Clothing

Dress in warm layers (synthetic or wool) and make sure to bring extra layers with you. Make sure you have dry clothing to change into at the end of the day.

For the Water...

Drysuit with synthetic layers (drysuits are recommended because we spend so much time getting in and out of the water and the weather can be variable) or full wetsuit.

PFD - type III or IV with whistle and knife (knife optional)

Helmet - lightweight swiftwater or climbing helmet

Footwear - hard soled wetsuit booties or stable shoes for walking in the river and on the riverbank / wool socks and/or wetsuit socks. Sandals are not recommended

Wetsuit gloves (optional)

If you are just getting started, a throw bag, river knife, locking carabineer, whistle and 15-20’ length of webbing is sufficient.

As you expand your skills and knowledge of techniques you may choose to add a few more carabineers, prussic loops, a spectra sling or two, a second throw bag, and an emergency kit.

Food and water: Lunch, snacks and water for each day.

Camp chair for classroom sessions

Extra warm clothes

Any personal rescue gear that you currently have: Throw Bag, etc. (This is for you to have an opportunity to practice with your own gear.)

Extra contacts/Glasses

Any medications you may need

Plan on being very active during the day and having some homework at night. We integrate classroom materials throughout the course and work through as many scenario-based and case-study skills as possible. Dress for full immersion. Come ready and prepared to be outside in the elements for most of the course. We will emphasize self-rescue, throw bag rescue, entrapments, thinking through a rescue, and simple rope and rescue techniques that have been tested and proven successful in real rescues. Please let us know if there is an aspect of the course that is especially relevant to your river interest so that we can tailor the course content accordingly.

We start each morning with a briefing and then move to the river. Example of an agenda is as follows:

introduction to prevention, equipment, organization and orientation to swiftwater rescue

Day 1

shallow water crossings

entrapment rescues: wading, swimming, throw-bag techniques, food and body entrapment, kayak entrapment

swimming: defensive, aggressive, barrel rolls, accessing eddies

throw bags: when, where, coils, belay, back-up, vector pull

contact rescues: defensive, counter panic measures

live-bait jackets: use, release, self-rescue techniques

knots, hitches, anchors

Heads Up: prevention, equipment, organization, orientation to swiftwater rescue

homework: group tabletop scenarios

Day 2

mechanical advantage

wrapped boats: rafts and kayaks

zip lines

flip drills in current or rapids / boat and passenger recovery drills

scenarios

debrief written homework

test

paperwork completion

fill in any missing information.

We will run through skills practice and realistic scenarios that incorporate elements of your learning. Some big scenarios will highlight multiple situational and environmental problems to test your abilities.

River Rescue takes swiftwater rescue techniques and makes them appliciable to river runners, guides, and others who are primarily out to be on the water. We focus on small group rescue with lightweight minimal gear. River Rescue also emphasizes prevention of river running incidents and accidents through good preparation before a trip and good on water practices.

Swiftwater Rescue courses are focused on professional rescuers who are showing up primarily to rescue. They often have more people, more robust equipment caches. These things combined lead to a different approach to rescue.

Prevention is a huge part of staying safe on the river. The number one thing that you can do is wear a life jacket. There are many people who are now dead who would have just been wet if they had been wearing a PFD.

Get training and mentorship from others who know about river hazards and accident response. Taking a swiftwater rescue course is a concise way to learn many skills and techniques to self rescue and rescue others. River Rescue specifically addresses the specific skills for prevention and rescue while kayaking, rafting, packrafting, river boarding, and other river users.

If you want to get on the river but don’t have the time or desire to learn the skills find a reputable guide service near you or on the river you want to go on.

River Trips are amazing and we hope you have a opportunity to enjoy the river and hope you chose to do it in a safe way.

You can learn the skills and techniques to keep you family, friends and yourself safe on the river a few ways.

You can find a mentor, read a book, watch YouTube and trail and error. How ever all of these options take a long time and many do not give you the hands on experience that you will need to respond well in an emergency.

We recommend taking a River Rescue Swiftwater Rescue Course. The benefit to taking a course is that you will learn the skills and techniques needed to stay safe on the river in a fun way with a curriculum that distills decades of experience and lessons learned into a concise format. You will also be with an instructor who can answer your questions, correct and provide suggestions on your technique, facilitate scenarios and ensure you are not missing critical skills or information.

Sierra Rescue International has developed the River Rescue Curriculum with input from long time guides, rescuers, educators and a wide range of river users. Black Fox Rescue has helped with the development of this curriculum and we believe strongly that it is the very best curriculum and delivery method to ensure students will retain the information and have the skills they need when they need them on the river.