flows, towing, docking, pacing and crew transfer, self-recovery and victim pickup and recovery sequences, throwbagging from an IRB, and deploying a rescue swimmer from an IRB. FEMA US&R team members will be able to get their US&R boat operations taskbook for IRB and Jon boat completed during this course.
Rescue Boat – Large Vessel Program
This 40-hour technician program is a comprehensive boat operations course delivered on a rigid hull or RHIB platform in bay and near-coastal waters. During the course, students learn the fundamentals of rescue operations in the maritime environment and RB-LV types, design, propulsion, and construction. Beginning with the basics of USCG Rules of the Road, navigation and plotting, weather and tides, vessel preparation and inspections, the student will learn how to plan and prepare for underway operations, as well as how to pre and post trip their vessel and launch/recover to a trailer or dock and how to properly secure a vessel in a slip. Students will learn the basics of vessel engineering and electrical/hydraulic systems on outboard rigged boats, as well as diesel inboard jet drive systems. While underway, the student will learn to navigate utilizing vessel navigation and radar systems, as well as chartplotting and visual and plotted bearing to known landmark in day and night environments. Students will also learn and practice maritime communication techniques and VHF usage, as well as familiarization with AIS, EPIRB and PLB deployment and position transmitting. Once proficient in basic operational skills, the student will begin to learn SAR and patrol techniques and operations from the RB-LV platform. Basic search patterns, USCG techniques, and arriving to a multi-agency incident will be covered as well. Rescue and recovery of victims to the vessel will be simulated in various environments, as well as launching a rescue swimmer from the vessel. The program will close with evolutions in approaching, positioning, and towing of vessels, as well as SAR and rescue scenarios as time permits. The course will include 8hrs of lecture and coursework and 32hrs of hands on and underway operation. Our 27’ SeaArk cabin jetboat, Intrepid Spirit, will be underway during the program as well, serving as an additional training platform and support vessel for the course.
This 24-hour operations program is delivered on the PWC platform in static and or dynamic water, up to class 2 whitewater. During the course, students learn the fundamentals of hydrology and how it relates to PWC operation, design, and construction of the vessel. Other skills covered are pre-trip, post trip operation and maintenance of PWC, SAR theory and techniques utilizing the PWC, self-rescue and victim recovery strategy and techniques. Utilizing PWC’s with and without rescue boards, students will get 2.5 days of hands-on skills development evolutions, emphasizing: use and avoidance of hydraulics, ferrying various current flows, towing, docking, pacing and crew transfer, self-recovery, victim pickup, recovery sequences, throw bagging from a PWC, and deploying a rescue swimmer from a PWC. GPS theory and uses in PWC operations will be included, challenging newly developed PWC operations skills and integrating local and national GPS standards into completing a victim recovery scenario. Students will receive a Certificate of Completion for PWC Rescue Operations and the Intrepid Maritime PWC Position Task book. This course meets NFPA 1006 and 1670 standards, as well as CA OSFM PWC Rescue Operations F-Step program.