Whitewater Rescue Training I & II

• Get tons of 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
• Learn knots, anchors, and rope systems for use in equipment recovery and transportation
• Carry out effective rescues with limited resources when river running

Take away materials

• Waterproof course manual: Whitewater Rescue Field Guide
• Digital certification card

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
• Rescue of panicked subjects
• Shallow water crossings
• Knots, anchors, and basic tensioning systems
• ‘Strainer’ swim

Rescue problems & scenarios

• Foot entrapment
• Kayak, canoe, and raft pins and wraps
• Managing flips and swims
• Rescue simulations

Pre-course prep

Once you register, you’ll get a link to our online learning platform. Budget about 4-6 hours to complete the work. You will:

• Going through video and text lessons
• Do short quizzes
• Read and sign your course waiver forms

By learning the pre-course prep material first, we can spend more course time practicing where it matters: on and around the river.

Daily schedule

After registering, you’ll receive a ‘student information package’ with specific meeting times for your course. Typically class starts at 8:30am and may go until 6:30pm.

Attendance is mandatory

Attendance for 100% of class time is mandatory. If you can’t make a session you need permission from the instructor in advance. Students who miss a section of the course without pre-approval may be asked to leave the course.

Assessment and evaluation for certification

Practical assessment is ongoing within a supportive, professional, and fun learning environment.

To achieve the WWR Level II certification you need to:

• Attend all sessions and participate throughout the course
• Demonstrate an understanding of river safety and river rescue skills

Your certification is valid for 3 years from the date of issue.

Recertification in Whitewater Rescue (WWR) Level II

You should consider upgrading from Whitewater Rescue (WWR) Level II by taking the 3-day Whitewater Rescue Technician – Bridge (WRT-Bridge) III course. Or you can recertify your Whitewater Rescue (WWR) II by re-taking the course.

Upgrading to Technician Level Certification

If you have current certification you could upgrade with either the 3-day WRT Recertification/Bridge Level III option or the 5-day WRT Levels I, II, & III course.

To successfully upgrade to the technician-level certification in 3 days, it is important that you arrive for your course ready to use your skills and knowledge from your previous training courses and experiences. The 3-day option is great if you have been practicing most of your skills regularly and spending time in and around rivers during the 3 years since your last course.

We recommend taking the complete 5-day WRT course in these situations:

• you would like more supervised practice time
• you haven’t spent very much time around rivers since your last course
• you aren’t able to perform the skills outlined in the WRT-Bridge pre-course assignment

Certification from other training providers

You can take the WRT-Bridge or WRT-Recertification course if your current certification is through a provider other than Boreal River Rescue. Please contact the office for approval.

This is a general list of what to bring for a WRT-Bridge course. Please refer to your ‘student information package’ (emailed to you once you register) for a complete list specific to your course.

Equipment rental is available.

For the river:

• Whitewater helmet. You can rent one from us for the whole course (two days total) for $12 CAD.
• Whitewater PFD with knife and whistle (personal flotation device) Needs to be in good condition, fit properly, and be outfitted with a safety knife and whistle. A quick-release harness is not mandatory for WWR students. You can rent a rescue PFD from us for the whole course (two days total) for $40 CAD—it comes equipped with a knife, whistle, and quick release harness.
• River shoes – closed toe
  River shoes with full toe coverage that are supportive but also lightweight and draining with a grippy sole. This could be a model made specifically for the river or a lightweight running shoe, trail-running shoe, or sneaker. Neoprene shoes can work if they have enough support and traction but neoprene socks or booties are not adequate.
• Wetsuit or drysuit
  A wetsuit or drysuit is necessary for courses before mid-June or past mid-September in eastern or central North America and always necessary on glacier-fed rivers. You can rent a full length wetsuit (4mm with fleece lining and full arms and legs) from us for the whole course (two days total) for $63 CAD.
• Locking carabiner and 4-5 m strand of 1″ tubular webbing
  You need to bring your own locking carabiner (rate to min. 20kN with gate closed) and a 4 to 5 m strand of 1″ tubular webbing. Make sure you don’t cut the webbing too short. Read this article for more information.
• Base layers, insulation, and socks
  Make sure to have several layers of socks, pants, and tops made of wool, fleece, polyester, or another synthetic material to wear in addition to your wetsuit or drysuit (or to be worn on their own on sunny days and in warm water).
• Surf shorts
• Rash guard
• 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 lunch break but instead, take several shorter eating breaks throughout the day so it is good to bring lots of food and things that don’t require much preparation on the side of the river. Also make sure to have some high calorie snacks that you can keep in your PFD pocket.
• Sunscreen, lip protection, bug repellent
• Neoprene gloves (optional)
• Neoprene head warmer (optional)
• Camera (optional)
• Sunglasses or prescription glasses with strap (optional)

For on land:

• Comfortable clothing
• Comfortable shoes
• Tuque (warm hat), gloves, or mitts for early and late season courses
• Sun hat, visor, or baseball cap
• Raingear
• Gear bag or container to store your equipment for transport
• Day pack or drybag to store your belongings during class
• Pens and notepad

Consider the following items but refer to the ‘student information package’ for your course to see the accommodation options available and a more specific list:

• Meals and cooking equipment
• Camping equipment or bedding
• Towel
• Personal hygiene products and medications
• Indoor clothing and shoes