International Association of Volunteer Water Rescuers

Training Resources

• International Maritime Organization
  • IAMSAR Manual, Vol III--mobile facilities (2013 edition)

  The IAMSAR manuals are the international standard, tend to be focused on larger ships and at-sea rescues. (Older version of Vol II--Mission Coordination, 2007, from Black Sea MRCC)

• International Life Saving Federation
  • Rescue Boat Crew Competencies
  • Rescue Boat Driver Competencies
• Canada
  • Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary Training Program

  The above link to the east coast Canadian Auxiliary includes the 3rd edition (2011) of the "SAR Crew Manual", and the "SAR Seamanship Manual" (2000).

• United Kingdom
  • RNLI College Lifeboat Crew Training
• United States
  • National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Technical Rescue Resources

    Written by firemen, not necessarily mariners, the "Watercraft Search and Rescue" sections of the NFPA standards provide some limited guidance for vessel operation in search and rescue contexts. (links below require free login to view degraded images of the manual pages. Printed or full download versions are USD$75 each, unfortunately prohibitive for many community-based rescue organizations to stay current with)

    • NFPA 1670, Standard on Operations and Training for Technical Search and Rescue Incidents, 2017
    • NFPA 1006 Standard for Technical Rescue Personnel Professional Qualifications, 2017
  • Open Water Lifesaving - The United States Lifesaving Association Manual. 3rd edition due out May 3, 2017. 400pp. Includes sections on both surf and flatwater beaches, hazards of weeds and plant life, and boat rescue.
  • Oregon Fire Certification Task Books

    Includes a task book for "Maritime Operator", written from a fire perspective. Rudimentary but perhaps helpful list of some basic skills in fire-training "task book" format.

• New Zealand
  • Surf Lifesaving New Zealand's "Senior Lifeguard Award - IRB Driver " Training Manual and Candidate Workbook (links to very well-illustrated documents near bottom of page)
  • IRB Operations Videos (youtube playlist of 16 training videos) from Surf Lifesaving Queensland

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Backwater Boats (aka Fritz's Boat Page)

Author/Contact:  Fritz Funk (fritzfunk.io)    source file last modified: Apr/18/2017 at 18:13   compiled-GTML: May/7/2017 at 22:00