Swift Water Rescue II

The Swift Water Rescue II course provides students with instruction in paddling and guiding inflatable boats in Swift Water, advanced tether swimming, big water boating and swims, tether V-lower techniques, and night Swift Water search and rescue operations. This course meets the applicable NFPA Technician/Level II objectives.  

This course is EXTREMELY PHYSICALLY DEMANDING. It is recommended that the students should be comfortable in the water, should have at least good swimming ability, and should be in good physical condition.   It  is recommended that any student with prior medical history of  musculoskeletal injury or open heart surgery consult with a physician  prior to registering and/or taking this course. 

Course Length: 24 hours

CEHs: 10

Pre-requisites: Swift Water Awareness and Swift Water Rescue I

Required PPE: 

PERSONAL FLOTATION DEVICE – Swift Water Rescue Type V or Type III/V hybrid with a quick-release tether belt.

HELMET - Water Rescue Helmet or Lightweight Technical Rescue Helmet. Must drain water and must have a 4-point chin strap. 

GLOVES- Leather palms must stay on when swimming. Whitewater gloves, competition water ski gloves or mechanics gloves with Velcro wrist straps are acceptable. 

FOOTWEAR - River work boots are preferred. No open-toed river sandals can be worn unless worn over dive boots. Dive boots do not provide adequate sole thickness or ankle support. Lace-up sneakers may be worn as a last resort. Socks are preferred but AVOID COTTON SOCKS. 

THERMAL PROTECTION - Two-piece Farmer John style wetsuits, full-body water rescue, or dive-rescue wetsuits are are acceptable but wetsuit thickness should not exceed 3.0-3.5 mil.  Students wearing thick dive wetsuits or drysuits will be vulnerable to heat stress so these are discouraged. Artificial fabric t-shirts or paddling undershirts are recommended as a base layer under the wetsuit.  Whitewater splash tops or dry tops may be worn over a Farmer John wetsuit. Cotton underclothing is discouraged.

LIGHTS - Each student must provide at least one waterproof helmet light a handheld waterproof light and at least 2 green chem lights of at least 8 hour duration. The students should provide at least 4 cable ties (zip ties) to secure the chem lights to helmets and throw bags.

ACCESSORIES - Two or more locking aluminum carabiners and a 7-foot length of 1-inch nylon webbing or 7 mm Prusik cord.

 

THROW BAG - Each student should bring a swift water rescue throw bag containing at least 55-70 feet of water rescue throw rope. 70-foot rope bags are preferred. 

PERSONAL ITEMS - Students must provide their own food water and any other desired non-alcoholic drinks.  The Saturday lunch must be contained in a watertight container that is suitable for carrying in a whitewater raft.  The Saturday skills are performed on a whitewater river in remote wilderness conditions.   Students should plan to be self-sufficient for up to 12 hours for the Saturday river trip. Students should also bring their own sunblock personal medications raincoat etc.

PROHIBITED ITEMS - Alcoholic beverages are prohibited by U.S. Forest Service regulations anywhere else in the Cherokee National Forest. The instructors are in charge at all times. If a student becomes ill injured exhausted or otherwise unable to complete a required course element the student may be restricted from further activities by the Chief Instructor after consulting with the student’s team instructor and/or medical personnel.

Location: Hiwassee Outfitters, 155 Ellis Creek Road, Reliance, TN 37369

Date(s): August 23-25, 2024

Times: Friday 1:00 pm-6:00 pm EST, Saturday 8:00 am – 11:00 pm EST, Sunday 8 am-2 pm EST

Cost: 

TARS Full Unit Member: $150 per student

TARS Associate Member: $220 per student

Non-TARS Member: $275 per student

Note: All registrations received up to two weeks prior to the start date of the class will be at the normal pricing. Any registration received during the period two-week period prior to the start date of the course will incur an additional $20 processing fee regardless of member, associate member, or non-member registration.