Rescue Systems Training

[Fletch808]

Hello,
I'm a member of a department that no long has a urban search and rescue basic training program. I'm very interested in finding a school or academy that would provide this training, but would have limited time off. Ideally the courses would be between 2 and 7 days. I have found an academy in Sacramento that offers these and other programs (http://www.fireandrescuetraining.ca.gov). However their scheduling is somewhat few and far apart. Can anybody suggest training programs that would help? Thanks for you're time.
-Fletcher

[FiremanLyman]

What classes are you looking for? A there is not really a basic USAR class because the multitude of skills involved. FEMA USAR teams have as basic level requirements; Structural Collapse, Swiftwater, Rope Rescue, Confined Space, Trench, WMD classes, and logistical classes. Then there are search classes; urban, wide area, K-9, wilderness, etc... Medical, HAZMAT, surface water, cave, management... the list goes on.

Try TEEX. http://www.teex.org/

[Fletch808]

I'm mostly looking for classes on rope operations, like rescue systems 1 and 2. However, all the classes you listed look interesting. Thanks for the link.

[GTRider245]

Lots of options out there, just depends on how much time and money you have to spend. Where are you located?

Few options:

CMC Rescue School- http://www.cmcrescue.com/rescueschool.php

Roco Rescue- http://www.rocorescue.com/training/

[EricUlner]

My 2 cents- The ideal situation is to have the more advanced technician dudes in your department to train the new folks the basics. But if you don't have those human resources in your department, look to a formal school. If you're starting from scratch, 2 days will not be enough. 7 days will be barely enough. I would advise to avoid the school that wants to waste your time with high lines. Maybe in your 3rd or 4th week of formal training you might want to consider such. Train heavily only your down and down ops, down and up ops first. Then move on to offsets- tag, guiding, tracking, skate, deflection, and 2-ropes. Those will carry the day 95% of the time instead of a high line. If your moving on to high line training within a week or two from starting out, you're eating your ice cream before you've had your dinner. Once you've got some basics down, consider one of the two top schools in the country- either Rigging for Rescue or Ropes That Rescue. Most importantly, if your chiefs atop your food chain are serious about supporting a rope rescue team, they should be willing to let you train in-house at minimum a full day every quarter, and better, bi-monthly. But best is monthly. If it's only annual training, they're paying for a liability...

[stickboy42]

Well said Eric. I second that.

[servantleader]

My 2 cents- The ideal situation is to have the more advanced technician dudes in your department to train the new folks the basics. But if you don't have those human resources in your department, look to a formal school. If you're starting from scratch, 2 days will not be enough. 7 days will be barely enough. I would advise to avoid the school that wants to waste your time with high lines. Maybe in your 3rd or 4th week of formal training you might want to consider such. Train heavily only your down and down ops, down and up ops first. Then move on to offsets- tag, guiding, tracking, skate, deflection, and 2-ropes. Those will carry the day 95% of the time instead of a high line. If your moving on to high line training within a week or two from starting out, you're eating your ice cream before you've had your dinner. Once you've got some basics down, consider one of the two top schools in the country- either Rigging for Rescue or Ropes That Rescue. Most importantly, if your chiefs atop your food chain are serious about supporting a rope rescue team, they should be willing to let you train in-house at minimum a full day every quarter, and better, bi-monthly. But best is monthly. If it's only annual training, they're paying for a liability...

Eric's advice is worth way way more than two cents. The training model he describes has worked splendidly for my dept. Send your 2-3 best people to RFR or RTR and have them train the rest of the team, preferably on a once monthly basis.

[GTRider245]

Well said, Eric. However, some of the more advanced skills that probably shouldn't be taught in the first 80 hours sometimes have to be for the sole reason that the students may be tested on them when it comes time for written and practical exams at the technician level. High line and ascending/descending are two good examples. But since they are possible skills evaluations and the material relating to them may be on the written test, they have to be taught. Of course this depends on your location and what standard you are training to. We use NPQ in Georgia, and had to do both.

Other than that, you hit the nail on the head.

[EricUlner]

"Standards" that call for high line stuff that soon in the learning process cause a systemic flaw. [And although it's used a lot, I think that using the term "technician" for someone with 2 weeks of rope rescue training is a bit of a misnomer.] To take on high lines before mastering offsets is akin to pushing essay writing on the student who's still trying to master sentence structure, or trig on the algebra student. Quite ridiculous, me thinks.

Ascending and descending- Basics.

[steelefire]

Hello,
I'm a member of a department that no long has a urban search and rescue basic training program. I'm very interested in finding a school or academy that would provide this training, but would have limited time off. Ideally the courses would be between 2 and 7 days. I have found an academy in Sacramento that offers these and other programs (http://www.fireandrescuetraining.ca.gov). However their scheduling is somewhat few and far apart. Can anybody suggest training programs that would help? Thanks for you're time.
-Fletcher

Check out http://progressiverescuesolutions.co...-descriptions/ Jerry travels all over the world to teach and he has 2 satellite trainers 1 in Tennesse and 1 in KY let me know if you need contact info. Our team uses this training exclusively. Excellent training and always good for bouncing ideas off of as well as retraining.

[DCFDRescue2]

Check out http://progressiverescuesolutions.co...-descriptions/ Jerry travels all over the world to teach and he has 2 satellite trainers 1 in Tennesse and 1 in KY let me know if you need contact info. Our team uses this training exclusively. Excellent training and always good for bouncing ideas off of as well as retraining.

Two points:

1. If you use this training exclusively, how do you it is excellent training? There is a lot of good training available, to limit yourself to one school of thought is really a detriment.

2. Of your 3 posts on firehouse.com, two of them have been hawking something for the company you linked to.