Courses

Surface Water & Surf Rescue Program

NARI's Surface Water & Surf Rescue program provides progressive training for first responders operating at emergencies in surface-water and surf environments. The program combines aquatic rescue knowledge, watermanship, risk assessment, rescue techniques, and practical application to prepare personnel for their assigned level of response.

Training is offered at the Awareness, Operations, and Technician levels, with course content structured around applicable NFPA job performance requirements.

Water Rescue Awareness

Water Rescue Awareness provides responders with the knowledge necessary to recognize aquatic hazards, assess water rescue incidents, identify required resources, and support rescue operations within the limit of their training and organizational capabilities.

This course is intended for personnel who may respond to or support water rescue incidents but are not assigned to perform operations- or technician-level rescue functions.

Course Hours: 8 Hours

Training Environment: Classroom

Water Rescue Operations

Water Rescue Operations builds upon Awareness-level knowledge and develops the skill necessary to perform operations-level functions at surface-water and surf rescue incidents. Training incorporates watermanship, rescue equipment, victim management, team-based rescue techniques, hazard management, and practical rescue evolutions.

Students learn to select and perform appropriate rescue methods while operating withing the capabilities and limitations of the Operations-level responder.

Course Hours: 24 Hours

Training Environment: Classroom, Pool, and AHJ body of water.

Water Rescue Technician

Water Rescue Technician prepares responders to perform technician-level rescue operations in surface-water and surf environments. The course integrates advanced rescue techniques, watermanship, victim management, rescue systems, risk assessment, and incident-specific decision making.

Students apply their knowledge and skills during practical evolutions and increasingly complex rescue scenarios designed to develop effective performance in dynamic aquatic environments.

Course Hours: 48 Hours

Training Environments: Classroom, Pool, AHJ bodies of water

Host a NARI Course

NARI courses may be delivered for fire departments, public safety agencies, and other organizations seeking aquatic rescue training for their personnel. Training can be coordinated around agency needs, available resources, and appropriate training environments. If any interested department requires only Surface-Water Rescue, that can be accommodated with an adapted version of any Water Rescue-level course.

Agencies interested in hosting a course or discussing training needs are encouraged to contact NARI for additional information. Visit the "Contact" tab above, or email "[email protected]".