Boat Courses

The Swiftwater and Flood Rescue Boat Operator program combines all of the skills learned in the Flood Rescue Boat Operator and Swiftwater Rescue Boat Operator courses. Students will learn to handle boats in both flat and moving water (Class III), as well as how to perform rescues safely and effectively in both environments.

This course is designed to introduce students to boat operation on swiftwater. During the course students gain experience reading moving water and operating boats in current. Using both a motor and paddles, students will practice such skills as use and avoidance of hydraulics, ferrying across current, and obstacle navigation will be practiced in Class I and II whitewater. Students then progress to operating both up and down stream in Class III and above whitewater. Other exercises include night operation scenarios and multiple boat operations.

Flood Rescue Boat Operator is a course designed to train rescue personnel in handling motorized boats during flood operations. Students are exposed to a number of topics including types of motorized boats suitable for water rescue, boat handling on still or slowly moving water, crew roles, boat safety and problem solving. Techniques are then put to work doing searches in flood environments, stranded victim and in-water retrieval, and rescue of conscious and unconscious persons.

The Swiftwater Paddle Boat Handling (SPBH) course is designed for Rescue 3 Swiftwater Rescue Technicians (SRTs), who wish to improve and expand on their paddle boat handling ability. It follows on from the basic boat handling section in the SRT class and covers in more depth, swiftwater boat handling and rescue scenarios using the paddle boat as a rescue craft.

The Personal Watercraft Surf Rescue Technician (PWC) course is designed to be taught in a three-day format, where water rescue has already been taught. Primary emphasis is placed on rescuer safety and survival. Topics will include ocean, inlet, lake and moving water dynamics; near shore hazards and problems; transport, set up, launch and retrieval procedures for PWC; construction, maintenance and repair of PWC and rescue techniques and operations for which the PWC is used in a variety of environmental conditions.