Safety and Rescue Training

Safety and rescue skills are vital to any river user. An awareness of hazards and a 'paddling safe' approach will hopefully allow us to enjoy our river time without incident. On those occasions when things do not go as planned rescue skills prove vital.

Canolfan Tryweryn has been leading the way in the provision of safety and rescue training, both for recreational paddlers and the emergency services, for a number of years. State of the art facilities, including a section of river specifically developed for safety and rescue training, combine with some of the most experienced trainers in the country to ensure that you receive relevant training regardless of your background or experience.

Courses include:
  • CT River Safety Day
  • BCU Whitewater Safety & Rescue
  • Swiftwater Rescue Technician (SRT)

Training is offered all year round and technical equipment as well as drysuits, buoyancy aids, helmets, wetboots are provided on all courses.

CT River Safety Day

For: Canoeists and kayakers of all standards

Aims: To introduce basic safety & rescue techniques

This one day course introduces basic Safety and Rescue techniques, from swimming in moving water to use of a chest harness. It is designed to allow paddlers who have purchased technical rescue equipment, such as throwlines and chest harness buoyancy aids, to receive instruction in their correct usage. The course does not have a boat based element.

Beginning with safe swimming in moving water the day progresses through self-rescue, throw-bag work, use of a chest harness and swimmer rescue. The course is highly practical with a good deal of in-water work and practical sessions. Despite the serious nature of the course it is designed to be enjoyable and these courses can prove to be quite entertaining!

Course contents:
  • Safe swimming
  • Self-rescue
  • Throwline use
  • Use of chest harness
  • Victim rescue

Drysuits, buoyancy aids (with chest harness) and wetboots may be available (free of charge) subject to demand. Please contact the Centre for more details.

Location Pre-requisites  Duration   2008 dates Cost
Safety & Rescue site at CT or suitable local location

As the course doesn’t involve any boat based work it is suitable for canoeists and kayakers of all standards.

Candidates should be confident swimming in moving water and be prepared for a very wet and physical day!

 1 day

13 April
8 June
19 July

 £35

 

BCU/ UKCC Safety & Rescue Training

Under the new BCU/UKCC coaching scheme there will be 2 different White Water Safety & Rescue Courses. One will look at Safety & Rescue skills and techniques needed for the new 4 Star Awards and the other will look at more advanced Safety & Rescue skills and techniques to support the new 5 Star Awards.

That does not mean that these courses are only relevant for those interested in coaching others. Safety and Rescue training is vital for all river runners. The techniques learnt on these courses could enable you to save a friend’s life on the river some day!

BCU White Water Safety & Rescue
This two day course is designed for whitewater paddlers who want to gain or improve their whitewater Safety and Rescue techniques. The course is suitable for both open boaters and kayakers and also fulfils the Safety and Rescue training requirements for the BCU/UKCC 4 Star Awards.

The course deals with incidents associated with whitewater kayaking and canoeing with an emphasis on simple, low technology solutions to common river emergencies.

Course content includes:
  • Boat-based rescues
  • Aggressive & defensive swimming
  • Throwline use
  • Harness use
  • Cinches, stoppers & entrapments

Drysuits, buoyancy aids (with chest harness), helmets and wetboots are available (free of charge) subject to demand. Please contact the Centre for more details.

Location Pre-requisites  Duration   2008 dates Cost
Safety & Rescue site at CT or suitable local location

As the course involves boat based rescues on, and swimming in, moving water, all candidates should be confident grade 2/3 paddlers and be prepared for a wet and practical course

 2 days

1/2 March
19/20 April
14/15 June 9/10 August
6/7 Sept

£120

 

BCU Advanced White Water Safety & Rescue

This two-day course is designed for whitewater paddlers who want to gain or improve their advanced whitewater safety and rescue techniques. The course is suitable for both open boaters and kayakers and also fulfils the safety & rescue element of the new 5 Star Awards.

