Swiftwater Rescue Courses

This course is the first of three classes needed for personnel to meet the requirements for the Technician level NFPA 1670 Standard on Operations and Training for Technical Rescue Incidents and the NFPA 1006 Standard for Rescue Technician Professional Qualifications in the area of water.

For Full Class Description; see FAQ's 

This course is the third class needed for personnel wanting to meet the requirements of the NFPA 1670 Standard and the NFPA 1006 Standard at the Technician Level for water. This course takes the student who has completed Swiftwater Rescue Technician Unit 1 (SRTU1) and Technical Rope training beyond the emphasis of self-rescue and further concentrates on the victim's rescue hard to get to areas. This is done by integrating the SRTU1 techniques into more difficult technical swiftwater rescue situations.

For complete class description; see FAQ's. 

A DYNAMIC fast moving course specifically written and designed for professional river guides, private boaters and kayakers!  Basic river skills are a prerequisite! Emphasis is on identifying hazards and on RESCUE itself; both of self and others.  Thinking through rescues is also emphasized.  This is the class you want as a boater to stay safe and know what to do if something goes wrong.  Meets ALL agency Swiftwater Rescue certification requirements for river guides and kayakers.

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The River Rescue Certification Advanced Class is the next step for students who have taken the RRC and are looking for more training!  Students taking this course need to meet the following general requirements:

• RRC or river rescue course completed in last three years
• Strong swimming ability through Class II/III rapids
• Good understanding of swiftwater rescue techniques, throw bagging, rescue knots, mechanical advantage, self rescue techniques and boat handling.

This RRC Course is being specially offered for whitewater kayakers.  The class will feature some of the latest in kayaker safety, proper gear usage, towing unconscious swimmers and boats, rescuing gear and many of the challenges faced by whitewater boaters today.  Students taking this course must meet the following general requirements:

• Class III or better whitewater kayaker with reliable roll
• Required creek or river running kayak (no playboats or IKs please)
• Float bag(s) in kayak recommended
• River rescue PFD (Type V) with tow tether

The Whitewater Rescue Technician (WRT) course is for people who either work or for recreational purposes find themselves on or around the river.

DWR, Fish and Game personnel, Environmental Consultants, Fisheries Biologists and other professionals that work around streams and rivers will find this course applicable to their needs. Fire and rescue personnel should take the NFPA-compliant Swiftwater Rescue Technician Unit 1 (SRTU-1) course. River Guides, Private Boaters and Kayakers should take the ACA or the River Rescue Certification.

For full course description; please see FAQ's 

This three-day course builds on the skills learned in either Swiftwater Rescue Technician Unit 1 or Whitewater Rescue Technician. The Whitewater Rescue Technician 2 course concentrates on further developing advanced water skills, including: managing the rescue scene, litter management, and the utilization of teams. There is also a mock night rescue scenario. The price is lower because the course because it does not meet NFPA requirements.  This course is the same as the SRTA. 

For full course description and more information see FAQ's 

These workshops have been created for fisheries employees. This can be a 1-3 day workshop with practice on anything from wader swimming to wilderness survival. The main focus being the prevention of accidents. It is great to do this with a joint wilderness first aid workshop.

Want to see the river and learn how to read the river from a ducks point of view? Then come and learn how to riverboard!! Feel the river in your face as you safely plunge in. Riverboards are an incredible tool for learning how to read and understand river currents, as well as for having a ton of fun. They will help you become a much better boater if you are a kayaker, rafter, or recreational paddler. We teach private and group lessons. Get a few friends together and we'll come meet you. We have the boards and the fins all you need is your own personal gear. Call or contact us for more info.

Our Whitewater River Guide Schools are taught by expert river guide Julie Munger. Julie has been a commercial international river guide for more than 25 years. She will give you the training to become a professional river guide. Sierra Rescue emphasizes boat handling skills with rowing and paddle boats, river reading, hydrodynamics and fun. We always include lots of safety skills and work through many rescue and river scenarios. We help touch on group dynamic and leadership topics as well as teach leave no trace camping skills on multi-day rafting trips. These classes can range from 6-8 days and can also inculde Wilderness First Aid/ CPR Instruction. Upon completion of the school you will recieve a detailed evaluation of strengths and weaknesses to let you know where you can improve your guide skills. You will also recieve a referal letter to outfitters from a well known and distinguished international river guide.

As a sponsor putting together a course you can combine any of the courses Sierra Rescue offers, or design a course that is specific to your needs. All you need is a minimum of 8-12 students.

Our most popular Combination Course is a ten/ eleven day Wilderness First Responder mixed with a Whitwater Rescue Technician or Swiftwater Rescue Technician course. This combination prepares beginning river guides beyond most industry standards and is a great add on into a guide school.

When time is an issue, a 5 day Wilderness First Aid Workshop and Whitewater Rescue Technician Combination Course is a great choice. Sierra Rescue regularly designs these custom classes for government agencies, Universities, and fishery agencies to make the course fit the group.

Designing a class that is perfect for your group is easy, and we love to do it. It makes our work more interesting and ever changing. We train US Marines from the Mountain Warfare Training Center, US Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers, US Forest Service field staff, Fish and Game and Fish and Wildlife staff, EMT's and Firefighters from all over California, Outward Bound Instructors, Grand Canyon River Guides, and many other folks from all walks of life. Get in touch with us today to start planning your custom Combination Course.