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International Life Saving Federation
Canine Water Rescue Team Certificate

INTERNATIONAL LIFE SAVING FEDERATIONWorld Water Safety
Gemeenteplein 26 – 3010 Leuven – Belgium
Tel: (32.16) 89.60.60 – E-mail: ils.hq@telenet.be - Web: www.ilsf.org

CANINE (K9) WATER RESCUE TEAM CERTIFICATE

Minimum Recommended Competencies
A Canine (K9) water rescue team consists of a dog, who successfully completed a formal
training programme in K9 water rescue and a handler. The dog and the handler work as aunit assigned to protect the life and safety on surf, non-surf and still water beaches and atlakes or rivers. The K9 water rescue team will be annually re-assessed by the country’sresponsible body.
The certificate is specified to recognise only one handler and one unique dog, which has
been individually trained by the handler to attain the recognition as a "ILS certificate K9 water
rescue team.”
The following is an outline of minimum competencies recommended by the International Life
Saving Federation for an operative K9 water rescue team. The ILS recognises that many ofits Member Organisations have varying standards, which may exceed these minimum
competencies, given that circumstances differentiate between each country.
ILS encourages the highest possible standards in lifesaving, and merely provides thefollowing as recommended minimum competencies.
Prerequisites
The prerequisites for the handler for course attendance are as follows: Minimum of 18 years of age.
 Member of the National Federation or a recognised federation by that National
Federation.
 Being the owner or trainer of the canine qualifying for K9 Water rescue team.
 Being in the possession of a wetsuit and fins for the handler and a floating device forthe K9 with sufficient buoyancy that guaranty a floating position when in the water.
The prerequisites for the canine for course attendance are as follows: Training with the handler on a regular base in the water.
 A healthy body weight minimum of 30kg and minimum aged 12 months.
 Up to date in required vaccinations of the country and microchip or tattoo
 identification.
 In appropriate health (an annual health certificate from the veterinary).
 Of good temperament around people, dogs, animals, places and a very strong nonaggressive attitude of the dog

International Life Saving Federation
Canine Water Rescue Team Certificate

APPENDIX 28
Page 2All learning Outcomes in an open water environment are with wetsuit/flotation and harness
for K9. If the handler doesn’t wear a wetsuit, he must be equipped with a lifejacket.
Learning Outcome 1: Perform water-based skills in an open water environment.
Assessment Criteria:
1.
Handler swims 400 meters using fins and towed or swim side by side with the K9,
the handler may support the K9 by using the fins and holding the K9 harness onboth side.
2.
Handler support the dog above water for at least 2 minutes.
3.
Handler runs 200 – 300 meters along the beach (one or two stops may beordered) and perform a side by side swim with K9 for minimum 100 meters.
Learning Outcome 2: Demonstrate combined rescue without equipment in an open
water environment.
Assessment Criteria:
Perform combined rescue technique in the following sequence:
1.
Lifesaving entry with K9 side by side (slide entry, wading, jumps, swim); then,2.
Perform rescue of conscious, non-difficult victim, that is minimum of 100m awayfrom shore.
3.
Lifesaving entry with K9 side by side (slide entry, wading, jumping, swim); then,perform rescue of unconscious victim floating at surface level victim that isminimum of 50m away from shore.
Learning Outcome 3: Simulate the use of land-based rescue skills.
Assessment Criteria:
1.
Lift unconscious patient and transport them over a minimum distance of 25m
from water edge using a recognised patient transport technique (techniqueavailable in your country first aid instructions).
2.
Know the right procedures to contact the emergency service into his/her country.
Learning Outcome 4: Perform emergency response techniques including resuscitationand first aid techniques.
Assessment Criteria:
1.
Perform basic patient management techniques including: Diagnosis/check for dangers (including environment, handler, victim, K9 andcrowd control), reaction, airways, breathing and circulation (DRABC), lateralposition and patient rollover, call for help.
2.
Perform resuscitation techniques including: EAR (adult, child, infant), CPR (adult, child, infant), One-person CPR
operation
3.
Perform resuscitation techniques including: EAR K9 – one-person CPR K9.
4.
Identify and perform first aid techniques for managing injury and emergency
including: patient management
5.
Identify and managing injuries (i.e. shock, fractures, arterial and venal bleeding,spinal injury, etc.).
6.
Use of appropriate rescue and first aid equipment

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Canine Water Rescue Team Certificate

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The K9 must stand-by and wait, calmly and attentively, for further direction fromhandler and not interfere with any part of the emergency medical aid operation.

