Ice Rescue Technician (IRT)

Participants receive:

• Hands-on practice with experienced instructors, a great learning environment, and a well-run, intensive course
• Increased knowledge of ice formation, ice assessment, scene size-up, and incident management
• Repeated practice with equipment use, self-rescues, subject rescues, and team rescues
• Knowledge, experience, and long-lasting results—from scenario-based learning and rescue simulations

Take away materials

• Digital certification card
• Digital practical evaluation record sheet (documentation for liability protection)
• Boreal River Rescue toque (warm winter hat)

Knowledge

• General concepts of ice safety and rescue
• How ice forms in lakes, rivers, and the ocean
• How to identify ice crystals, clear/black ice, and white ice
• Sources and causes of weak ice
• Ice strengths and safe working loads
• Personal protective equipment (PPE)
• Technical rescue equipment for ice and water rescue
• Scene size-up
• Incident and scene management
• Rescue from vehicles in ice water
• Signals and communications
• Related medical topics: drowning and hypothermia

Skills

• Safe methods for approaching weak ice and testing thickness
• Using ice screws and visual identification of cracks
• Self-rescue
• Rescuing subjects in the water far from the ice edge
• Throw ropes
• Contact rescues
• Reaching tools and techniques
• Attaching and pulling on subjects
• Hauling subjects up and over the ice edge
• Rescue of panicked subjects
• Knots, anchors, and basic haul systems
• Chest harnesses and rope systems
• Ice rescue water craft (rescue boats, Fortuna, RDC)
• Emergency response team rescue techniques: tethered swim on parallel lines, ‘pick 45’
• Rescue scenarios
• Optional: self-rescue with no drysuit (just street clothes). You can opt into this at the very end of day-1. You’ll wear a PFD (flotation device).
• Elective topic: snow machine extraction

Pre-course prep

For private group training, it is up to your organization to choose whether you want all participants to complete pre-course training on our online platform, or to cover all of the material in-person.

Daily schedule

The Ice Rescue Technician course includes 3 full days of instruction.

Days usually begin with participants learning and practicing techniques indoors or on ‘dry-land’, followed by going out onto the ice and into the water.

Typical course hours are 8:30am to 5:30pm each day—though for private group training we can adjust the start and end times to meet the needs of your group and participants.

Attendance is mandatory

Attendance for 100% of class time is mandatory. If a student can’t make a session, they need to get permission from the instructor in advance, and they may not be able to achieve the certification.

Students who miss a section of the course without pre-approval may be asked to leave the course.

Assessment and evaluation for certification

One of the most valuable aspects of the Boreal River Rescue – Ice Rescue Technician certification is that it includes practical evaluation. This means that an individual holding the certification has demonstrated competency with ice rescue and not simply attended a workshop.

Each participants’ practical skills will be assessed throughout the course within
a supportive, professional, and fun learning environment. Students get multiple chances to demonstrate competency with the skills.

To achieve the Ice Rescue Technician (IRT) certification each participant needs to:

• Attend all sessions and participate throughout the course
• Demonstrate an understanding of ice safety and rescue concepts
• Demonstrate their ability to assess ice conditions and perform self-rescues and subject-rescues in accordance with the course standards
• Demonstrate their ability to participate in and lead team rescues including scene size-up and management, communications, accessing and stabilizing subjects, and transport on weak ice

Certification is valid for 3 years from the date of issue.

Recertification in Ice Rescue Technician

Individuals recertify by re-taking a 3-day Ice Rescue Technician course every three years.

We also provide Annual 1-day IRT Recertification courses for private groups. To be eligible for the 1-day IRT Recertification, individuals need to have received their previous certification in the last 14 months. 

This is a general list of what to bring for your Ice Safety and Rescue course. Please refer to your ‘student information package’ (which you’ll receive once you register) for a complete list specific to your course.

