Water Qualifications

[Carl]

Im interested to hear what your service offers in relation to water qualifications. 

In GMFRS we have been quite proactive in recent years in giving everyone some sort of skill when it comes to water, but does your service do the same and to what level?

We have Water Incident Units, along with other responding capabilities, although they have been hit massively in terms of crewing due to cuts etc. 

@Mess6311 will know more about our water qualifications than I do

[Mess6311]

Cheers mate,

Since the last few probie courses all of them come of training school as MOD2 first responders. High volume pump stations are also first responders. Water stations and Tech Rescue Stations then up-skill to MOD3 Swiftwater rescue technician. The water stations then further up-skill to MOD4 rescue boat operators. All the courses are accredited by Rescue 3.

The MOD3 & MOD4 are supposed to requal every 3 years but timings have slipped a little bit for reasons carl will be aware of but most of us are up to date. There are also 5 other stations that the brigade have been running in house courses that sit somewhere between MOD2 and MOD3 but not accredited i don't think. 

We have a number of flexi officers that do a Water incident managers course (rescue 3) too but not sure how many of these we have. Some of you may kmow Austin Lewis who is our brigade lead for water and flood and sits as the chair of the NW flood group and is pretty well respected in the water and flood world at all levels. He tends to make sure we are as well up as we are.

[Luminoki]

In West Mids 4 stations in straegic places are trained up to level 2. Our tech rescue is level 3 and 4 ( swimmer and boat op ). All pumping appliances are kitted with level 1 gear along with a PFD as we are trained to carry out a rescue swim if required ( this training is given to everyone ) 

[Crog]

All FF in Kent are mod 1. All WT and couple on call stations are mod 2 (although after initial course, no requirement to maintain skill, but I don’t know anyone that has not done refreshers). Then have select few stations who are mod 3 due to specials on station. Believe 1 station is mod 4, with few FF dotted around with same level. Not sure on officers and how many WIM we have.

[GK.]

On 19/12/2019 at 10:42, Mess6311 said:

Cheers mate,

Since the last few probie courses all of them come of training school as MOD2 first responders. High volume pump stations are also first responders. Water stations and Tech Rescue Stations then up-skill to MOD3 Swiftwater rescue technician. The water stations then further up-skill to MOD4 rescue boat operators. All the courses are accredited by Rescue 3.

The MOD3 & MOD4 are supposed to requal every 3 years but timings have slipped a little bit for reasons carl will be aware of but most of us are up to date. There are also 5 other stations that the brigade have been running in house courses that sit somewhere between MOD2 and MOD3 but not accredited i don't think. 

We have a number of flexi officers that do a Water incident managers course (rescue 3) too but not sure how many of these we have. Some of you may kmow Austin Lewis who is our brigade lead for water and flood and sits as the chair of the NW flood group and is pretty well respected in the water and flood world at all levels. He tends to make sure we are as well up as we are.

The five stations are Rescue 3 Mod2 👍🏻

We have a WIM course running soon (Feb) to bring establishment back to strength following retirements and promotions.

[Carl]

Just completed my Mod 5 (WIM) course this week which included a day in Llangollen and the remainder of the week on the Menai Straits. Really good course which was ran well. We had a pretty good week as the weather didn't really challenge us as much as the instructors wish it had, but it still gives you a goo appreciation of the tides, currents and a more of an appreciation of what the Tech and RBO guys and girls deal with. 

Well worth it for anyone who get the opportunity. 

[Becile]

Disappointingly, this year our WIM input was only classroom based, which we all said was not enough,  previously weve been in the water, experiencing all the various elements that we could be faced with or being in command of.

[Carl]

Our course stuck rigidly to the criteria set by Rescue 3 and we had to cover every single element, all of which we had to sign for. Having completed the course I would argue that perhaps when it comes to credentialing, do you all meet the standard set, which is also details in the Concept of Operations?

[Becile]

In total agreement with you there Carl, to be honest I’m not even sure what level our wim is ...whenever we get flooding etc I usually end up either NILO, or Silver , or gold support. ...it’s much drier, and the tea stays warmer longer-😉