IRIA certification is based on the experience, credibility and peer recognition of rescue professionals who have a proven record of performance in their chosen fields and in court. The certification courses are delivered on five levels. All levels are based on clear, linked, progressive objectives that are evaluated, validated, recorded and tracked. Level 3 or the Rescue Technician level is the top of the non professional level and the beginning of the professional level. The industry Standard of Care dictates and the courts verify, that after 3 years, a certification becomes inactive and hence invalid without the maintenance of scheduled competency performance standards or formal re-certification.
IRIA members act as court recognised subject matter experts in jurisdictions around the world.
The court system is the final regulator and is ultimately responsible for validating standards. The IRIA membership includes 450 rescue professionals and instructors from around the world. In Canada, members have served and assisted the Department of Fisheries and Ocean, Parks Canada, RCMP, Ministry of Environment, the BC Provincial Emergency Program, University Colleges, BC Registrar of Commercial River Rafting, America Outdoors and many response agencies, among others.