Rescue Boat Operator Courses

All of our water rescue courses are administered by Rescue 3 Europe whose courses are the only one to offer internationally recognised certification. Certification is valid for three years.

Adventure Consultancy owner and director, Anthony Eddies-Davies, has over 20 years’ experience in technical rescue and swift water environments, his passion for safety and working in this white water environment has led to Adventure Consultancy being a training provider in venues across the UK as well as the Himalayas and was the first to establish training course for the Kingdom of Bhutan. Client groups include the emergency services, professional rescue teams, military, civil defence, agencies and private companies. Anthony was awarded 2019 ‘European Instructor of the year’ by Rescue 3 Europe.

Current courses we deliver include:

Swiftwater Paddle Boat Handling (SPBH)

This course is designed for Rescue 3 Swiftwater rescue technicians (SRT’s) who wish to improve and expand upon their paddle boat handling ability. Following on from the basic boat handling section in the SRT class and covers more in depth swiftwater boat handling and rescue scenarios using the paddle boat as a rescue craft.

It is a supporting course to assist training swiftwater rescuers, rather than a qualification to be used by professional river users. It is not a raft guide qualification. The Swiftwater Paddle Boat Handling (SPBH) is designed as a paddleboat handling course only, and does cover the use of powered craft. However, it may be used to support Rescue 3 powerboat courses.

Course length:2 days

Rescue Boat Operator

This RBO course is a boat handling course, suitable for people with little or no powerboat experience who wish to attain an inland boat handling and boat rescue capability on flat or slow moving water. Also, suitable for those wishing to provide boat cover during working operations in a water environment e.g. bridge work, building, construction.

Course length: 2 days (or 1 day add-on to RYA Powerboat level 2 qualification)

Flood Rescue Boat Operator 

This FRBO course which incorporates all elements of the RBO course and adds flood rescue capability. It is ideal for any emergency service personnel who may attend flood events with boats for low level casualty and victim recovery from a flood or slow moving water environment. Also, suitable for those wishing to provide boat cover during working operations in a water environment e.g. bridge work, building, construction.

Course length: 3 days (or 2 day add-on for those who already hold the RYA powerboating level 2 or a 1-day add-on for those who already have their Rescue Boat Operators (RBO) qualification).

Swiftwater and Flood Rescue Boat Operator

SFRBO is intended for emergency services or rescue teams which will be required to carry out rescues in a swiftwater and flood environment.  This course incorporates all elements from the FRBO course and adds a swiftwater capability suitable for fast moving rivers and flash flood conditions.  It is based on the philosophy of self-protection and application of low to high risk solutions.

Defra level – Module 4 – Water Rescue Power Boat Operator – Rescue Boat operation

Course Length: 30 hrs (5 days) or 24 hrs (4 days) add-on to RBO qualification or 24 hrs (4 days) add-on to RYA Powerboat level 2 qualification or 18 hrs (3 days) add-on to FRBO qualification