 

This course builds on the BCU White Water Safety & Rescue course, covering more advanced techniques.  The new syllabus for this course will be available on the BCU website from the 1st May 2008, we envisage this to include the following-

 

• Pins and entrapments

• Steep bank access

• Casualty transport and evacuation

• Technical portage techniques

 

Drysuits, buoyancy aids (with chest harness),helmets and wetboots may be available (free of charge) subject to demand. Please contact the Centre for more details.

 

Location Pre-requisites  Duration   2008 dates Cost
Safety & Rescue site at CT or suitable local location

BCU WWSR

2 days

27/28 Sept

£130

 

For more information on the new syllabus, please contact the BCU: Website: www.bcu.org.uk Tel: 0845 370 9500

Rescue 3 Courses

Rescue 3 International Inc. is a California based organisation that has been providing state-of-the-art courses in swiftwater, flood, rope and other technical rescues for many years. Rescue 3 (UK) is the UK and Irish agent for Rescue 3 International and is based at Canolfan Tryweryn. We have been leading the way in the provision of safety and rescue training for river professionals and the emergency services in the UK since 1997.

 

Rescue 3 (UK) provides training from Awareness level through to Technician and Instructor qualifications plus specialist courses such as Swiftwater Rescue Boat Operator and Rescues from Vehicles in Water.

 

Details of the full range of these courses are available from Rescue 3 (UK):

Website: www.rescue3.co.uk

E-mail: info@rescue3.co.uk

Phone: 01678 522035

Fax: 01678 521158

 

All Rescue 3 (UK) courses are internationally recognised and are valid for 3 years (awards can be re-validated by either re-attending the same course or progressing to the next level of training).

 

All personal protective equipment (drysuit, buoyancy aid, helmet & wet boots) can be provided on Rescue 3 courses.

 

Whitewater Rescue Technician (WRT)

This three day course is specifically designed for the Outdoor Professional with existing river experience.  The core course knowledge and skills is per the SRT 1 course but the emphasis is on whitewater river situations rather than swiftwater and flood rescue, as such the emphasis of the course if is equipment light.

 

Course content includes:

 

Location Pre-requisites  Duration   2008 dates Cost
Safety & Rescue site at CT or suitable local location
  • Minimum age 18yrs
  • Ability to swim
  • River/Whitewater experience recommended
 3 days

15-17 Feb
27-29 June
25-27 July
22-24 August

£225

revalidation
- £112.50

 

Swiftwater Rescue Technician Unit 1 (SRT Unit 1)
This training course is designed for those who will be required to carry out rescues in a swiftwater environment – Raft Guides, Emergency Service personnel, Mountain Rescue Teams etc. The course is based on a philosophy of self-protection and application of low to high risk solutions.

This course is also recognised by the BCU and can be used as the Safety & Rescue pre-requisite for the 5 Star Award

Course content includes:
  • River hydrology & hazards
  • Rescue team organisation
  • Defensive & aggressive swimming techniques
  • Throwline rescues
  • Contact rescues
  • Tethered boat rescues
  • Rope based rescues

 

Location Pre-requisites  Duration   2008 dates Cost
Safety & Rescue site at CT or suitable local location
  • Minimum age 18yrs
  • Ability to swim
 4 days

4-7 Feb
15-18 April

19-22 May (New Date)
10-13 June
14-17 July
9-12 Oct
11-14 Nov
2-5 Dec

£300

revalidation
- £150

 

Swiftwater Rescue Technician Advanced
This course builds upon Unit 1 and covers the skills necessary to work in advanced conditions and to manage rescue teams in a swiftwater environment.

Course content includes:
  • Re-cap of SRT Unit 1 skills
  • Water rescues at night
  • Casualty care, handling & transport
  • Search techniques & management
  • Technical rope solutions for water rescue

 

Location Pre-requisites  Duration   2008 dates Cost
Safety & Rescue site at CT or suitable local location
  • Minimum age 18yrs
  • Current Rescue 3 SRT Unit 1 certification
 5 days

3-7 March
14-18 May

7-11 July (New Date)
10-14 Sept
3-7 Nov

£375

revalidation
- £187.50

Swiftwater Rescue Technician Level 1 Instructor
This is the first level of Instructor qualification and allows successful candidates to teach classes up to and including SRT Unit 1.

