Peter White has retired from teaching the Swiftwater Rescue Operator Course with Dwellingup Adventures. Please direct any course inquiries to Rescue Training Group
From the early Swiftwater Rescue Technician Course the Swiftwater Rescue Operators Course (SRO) has been developed in line with Australian and International swiftwater rescue standards. This operator level course incorporates the latest tends and techniques in rescue in swift water with 3 units of competency awarded for successful assessment under the national Training Framework.
SISOBWG404A – Apply river crossing skills, SISOWWR302A – Demonstrate white water rescues and recoveries and SISOWWR201A – Demonstrate self rescue skills in white water.
On successful completion of the optional assessment day a Statement of Attainment for the relevant units is issued by Rescue Training Group.
The SRO Course is designed for rescue workers, rafting guides, outdoor education leaders, adventure guides, school teachers and recreational paddlers.
Swiftwater Rescue Operator
The SRO Course is delivered over 4 days. Training and assessment will comprise of both theory and practical components. Training is conducted over 3 days plus an additional day of assessment to gain the relevant Units of Competency. Those wishing to use the 3 day practical component of the course and who already have the 3 units of competency can complete the training only ensuring skills are maintained and current. Rescue Training Group will provide documentation that the student has attended 3 day training component.
The initial emphasis is on developing self-rescue skills. Other objectives include the philosophy of rescue, dynamics of swift moving water, dealing with hazards and obstacles, using basic rescue equipment, setting up technical horizontal rope systems, throw bagging, strainer swimming, swimming in rapids and much more.
Swiftwater Rescue courses utilize basic rescue equipment that should be carried by all those working or recreating near moving water.
Behavioral Objectives
At the completion of the SRO Course:
Understand the philosophy and history of swiftwater rescue- Describe swiftwater terms and identify their hydrological features and hazards
- Identify appropriate personal equipment for a swift water rescue
- Understand low to high risk options and the 15 absolutes of swift water rescue
- Understand and demonstrate ferry angles both for water craft and swimming
- Discuss different boat types and their suitability as rescue platforms
- Understand medical considerations of swiftwater rescue
- Demonstrate C spine immobilisation
- Discuss effective communication techniques for swift water rescue
- Identify adverse variables which will affect swift water rescue
- Demonstrate effective aggressive and defensive swimming techniques including eddy hopping, swimming in a hole and swimming a line across a river
- Discuss a range of throw bags and their features
- Demonstrate effective use of throw bags
- Demonstrate an ability to perform correctly a towed victim swim rescue and a live bait rescue
- Understand victim behaviour
- Demonstrate the ability to correctly set up a quick release belt on a PFD
Define and discuss a strainer and demonstrate an ability to correctly perform a strainer swim in swift water using a v-lower to extricate a foot entrapment- Define and discuss a shallow water crossing and demonstrate the ability to correctly perform a variety of techniques for shallow water crossing
- Discuss and identify a range of entrapment and vertical pinning situations and options for releasing the victim
- Demonstrate the ability to release a victim from an entrapment or vertical pinning in a simulated rescue situation
- Understand and demonstrate simple 2 and 4 point boat tether rescues
- Demonstrate a range of paddle strokes to maneuver an inflatable raft in swiftwater in a team environment
- Identify a range of rescue conditions that would require the use of ropes and/or webbing
- Identify the correct type of rope and/or webbing to suit a range of rescue conditions and discuss their application
- Be able to tie rescue knots, including the “family of eights”. The water knot, the Prusik knot, the figure 9 knot, the butterfly knot, rescue hitches and the no knot
- Discuss the use and application of different types of knots
- Describe and identify a range of technical equipment to suit a range of river rescue situations
- Discuss their properties and applications with regard to strengths, safe working loads, construction and handling considerations
Be able to construct effective anchors, including one point, load sharing and self-equalising anchors using both rope and webbing.- Understand and utilise natural and artificial anchors, including trees, rocks, poles, barricades, bridge abutments, parapets, vehicles and cliff pickets
- Discuss and apply mechanical advantage in a team environment required to carry out a rescue
- Demonstrate the ability to set up and use a 3:1 z drag and 4:1 pig rig
- Discuss and dry land demonstrate a simulated Tyrolean rescue system shallow water triangle of support crossing
- Be able to manage such systems with fair competency in actual terrain
- Understand the management skills needed to direct a technical rope rescue mission
- Respond to an outdoor recreation emergency
- Demonstrate search and rescue skills
- Establish and use mechanical advantage rope systems in a comprehensive range of settings
- Select an extensive range of anchors for rope activities
- Use a single rope belay system to safeguard a person
- Establish belay systems for a limited range of contexts
- Perform a comprehensive range of white water rescues and SRT 2 recoveries
Refund Policy
Quotes will be provided and will be valid for specific and stated dates. An authority to issue an invoice shall be obtained via email or in writing generally through the completion of the booking form.
Payment should be made on receipt of a valid tax invoice and not before.
All client payments are retained in a deposit account and will not be released to the operating account until courses are completed to ensure pro-rata refunds are available for eligible students.
Notification to cancel or amend details or dates for a public booking must be received in writing at least 21 days prior to the course commencement date. Where a refund of monies is sought RTG retains the right to retain an administration fee of $50.00.
Notification or intention to cancel or amend after the 21 day period will result in the forfeiture of a 50% deposit unless the client or RTG can settle on delivery of a similar product at differing dates.
Rescue Training Group Pty Ltd reserves the right to cancel or postpone any course due to inclement or unsafe weather, instructor/s inability to teach (due to health and safety reasons). In the case of Rescue Training Group Pty Ltd cancelling or postponing a course, any monies paid to Rescue Training Group Pty Ltd will be refunded upon request or can be held against a future course.
Where a course has commenced and then is cancelled or postponed by Rescue Training Group Pty Ltd, alternative dates will be scheduled to complete the course. Students may elect to withdraw and in this case, a student requesting a refund will be entitled to a refund on a pro-rata basis.
Should a student undertaking an RTG course suffer an illness or injury that prevents them from completing the course, the student may elect to withdraw and in this case, no refund will be made available.
RTG will offer this student a place on a future course which may be a public enrolment course on a contract course for another organisation with no financial disadvantage. RTG will not take responsibility for additional cost to a student or organisation in this situation (e.g. additional travel or accommodation costs).
Other SRO courses in different locations in Australia
Visit www.rescuetraininggroup.com.au for course development.
Low to High Angle Vertical Rescue Courses
Visit www.rescuetraininggroup.com.au for course information.