2013-04-26 Swift Water Rescue course

Announcement
Course Name: Swiftwater Rescue Technician 1

Description:

This course is a standard for swiftwater rescue teams. If your agency responds to moving water accidents, the Technician certification is appropriate. It is compliant to the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) standards 1006 and 1670. The intensive 24 hour swiftwater rescue class has four hours of classroom instruction followed by two days developing and practicing skills on the river. The course is taught through scenarios, giving the students an opportunity to work in real time to solve realistic problems. While the initial emphasis is safety and self rescue, the class offers an in-depth look at reading water, recognizing and avoiding hazards, quick rescue techniques, boat-based rescues, entrapment scenarios, and technical rescue systems. The students and instructors will analyze footage of actual river rescues in the classroom and progress from a solid foundation of rescue skills and practice into rescue scenarios on the river. The class is challenging, fun and tailored to the students' needs.

Syllabus:
 * Hydrology
 * Rescue Organization
 * Communication
 * Entrapment/Extrication
 * Stranded swimmers
 * Self-Rescue Techniques
 * Mechanical Advantage
 * Tension Diagonals
 * and much more

Offered To:

All interested persons - search and rescue workers, government workers, and members of the public.

Seats that are funded by the provincial grant are prioritized for search and rescue workers from any SAR Alberta member organization. If those seats do not fill up, registrations can be accepted from government workers and members of the public. However, if one of our partner agencies wishes to create additional seats dedicated to their members, they can do so at our incremental cost of $420.

Instructors:
 * Whitewater Rescue Institute (of Montana) http://www.whitewaterrescue.com

Place:
 * Meet at the MD Meeting Room, Pincher Creek. (See link for map)
 * Most of the course will be on the river within 20 minutes of Pincher Creek

Date:

24 hours spread over 3 days. Friday - Sunday, April 26-28, 2013.

This is an intensive course. Students are advised not to plan other activities during this time period.

See detail of times and places on the web page http://pcsar.webhop.org/mediawiki/index.php/2013-04-26_Swift_Water_Rescue_course

Prerequisites:


 * Good general health and the ability to swim

Cost:

This course is funded by an Alberta Government grant.

Seating is limited. Students who register but do not attend or do not complete the course restrict participation and funding for other students who would have completed the course. A $50 deposit is required to hold a seat. The deposit will be refunded if the student completes the course.

Deposits made out to "Pincher Creek Search and Rescue" may be:

mailed to:
 * Training Coordinator
 * Pincher Creek Search and Rescue
 * Box 1251
 * Pincher Creek, AB
 * T0K 1W0

or hand delivered cheques to Brett Wuth (403 627-2460).

The text book is supplied as part of the course.

PFD, helmets, wetsuits, footwear, and gloves will be supplied. If you have equipment that you want to use or be evaluated in the course, bring it.

The student is responsible for travel, and accommodation. As part of the provincial funding, limited reimbursement of travel and accommodation are provided for up to 2 out-of-town students who request it, on a first-come first-serve basis. Contact the course coordinator for details. Additional out-of-town students are welcome on an as-available basis but must pay their own travel and accommodation.

Lunches will be provided.

If you need to stay over in Pincher Creek, there are a number of hotels, motels, and bed and breakfast options.

http://www.tripadvisor.ca/Tourism-g499107-Pincher_Creek_Alberta-Vacations.html

If you would like to be billeted by one of our members, contact the course coordinator. (No promises.)

To Register:

Contact Brett Wuth, wuth@acm.org, 403 627-2460 and provide your:
 * name
 * affiliation (SAR group or organization, if any)
 * e-mail address
 * phone number
 * height
 * weight
 * shoe size
 * Have you taken swiftwater rescue training before? If so, when, and to what level?
 * Do you have any known medical issues that the course organizer or instructors should consider?

Or add your information here: http://pcsar.webhop.org/mediawiki/index.php/2013-04-26_Swift_Water_Rescue_course#Participants

Follow up with the deposit.

Registrations and deposits must be received by April 12.

Bring:
 * clothing suitable for the weather including warm synthetic or wool base layers
 * an old pair of sneakers or river shoes
 * looser footwear if you want to try on the fire department dry suits which have built in booties that have to fit inside your shoes

For more information:

visit http://pcsar.webhop.org/mediawiki/index.php/2013-04-26_Swift_Water_Rescue_course

Booking

 * Friday April 26, 17:30-21:30 meet at MD Meeting Room
 * Saturday April 27, 09:00-21:00 meet at river, location to be finalized. Lunch, Supper provided.
 * Sunday April 28, 09:00-18:00 meet at river, location to be finalized. Lunch provided.


 * Field location to be finalized
 * likely a combination of Boulder Run on the Oldman, Crowsnest River around Lundbreck Falls and Pincher Creek around town
 * possibly between Blairmore and Frank

See

See

File number
ARRC #S2013-410

Agenda
See for detailed agenda for course planners.

Our objectives:

1/ train ground search and rescue team members to be safe when working at water's edge, e.g. near undercut banks, when searching for subjects from land or extricating subjects on bank.

2/ have individuals be capable of self rescuing or procedures for rescue by teammates should they fall in on river's edge

3/ evaluate the feasibility of maintaining a swift water rescue team, perhaps in combination with other organizations. Identify training workload, recruitment and equipment requirements.

4/ train core members of what will become the swift water rescue team assuming the decision is to create such

5/ be able to assist an outside resource in a rescue, if we do not develop a swift water rescue team

6/ determine the suitability and replacement priority of our current equipment: PFDs, throw bags, (dry suits from fire department)

Participants
See

Financial

 * See

To do

 * pick up PCSAR rope rescue equipment
 * pick up PCSAR first aid pack, sat phone
 * pick up PCES dry suits, etc.
 * pick up audio visual equipment
 * pick up key
 * bring park permit
 * bring deposits
 * bring roster
 * bring sign-in sheets
 * finalize locations for food delivery