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Swiftwater Rescue Technician Refresher

by Keith Brown

"Why do I need to refresh my skills?"

Even though Texas has experienced record setting high temperatures and low lake levels across the state, it’s always important to remember that swiftwater conditions can happen at any time. Training now will help you and your team when flooding rains occur. Responders should always look to obtain continuing education (CE). One way that TEEX provides CE is through our Swiftwater Rescue Technician Refresher course. The refresher is designed to provide teams with the basic skills and remind students how to keep their team and themselves safe. The course helps the students ask: "Is there anything that I can do to improve our swiftwater rescue procedures?"

On the scene of a flooded housing subdivision or on the banks of a swift-moving creek is not the place to find out if your team is doing things safely and using efficient methods and sound decision making. The Swiftwater Rescue Technician Refresher course will give students the chance to have their skills checked to make sure that they can respond effectively, safely, and without injury.

The refresher course will include an hour of classroom instruction to review the basic knowledge of swiftwater. The remainder of the course is hands-on training, reviewing the necessary knowledge and skills that swiftwater rescue technicians should practice year round. At the end of the first day of instruction, each student will be assigned homework to develop a swiftwater search plan. The next day focuses on completing swiftwater skills and each student will leave with a checklist verifying the skills successfully demonstrated. The refresher course will improve the performance of individuals, as well as teams, and will provide an excellent environment in which to learn from other responders.

The Swiftwater Rescue Technician Refresher course is scheduled for May 10 – 11, 2010 and November 1 - 2, 2010.

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