The process of qualifying as a Level 1 Instructor can be split into 3 phases; Pre-Requisite Acquisition, Training Course and Post Training Development. This 5 day assessed class covers the Training Course phase. Before attending this course candidates must have gained the necessary pre-requisites and at the end of the course they will be provided with an action plan which outlines their Post Training Development (this usually involves working/assisting on a number of courses to gain further experience).

Location Pre-requisites  Duration   2008 dates Cost
Safety & Rescue site at CT or suitable local location
  • Two SRT Unit 1 awards (1 of which must be current) OR SRT1 and WRT (1 of which must be current)
  • SRT Advanced course
  • Advanced First Aid qualification e.g. EMT
 5 days

28 Jan - 1 Feb
11-15 August

24-28 November

£590

revalidation

- £295

 

Rope Rescue Technician
This 5 day course covers the concepts and techniques required by small teams undertaking technical rope rescues. The course progresses from key concepts through to rigging and operating full systems, with one day focusing on highline rope systems.

Main content areas include:
  • Working at height regulations
  • Knots, technical gear, anchors & belays
  • Mechanical advantage systems
  • Ascending & descending and passing knots
  • High angle raising and lowering systems
  • Low & high angle litter management
  • Pick off rescues

 

Location Pre-requisites  Duration   2008 dates Cost
Safety & Rescue site at CT or suitable local location

It is recommended that students have some experience of working with ropes

 5 days

21-25 April - CANCELLLED
22-26 Sept

£375

Swiftwater Rescue Boat Operator – 4 days including RYA Level 2 Powerboat Award
In addition to covering the skills required to helm powerboats in a Swiftwater environment this course builds upon skills already learnt in SRT Unit 1 and applies them to working from boats in swiftwater and floods.  Days 1 & 2 will cover the RYA Powerboat Level 2 Award whilst days 3 & 4 will look at the application of bank-based rescue techniques from boats and motorboat handling in swiftwater conditions.

Location Pre-requisites  Duration   2008 dates Cost
Plas Menai
  • Minimum age – 18 yrs
  • Current Rescue 3 SRT Unit 1 certification
4 days

2-5 June

 £910 (fully residential)

Swiftwater Rescue Boat Operator – 3 days (students must already hold RYA Level 2 Powerboat Award)

In addition to covering the skills required to helm powerboats in a Swiftwater environment this course builds upon skills already learnt in SRT 1 and applies them to working form boats in swiftwater and floods.  The course is 3 days duration for candidates who already hold a RYA Level 2 powerboat certificate. The first day of the course will be a powerboat operator refresher day in preparation for the rest of the course.

Location Pre-requisites  Duration   2008 dates Cost
Plas Menai
  • Minimum age – 18 yrs
  • Current Rescue 3 SRT Unit 1 certification
  • RYA Level 2 Powerboat Award
3 days

19–21 April
16-18 Sept

 £690 (fully residential)

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

The first UK practical ‘vehicle rescues workshop’ was run by Rescue 3 (UK) at the Watersafe 2004 Conference and with the success of this workshop, Rescue 3 (UK) and Water Wise have continued the development to produce a two day specialist course.

Course Content includes:
  • Theory input on in-water vehicle behaviour and hazard assessment
  • Hands-on practical exercises using in-water training vehicle
  • Night time vehicle rescue exercise

 

Location Pre-requisites  Duration   2008 dates Cost
Teesside Whitewater Course SRT Unit 1 1 & 1/2 days

6/7 March

£370

Management of Water and Flood Incidents

This 4 day 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

 

Location Pre-requisites  Duration   2008 dates Cost
CT or other suitable local site  Ability to swim 4 days

4-7 February

7-10 April

1-4 September

 

 £700 (fully residential)

 

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