The mission of the National Aquatic Rescue Institute is to provide high-quality, standards-based aquatic rescue education that develops capable, safety-minded responders and instructors. Through practical training, sound risk management, and realistic application, NARI seeks to improve the preparedness of first responders tasked with operating in and around aquatic environments.
Water rescue incidents present unique challenges that are not routinely encountered by many first responder agencies. Yet when these incidents occur, responders may be expected to make immediate decisions in dynamic and potentially unforgiving environments.
NARI was founded to help address that challenge by providing focused aquatic rescue education built around the realities of operational response. Our goal is not simply to teach individual skills, but to develop responders who understand when, why, and how those skills should be applied.
NARI believes effective rescue training should combine technical competency, watermanship, sound judgement, and realistic application. Courses are structured to progressively develop knowledge and practical skills before requiring students to apply them during increasingly complex rescue scenarios.
Training is designed around applicable industry standards and job performance requirements while remaining focused on the conditions responders encounter in the field. Courses are adapted to the students specific AHJ hazards in order to provide realistic and pertinent training. The objective is not simply course completion-it is operational capability.
NARI is owned and operated by water rescue professionals with experience in operational rescue, public safety, aquatic instruction, and program development. Our instructors bring practical experience into the classroom and training environment with an emphasis on safe, repeatable, and defensible rescue practices.
