Swiftwater Rescue Technician Course (SRT-1)

3-Day River Rescue Training for Search & Rescue Professionals

Who the class is ideal for: This NFPA-compliant Swiftwater Rescue Technician Unit 1 (SRT-1) course is designed specifically for Fire and SAR personnel. Those who don’t need an NFPA-compliant course (DWR, Fish and Game personnel, environmental consultants, fisheries biologists, and other professionals who work around streams and rivers) should take the Whitewater Rescue Technician (WRT). River guides and kayak instructors should take the River Rescue Professional (RRC Pro). Private whitewater paddlers should take the 2-day River Rescue Course (RRC).

The SRT-1 course provides rescuers with the fundamentals of rescue in moving water and is recommended for anyone who may be called upon to effect in-water rescues. Students learn about hydrology and river classifications, scene size-up, site control, and scene management. Practical skills include self-rescue, swiftwater swimming, and the fundamentals of shore, boat, and in-water rescues. Additionally, students are introduced to the basics of boat handling and the fundamentals of rope rescue, including mechanical advantage and anchor systems.

Typical topics for the course include:

• Rescue gear and preparation
• Rescue organization
• Practice with rescue ropes
• Whitewater swimming
• Strong swimmer rescues
• Shallow water diving and wading
• Victim stabilization
• Boat retrieval
• Ropes systems
• Mechanical advantage systems
• Strainer management

What Makes the SRT Different

NFPA compliance: The SRT-1 class provides the rescuer with the NFPA Swiftwater Technician level foundation. The Swiftwater Technician level is a mandatory training level for inclusion on a Federal Emergency Management Agency Swiftwater/Flood Search and Rescue Team at all Team levels.

A mixture of classroom and practical river scenarios: The SRT mixes classroom and river time to present the most well-rounded training possible. We’ll spend about half of the course in the classroom discussing the fundamentals of river rescue, especially pertaining to people working around the river, and half of the course out on the river practicing rescue skills.

Dates & Pricing

2024 SRT Dates:

• April 24-26
• May 29-31

2024 SRT Cost: $485 for certification by Rescue 3. Lunch is not included, but feel free to bring your own. The Wet Planet Café has an assortment of delicious hot and cold sandwiches and other tasty offerings available for purchase.

Requirements: good physical condition and the ability to swim