Swiftwater Rescue Training
Whether you are taking rescue for the first time, tuning up your skills, or leveling up to advanced techniques, Paddlesport Institute’s courses can help you be prepared for the unexpected on the water.
Foundational Courses cover all the basics in 2 days. These are great for your first rescue class or a semi-annual refresher to tune up your skills.
Review and Assessment courses are one day sessions, open to those who have taken rescue before.
Rescue Leadership courses cover advanced L5 techniques and focus on quick, effective decision making in urgent situations.
Rescue Instructor Courses prepare you to teach the next generation of rescue leaders, while taking your skills to the next level.
Foundational Courses
These courses are excellent for your first rescue course, or taken every 2-3 years to keep your skills sharp. Two day courses cover the most essential rescue skills: wading techniques for moving water, using throw ropes, boat-based rescue, and more. You'll walk away empowered to be the paddler who can step up when something unexpected happens on the water.
Advanced Courses
Best taken with your crew, Rescue Leadership course cover advanced techniques and quick and effective decision making. These courses often include opportunities for low light and night operations scenarios.
To learn more, check out the Rescue Leadership Video.
Instructor Training
Are you ready to teach rescue? Join Jordan Taylor for your instructor certification. In these courses, you will practice and refine your own skills, learn how to safely and effectively teach rescue techniques, and practice leading scenarios that help teach decision making.
Rescue training with Jordan …
“On an Upper Yough run on Saturday there was some of the (not uncommon) mayhem that occurs when a raft or two pins in Charlie’s, resulting in a lot of shouting and whistling and lines being thrown everywhere. On this occasion the raft guides had no idea how to unpin their raft or manage the situation. It was pretty notable that the scene was almost entirely taken over by current or former Calleva students or Potomac area paddlers, who not only effectively managed upstream signaling and communication but also unpinned the raft with a 3:1. The guides apparently did not have pin kits or know how to set up a 3:1.
I share this because I think it was really cool to see pretty much every competent person had been taught by Jordan Taylor. So thank you to Jordan for leveling up the skills of our community, and to Calleva for successfully integrating swiftwater into classes. It really showed on Saturday afternoon.”
– Aime, Advanced Rescue Participant