SWIFTWATER RESCUE COURSES IN MAINE

ACA: American Canoe Association
Advanced Swiftwater Rescue

This 3-day workshop teaches recognition and avoidance of common river hazards, execution of self-rescue techniques, and rescue techniques for paddlers in distress. Emphasis is placed both on personal safety and on simple, commonly used skills. Techniques for dealing with hazards that carry greater risks for both victim and rescuer, such as strainers, rescue vest applications, entrapments, and pins, also are practiced. Scenarios will provide an opportunity for participants to practice their skills both individually and within a team/group context.

Price: $260/person
Date: TBA

Course objectives:

• Reinforce basic rescue skills, including swimming/self rescue, throw ropes,    and boat based rescue practice skills during multiple scenarios.
• Refine and extend critical judgment through multiple scenarios.
• Develop and practice more advanced rope-based and in-water skills.

Prerequisites:

• 18 years of age
• Adequate health insurance coverage
• Basic swimming ability
• In good physical condition

Equipment needed:

• Full wetsuit or drysuit
• Lightweight water or kayak helmet
• USCG Type III or V approved lifejacket/ PFD
• Thick-soled water booties or tennis shoes
• Gloves are optional but helpful in cold water

This 3-day course is designed specifically lore professional guides, private boaters, fish and game personnel, and others who work or play on or around flowing water. Students will benefit from this intensive, hands-on course and will learn to use techniques and simple equipment to assess and perform river rescues. Presented in a two and a half or three-day format (depending on each group's level of water experience), this course focuses on real problems that students may face. The emphasis is on speedy, low-tech, and improvised rescue techniques that are effective and require minimal equipment.

Price: $340/person
Date: TBA

SRT 1 is an intensive, three-day class (24-30 hours) that includes a half-day of classroom instruction followed by two and a half days of developing and practicing water rescue skills. The initial emphasis of this course is on self-rescue skills and covers all of the skills taught in Operations, Swiftwater First Responder.

Price: $365/person
Date: TBA

In addition, other skills include:

• Rescuing and extricating an accident victim from the water.
• Safely swimming in swiftwater and maneuvering so as to negotiate river hazards and obstacles at various water levels.
• Handling small inflatable boats by paddle, oar and on tether.
• Knowing the responsibilities of law-enforcement and on-scene leadership.
• Understanding swiftwater rescue team organization and the response of the victim.
• Utilizing climbing and technical rescue gear applicable to swiftwater rescue.
• Fording shallow and fast-moving water utilizing various techniques.
• Crossing deep, slow-moving and fast-moving water utilizing basic climbing gear, small boats, and combinations of the two.
• This course provides the fundamentals of swiftwater rescue and is recommended for anyone who may be called upon to affect in-water rescues.

What equipment will I need?
Students are required to provide their own personal protective equipment. The following is a list of the basic equipment needed.

Basic Water Equipment

• full wetsuit or drysuit
• lightweight water or kayak helmet
• USCG Type 111 or V approved lifejacket/PFD
• thick-soled water booties or tennis shoes
• gloves

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