Ice Rescue Training

[LTPVFD]

If anyone is looking for excellent training in Ice Rescue, Swiftwater Rescue, Dive Rescue, and all the related
disciplines, check out the Dive Rescue International website.

Their address is www.diverescueintl.com, and their phone number is (800) 248-3483.

I took a dive rescue program through them many years ago. The training was hosted by the Calgary Fire Department, and the instructors were excellent.

LTPVFD :)

[captinstu]

Dive Rescue International usually hosts an instructors course once or twice a year (in Alberta anyway). They provide the training to Fire Departments, Police, Rescue, etc. at a reduced cost so that we can teach our own people. There is definatly the need as the first course I taught had 30 people in it!

[sscanland]

Sylvan Lake just put on a Ice Rescue Instructors course which Dive Rescue came up and taught. They were awesome.

If anyone is needs ice rescue done for there department at a cost please let me know and I have 3 instructors that are willing to travel to help other departments. We just sent them to Brooks to teach.

[Hally]

Just wondering.. the 1-800 number doesnt have much on canadian dates for any Dive rescue course's? Just wondering if anyone has a number of somebody in the area or BC.. or Calgary that i would be able to get a hold of. Thanks alot guys and girls.

[mfdff10]

i took the ice rescue this past winter and what an excellent course, good times was had by all

[hmckay91]

What do you guys think of working with Dive Rescue Intl and their Ice Rescue program?

I have taken the Ice Rescue course and the Train the Trainer course through DRI. Their instructors are top notch however I found all the DRI legality stuff (and paperwork) took up far too much time (2+ hours in the course and a half day or more on the Train the Trainer) and there was no valued added. The course material was somewhat dated, in particular the videos (that also highlighted some poor practices, intentionally and not).

It seems to me a highly protected program designed 20 years ago that DRI keeps reselling (its a money maker) and it has never been improved or majorly overhauled.

Ice types and structure seemed to be filler. We (the Fire Service) are there because the ice is unsafe. The differece between clear ice, frazl ice, and candled ice appears irrelevent when you have someone in the water in need of rescue (as well as Ice strength guidelines). You are not going to change your rescue procedures. Self Rescue, Reach, Throw, Row (if you have one) and Go.

At the end of the day get some basic proper equipment (very little is needed to start), pre-rig it, get some basic training, and handle it like any other emergency (which the fire service does well). It's not rocket science.

I also have a problem with the recertification rules (or suggestions). It seems to me a blatent money grab every few years for little or no return.

When looking at developing our own program (presently we still teach DRI) I found some reference material that may be of interest.

From Advanced Rescue Technology (you should be able to download them) If not send me an email and I can forward them to you.

ICE RESCUE

Ice Rescue.
Dworkin G, Dec 2000/Jan 2001, p. 25.

Spring Preplanning for Safe Ice Rescue Operations: Part 1.
Zaferes A, Hendrick W, Dec 2001/Jan 2002, p. 31.

Spring Preplanning for Safe Ice Rescue Operations: Part 2.
Zaferes A, Hendrick W, Feb/Mar, p. 27.

WINTER RESCUE

Extreme Winter Rescue.
Erich J, Dec 2002/Jan 2003, p. 38.

TRAINING

NFPA 1670: Operations and Training for Technical Rescue Incidents Part VI: "Water Rescue."
McCurley (Clem) L, Dec 2001/Jan 2002, p. 55.

http://www.angelguardproducts.com/rescue/rescuealive/video.htm

http://www.mpsda.org/ice_rescue_techniques.htm