Rescue Instructors Group Training Courses

Management of Water and Flood Incidents

This four day course is designed for incident commanders who will be required to undertake a managerial role at water and flood incidents and provide them with the underlying knowledge and skills to successfully manage such operations. It also provides incident commanders with sufficient personal skills and experience to safely operate in the "warm zone" at these incidents. Personnel who will most benefit from this class are individuals who will manage teams of responders and rescuers at water and flood incidents, in particular Command Level Fire, Police and Ambulance service incident commanders, rescue team leaders and coastguard team leaders. The course will also be highly beneficial to those holding a managerial position within other response agencies.

• Provide the knowledge and skills required to manage water and flood incidents.
• Provide knowledge and judgment to be able to operate safely in a managerial role at water and flood rescues.
• Provide understanding of the capabilities of specialist water rescue teams and assets.
• Develop an appreciation of the problems of major flood events and specialist management tools that can be utilized.

The course will combine both theory and practical elements, including 1 day of in-water skills practice, a night exercise, and a table top flood management exercise.

• Water and Flood dynamics & hazards
•  Principles of water safety & rescue
• Drowning
• Water rescue tactics - use of the TEMPO model
• PPE for working in, on or near water
• Pre-planning for water incidents
• Specialist equipment considerations
• Water rescue scene size-up and safety controls
• Incident command at water rescues
• Special considerations i.e. low head dams, vehicles in water, powerboat operations etc
• Medical and welfare issues including decontamination
• Flood theory
• Use of the SEA DEPTH model for flood management
• Resources for flood events
• River & Flood search considerations and management
• Fire & Rescue water rescue training levels
• Response Capabilities -NIMS team typing, inter-agency working

• Survival swimming & self-rescue
• Reach rescues
• Throw line use
• Shallow water crossings
• Inflated fire hose
• Over view of swiftwater rescue technician capability
• In-water night operations
•  Searching water & floods