Swiftwater Rescue Training

The guides of BEWET take passenger safety very seriously. We are acutely aware that the folks in the boats are our members, their families, and friends.

With that in mind, this year's guide trainees and any existing guides that want a refresher will be heading off this fall for a extended weekend swiftwater rescue training class. The SRT class will help us deal with life-threatening situations in a manner which minimizes danger to our own lives, and enable rescuers to assess and respond to emergencies quickly and professionally.

We'll learn:

• Rescuer safety training and equipment
• Swiftwater dynamics and hazards
• Medical problems and considerations
• Cold water near drowning.
• Swiftwater safety and signals
• Swimming safely in rapids with control
• Floods and shallow water crossings, controlled log swim, combat swims, foot entrapment, and live bait
• Introductions to ropes, knots, and technical gear
• Mechanical advantage rope systems, two and four point boat tether systems
• Cervical immobilization
• Boat handling and boogie boards
• Dealing with family and bystanders
• Cross river communications
• Tension diagonals and line crossings
• Boat wrapping
• Team organization and pre-planning
• Highline on boat on tether, debriefing, and critique

For pictures of BEWET members doing the rescue training back in 1997, see this link.

A big thank you to Nate, Bill, Phill, Eric, and Mike for their help and advice in getting the class set up!