The Water and Flood Awareness course is a classroom-based course designed to provide personnel who may be working near water with sufficient knowledge to be aware of the hazards created by this environment and develop an understanding of water rescue techniques.

Duration: 1 Day

Methodical structure:
Theory

Users:
People and Communities who live in potential flood risk areas, hydroelectric plant workers, technicians performing water measurements and surveys, firefighters and civilian protection teams in support of rescue workers.

Prerequisites: None

Qualification valid for: 3 years

This course is designed to assist you in meeting the operations level for water incidents.
The two-day course compounds one day in the classroom and one day of practical field exercises. Students are trained in hazard recognition, equipment use and techniques necessary to conduct basic shore and boat based rescue.

Duration: 2 Days

Methodical structure:
Theory, practice

Users:
People and Communities who live in potential flood risk areas, hydroelectric plant workers, technicians performing water measurements and surveys, firefighters and civil protection teams in support of rescue workers.

Prerequisites:
Intermediate swimming ability and good physical condition.

Qualification valid for: 3 years

Note:
After completion of First Responder, certified personnel can work only under the supervision of technician level rescuers (SRT or more advanced)

This is an intensive training for personnel who may be required to respond to rescues in a swiftwater and flood environment, including emergency services personnel, mountain rescue teams, army, …
The initial emphasis is on developing self-rescue skills. Other objectives include an in-depth look at subjects such as: understanding water dynamics, handling hazards and obstacles, using basic rescue equipment, setting up technical rope systems, controlling in-water contact rescues.

Duration: 4 Days

Methodical structure:
Theory, practice, advanced scenarios

Users
Professional rescuers, (Fire fighters, Search and Rescue personnel, military personnel, police, key leaders and instructors from other rescue groups.
Also suitable for recreational boaters, professional river personnel (rafting guides, kayaking instructors, canyoning guides, …)

Prerequisites:
Good health condition/swimming skills

Qualification valid for: 3 years

It is the natural evolution of the SRT Level. All the techniques previously acquired are now implemented in more complex and advanced environments.
Main focus is on preplanning, risk assessment, group dynamics, decision making in high risk scenarios such as steep banks access, poor visibility in water operations, low head dams rescues and others.

Duration: 4 Days

Methodical structure:
Theory, practice, advanced scenarios

Users
Professional rescuers, (Fire fighters, Search and Rescue personnel, military personnel, police, key leaders and instructors from other rescue groups.
Also suitable for recreational boaters, professional river personnel (rafting guides, kayaking instructors, canyoning guides, …)

Prerequisites:
Good health condition/swimming skills

Qualification valid for: 3 years

Note:
If your skills have waned since taking the SRT course (especially rope work techniques), you may find it more appropriate to attend the original course again, as others have done in the past. We guarantee it will not be a repetition as you will get plenty of new information you did not notice while attending the previous session.

The WRT-REC is a course designed for recreational paddlers who wish to improve their awareness about river hazards and to develop good rescue capability whilst paddling with their peers.

Duration: 2 Days

Methodical structure:
Theory, practice, scenarios

Users
Kayak club members, informal non-paying paddlers completing a river trip, slalom and downhill race athletes.

Prerequisites
Good health condition/swimming skills with experience of water-based activities (Rafting, Whitewater kayaking, Sea kayaking, …)

Qualification valid for: 3 years

This intensive 3 days course develops many of the techniques presented in the SRT course and other crucial matters related to the outdoor industry (Whitewater rafting, Kayaking, SUP, Hydrospeed, Canyoning, …).
The practice will be progressively implemented in challenging water (class III°- IV°, step by step).

Duration: 3 Days

Methodical structure:
Theory, practice, scenarios

Users
This course is specific for river guides, kayaking instructors, canyoning guides, enthusiasts and professional rescuers who wish to train in challenging whitewater.

Prerequisites
Good health condition/swimming skills with experience of water-based activities (Rafting, Whitewater kayaking, Sea kayaking, …)

Qualification valid for: 3 years

The Whitewater Rescue Technician Advanced course follows on from the WRT-PRO course and is designed for outdoor professionals working in challenging environments, such as class 4/5 water, self-supported expeditions or in gorges/canyons where vertical access/egress may be required. As with the WRT, the focus is on solutions to common rescue situations, and effective use of river rescue knowledge with simple and advanced gear.

Duration: 4 Days

Methodical structure:
Theory, practice, advanced scenarios

Users
River guides, kayaking instructors, safety kayakers canyoning guides.

Prerequisites
Good health condition/strong swimming skills with experience in whitewater.

Qualification valid for: 3 years

This seminar focuses on rescue techniques applied to a vehicle fallen into a channel/river, with scenarios ranging from low to high risk. The following techniques are practiced and implemented: vehicle stabilization (car, motor home, minibus, etc.), access, evacuation of the victim/s.

Duration: 2 Days

Methodical structure:
Theory, practice, scenarios

Users
This course is specific for Firefighters, professional rescuers, militaries, civil protection.

Prerequisites
Good health condition/swimming skills, SRT or advanced level

Qualification valid for: 3 years

A unique training.
This full on seminar focuses on river rescue techniques and equipment in low head dam/Weir rescue. During this course, you will learn the hazards of low head dams and how to rescue starting from low to high risk options with the use of reach tools, inflated firehoses, ropes, rafts, swimming etc. We follow the standard of N. R. Wales Weir Risk Assessment system.

Duration: 2 Days

Methodical structure:
Theory, practice, scenarios

Users
This course is specific for Firefighters, professional rescuers, militaries, civil protection. Recommended also for recreational boaters, kayaking instructors, raft guides, canyoning guides.

Prerequisites
Good health condition/swimming skills, SRT or advanced level

This intensive course is designed for firefighters and civil protection, as well as anyone susceptible to be dealing with river rescue from high access point (i.e. bridges), by using reach/throw techniques by using ropes and inflated firehose. The aim is to respond in a manner that allows to keep the rescuers out of the water.

Duration: 2 Days

Methodical structure:
Theory, practice, scenarios

Users
This course is specific for Firefighters, professional rescuers, militaries, civil protection.

Prerequisites
Good health condition/swimming skills, SRT or advanced level

Qualification valid for: 3 years

Specific basic course for raft handling in rescue and floods operation.
You will learn basic and advanced manoeuvres, review high risk scenarios, study the most common rescues/recovery scenarios with a raft, transport of medical personnel for stabilization, as well as dealing with the transport of victims and evacuation from flooded houses.

Duration: 2 Days

Methodical structure:
Theory, practice, scenarios

Users
This course is specific for Firefighters, professional rescuers, militaries, civil protection, recommended to beginner raft guides.

Prerequisites
Good health condition/swimming skills, SRT or advanced level

Qualification valid for: 3 years

Going beyond!
In SPBH, the aim was just to raise the awareness of the dos and dont’s, now we proceed with the intensive practice of the do’s. You will be working in high risk rescue scenarios like low head dams, wrapped rafts, building transport systems for medical stabilization, get ropes across the river, evacuations, etc.

Duration: 3 Days

Methodical structure:
Theory, practice, scenarios

Users
This course is specific for Firefighters, professional rescuers, militaries, civil protection, recommended for raft guides.

Prerequisites
Good health condition/swimming skills, SRT or advanced level

Qualification valid for: 3 years

If our courses do not cover some crucial matters for you, do not hesitate to contact us. We will be glad to create a custom made seminar, or a dedicated multi agency training which meets your requirements.
If we are not able to provide directly the service, we probably know who can!
In all these years we have developed an important network in the rescue world.