This course is approximately 30 hours total with 8 hours in the classroom and 20-22 hours in the field. The course will have more than 22 hours in the field because access and time to the river are not much of an issue. Days are long and the river is minutes away. The first day of the class includes vital information about rescue history and philosophy as well as statistical information on water flows, floods, and rescues around the world. We will also discuss the rules of the river and the absolutes of river rescue.
Hydrology is a major part of the course because knowing the water is our job.
Lectures, photographs and videos on hydrology are a start to the disciplines of swiftwater rescue. Break for lunch for 45 min. The day continues with an up close look at rescue equipment and their care and maintenance. A hands-on knots and anchors workshop for rigging technical rope systems finishes the day indoors. After class we will move down to the Rio Espalon to do a quick boat handling run and a flip and recovery drill.