Get swiftwater rescue training and certification for your group. Learn through professional instruction specific to conservation officers, scientists, fisheries staff, and those who work in natural resource management around rivers. Gain knowledge, skills, and confidence through hands-on practice.
Our instructors can travel to you or we can host you at one of our training sites. The course will be customized to meet the needs of your organization and the type of fieldwork that you do.
These courses are for groups. As an individual, you can join a 2-day Whitewater Rescue (WWR) or 4-day Whitewater Rescue Technician (WRT) course.
Course options
- Swiftwater Safety (Awareness Level) – 1 day
- Swiftwater Rescue (Operations Level) – 2 days
Learning Outcomes
- Get hands-on practice with experienced instructors, a great learning environment, and a well-run course
- Increase your knowledge of the river environment to avoid hazards and work with the water, not against it
- Practice techniques such as swimming, wading, and throwing ropes to move around the river, perform self-rescues, and rescue others
- Gain the tools to carry out effective rescues with limited resources when doing field work
- Benefit from customized training for your group—tailored to those who do fieldwork in natural resource conservation, fisheries, and scientific research
Topics covered
Knowledge
- General concepts of whitewater and swiftwater rescue
- Personal and group equipment
- River safety and scene management
- River signals and communications
- River features and hydrology
- Related medical topics: drowning and hypothermia
Basic Skills
- Swimming in moving water: self rescue and whitewater maneuvers
- Throw ropes
- Contact rescues
- Introduction to quick release rescue harness and ‘live bait’ rescue
- Rescue of panicked subjects
- Shallow water crossings
- Knots, anchors, and basic tensioning systems
- ‘Strainer’ swim
Rescue problems and scenarios
- Foot entrapment
- Kayak, canoe, and raft pins and wraps
- Managing flips and swims
- Rescue simulations—customized for your group’s needs
- Elective topics: working with hip waders, paddle boat handling
Pricing and course format for groups
Pricing for 2-day Swiftwater Rescue (SWR) course
- Group of 10 to 12: $399 CAD per student—plus instructor travel costs
- If you have less than 10 people, that’s no problem, but the price per person will be higher. This still often ends up working out better for you than paying for your whole team to travel elsewhere for training
What’s included in a group course?
- 2 full days of professional instruction
- All technical rescue equipment and group safety equipment
Take away materials
Rental equipment available
- Drysuit – 60 CAD for 2 days
- PFD – Free
- Helmet – Free
Customized training
While these 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 swiftwater rescue courses with other training.
Recertification and skill maintenance
Certification is valid for three years from the date of issue. Candidates are recertified by re-taking the 2-day course. An option for organizations seeking more frequent refreshers is an annual 1-day recertification.
Be sure to read our cancellation policy.
