Course limitations

Take a close look at the ACA Level 4 Swiftwater Rescue class agenda. It is HUGE, 9 pages of bullet items. Many instructors skip some topics so there is adequate time to cover ones they feel are more important. As a club instructor, I am fortunate that I can recruit a great deal of help. This allows me to stage exercises while teaching students.

Levels 2 & 3 are only a day.  Many topics we cover in the full two day class have to be skipped like the strainer bar exercise, rescue vests, etc.

For those new to swiftwater rescue, this is a tremendous amount of material to digest in one weekend. This is why I put together this extensive collection of web-based training material and make it available to students well ahead of the class. This same material also serves as a reference after the class.

SWR is a vast topic and many other skills are useful like strong boating skills, First Aid, ropework, etc. Books, videos, web articles, and cross-training are quite valuable efforts as well.

Group debrief / Individual feedback

At the end of each class day, we usually head over to Potomac Pizza. Everyone is pretty tired, thirsty, and hungry. Before heading in that direction though, it is a good idea to summarize the highlights of the class and provide guidance on where students can gain extra practice or training opportunities. I often run Little Falls Workouts and incorporate a number of SWR practice drills. Once each year, we conduct a day of rescue scenarios which is really popular. I also run a Fun With Ropes clinic in the Winter where we concentrate on ropework and other dry skills.

At the restuarant, I like to lead the "Final Exam" while waiting for our pizzas and beer. Everyone enjoys this oral exam and it forms a nice quality check on the class and a last chance to answer any questions or cover a topic that may have been overlooked.

Individual feedback is provided in a timely manner throughout the class. If necessary, I may provide some additional private feedback after the class.

Conclusion & Wrap Up

debriefA great deal of work goes into each of these classes. Please thank our many volunteers and offer to help out with future classes. If you are not currently a club member, I highly recommend joining one and becoming an active member. As with any skill, rescue skills will get rusty with lack of use. This is one course many take every year to stay current and maintain great skills.

In this section, we talk about the ACA and other great organizations. We also reinforce continued learning via trips, classes, reading, etc.

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