Bring 3 sets of clothing and gear:

1. Clothing and gear for ice water immersion (to be worn in combination with the ice immersion suit)
2. Clothing and gear for ‘on land’ and ‘dry’ outdoor practice (still cold and snowy / rainy)
3. Clothing for your travel to and from the course

We provide:

• Drysuit or ice immersion suit — rent from us for $75
  Agencies can provide their own but they need to be in good condition with waterproof neck and wrist gaskets or built-in gloves or ‘lobster claws’, and waterproof ankle gaskets or built-in socks / booties
• Helmet (ski helmet recommended)
• Personal flotation device (PFD)
• Helmet
• Technical rescue gear (ropes, hardware, ice screws, practice hypothermia wrap, etc.)
• Course safety equipment: first aid kit, communication device, rescue sled

Your packing list:

To bring out on the ice

• Backpack  for your food, thermos and extra layers
• Snacks, lunch, and water bottle or thermos
  Keeping yourself fuelled with calories is one of the keys to staying warm and happy. We usually don’t stop for a long food break but instead, take several shorter eating breaks so it’s good to bring lots of food and things that don’t require preparation.
• High calorie snacks (like power bar / chocolate bar) that you can keep in your PFD / drysuit pocket.
• Insulated lunch bag and heat pack (optional)
  This is a nice option for storing food, beverages, medications, phone, and any other items you don’t want to freeze out on the ice
• Personal medications
• Sunscreen, lip protection
• Pencil and notepad / book
• Camera (optional)
• Sunglasses or prescription glasses with strap (optional)

Clothing to wear for ice immersion sessions

• Drysuit or ice water immersion suit (if not renting from us)
• Helmet and PFD (if not using ours)
• Winter hat (thin, ‘beanie’ style) or balaclava to wear under your helmet
• Synthetic or wool long underwear
• Synthetic or wool winter socks
• Boot liners or synthetic ‘hut booties’ or slippers (that go up to your ankle) to wear inside the immersion suit
• Thick fleece or synthetic insulation layers top and bottom
• Toque (warm hat) X 2
• Neck/face warmer
• Warm winter mitts and liner gloves (in addition to the gloves we’ll give you)

*Clothing for ‘on land’ and ‘dry’ outdoor practice (still cold and snowy)

*Note: some of these items are the same as above. However, please bring 2, so you can change into a new one when the first gets wet.

• Synthetic or wool long underwear
• Synthetic or wool winter socks
• Thick fleece or synthetic insulation layers top and bottom
• Outer layer top and bottom: waterproof winter jacket / ‘shell’ jacket & snow pants / ‘shell’ pants
• Toque (warm hat)
• Neck/face warmer
• Warm winter mitts and liner gloves
• Winter boots

Clothing for your travel to and from the course

• Change of clothes and winter boots for your way home
• Gear bag to store your equipment for transport

Clothing for OPTIONAL ‘no-drysuit self-rescue’

At the end of day-1, you’ll have the opportunity (100% OPTIONAL) to experience going into the ice water with no drysuit and rescuing yourself. (Your instructor will be right there and closely watching you if you need a hand).

You’ll wear a PFD (flotation device) and ‘street clothes’ or base layers.

If you’re considering doing this, please bring:

• An extra set of street clothes or base layers which will get soaked
• A bag or container to transport the wet stuff in afterwards
• Optional: other outdoor gear or work clothes you want to try falling in the water with
  Examples: xc-skis and poles, snowshoes, work coveralls, winter boots or ski boots, snowmobile suit and helmet, etc. Keep in mind these will be soaked afterwards.

Pricing for the 3-day Ice Rescue Technician course

• Group of 10 to 12: $559 CAD per student—plus instructor travel costs
• If you have less than 10 people, the per person price is higher

What’s included in a group course?

• 3 full days of professional instruction
• Ice immersion suit or drysuit – $75 CAD / person
• Personal flotation device (PFD) and helmet – free if requested
• All technical rescue equipment and group safety equipment

Find out more about group training

Customized training

While the Ice Rescue Technician courses have standardized curriculums, we’ll work with you to customize the training and delivery according to your group’s needs. Instructors choose training sites and design practice drills that are relevant to your group’s type of work and available resources.

See our group training page for more on information on customizing courses and combining ice safety courses with other training.