Learning Outcome 5: Demonstrate combined rescue without equipment in an open
water environment of two victims.
Assessment Criteria:
Perform combined rescue technique in the following sequence:
1.
Lifesaving entry with K9 side by side (slide entry, wading, swim); then, perform
rescue of two conscious victims (one is doing difficult) who are a minimum of 100
m away from shore and at least 50 meters apart from each other.
2.
Lifesaving entry with K9 side by side (slide entry, wading, swim); then, perform
rescue of a conscious and an unconscious victim who are a minimum of 50 m
away from shore and at least 50 meters apart from each other. The unconscious
victim may wear gloves.
Learning Outcome 6: Demonstrate combined rescue with equipment in an open waterenvironment.
Assessment Criteria:
Perform combined rescue technique in the following sequence:
1. Lifesaving entry with K9 side by side (slide entry, wading, jumps, swim); then,perform rescue of conscious victim that is minimum 100m away from shore using a
rescue tool (fins, rescue tube, rescue board, life jacket, floating rope, etc.).
2. Lifesaving entry with K9 side by side (slide entry, wading, swim); then, perform
rescue of unconscious victim that is minimum of 50m away from shore, using a
rescue tool (fins, rescue tube, rescue board, life jacket, floating rope, etc.).
Learning Outcome 7: Towing a boat and a drifting boat.
Assessment Criteria:
1.
Towing a boat (minimum 70kg boat with one person on board) minimum 100
meters to the handler. The canine may either pull the boat by mouth or the rope
may be attached to its flotation device.
2.
Towing an empty drifting craft for a minimum of 60 meters. Craft to be defined
here after as a rescue boat or similar which is used by a member organization forrescue purposes.
Learning Outcome 8: Rescuing a person in distress by bringing up a floating device orrope by K9Assessment Criteria:
1.
The K9 will take a floating device, floating rope, life jacket or a rescue tube, on its
own to a conscious victim in distress from a distance of 50 meters. K9 tow theperson back to shore or the handler may tow the victim in if long floating rope
was used.
Learning Outcome 8: Demonstrate the use of a craft for rescue purposes. (Only K9
handler with a RESCUE BOAT DRIVER CERTIFICATE may use outboard engine
propelled rescue crafts)
Assessment Criteria:

International Life Saving FederationCanine Water Rescue Team Certificate

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2.
3.

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Demonstrate the use of a craft for rescue purposes.
K9 must swim around boat till the victim is on board and the handler take the K9
in the boat.
Handler will pull the canine into boat with ease and without any help at the end of
the rescue attempt.

Assessment Strategy
These learning outcomes are best assessed using the following common assessment
methods:
 Observation by a recognised instructor of the country’s National Federation orrecognised federation by the latter.
 Execution and complete of the learning outcomes without failure.
Range of Variables
There are a number of variables that will affect the performance and the assessment of
the Learning Outcomes. These may include:
Safety of the K9
A "call off" can be made by the handler to the K9 for protection of K9 or the victim, theperson does not need to be rescued anymore or the situation has changed, and thedog must quit the action immediately and return to the handler.
Facilities
 Facilities and use of inland-open water aquatic locations. Sea side beaches could be
used when waves are not too high.
 Conditions of the venue.
 Identification of equipment that is available for use at that location.
Dress
Candidates may be required to wear their recognised uniform; long shirt and pants or
short shirt and pants during the assessment. When conditions require a wet suit andfins may be used, the same as goggles, diving masks and lifejacket.
The K9 will be equipped with a proper floating rescue jacket specially designed forcanine. The floating device must be able to keep the K9 floating in all circumstances.
Candidates
Candidates will be able to perform a rescue operation.
Resources
ILS member organisations will list and identify the use of theoretical and practicalresources available to them.
Regulation approved by the ILS Board of Directors on 21/04/2012.