Whitewater Rescue Technician (WRT)

3-Day River Rescue Training for Agency Personnel

Who the class is ideal for: DWR, Fish and Game personnel, environmental consultants, fisheries biologists, and other professionals who work around streams and rivers will find this course perfect for their needs. Fire and SAR personnel should take the NFPA-compliant Swiftwater Rescue Technician (SRT-1). Professional river guides and kayak instructors should consider the River Rescue Pro (RRC-Pro). Private rafters and kayakers should take the 2-day River Rescue Course (RRC).

This fast-paced course emphasizes on-river scenarios to help students develop the ability to choose appropriate actions when a river rescue becomes necessary. Taught by paddlers who spend a good portion of their lives on whitewater in a professional capacity, this course will focus on quick, efficient, low-tech techniques for rescue that utilize the basic gear that you are likely to carry with you on the river in your boat.

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 WRT Different

River rescue skills for people working around rivers: The Whitewater Rescue Technician class is designed primarily for folks who spend time around rivers as part of their jobs (environmental consultants, fisheries personnel, etc.) but are not SAR professionals. Time is spent discussing topics that are pertinent in a professional capacity, such as liability concerns, pre-rescue incident organization, and industry standards.

A mixture of classroom and practical river scenarios: The WRT 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 WRT Dates:

• April 24-26
• May 29-31

2024 WRT Cost: $450 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

Looking for Drysuit Rentals? Check out Immersion Research to have one shipped to you before getting out on the water with us!