Frequently Asked Questions
How do I prepare for a rope course?
Q. How is a technical rope course organized?
Day 1 is a classroom session. The remaining days are at field sites - some structural and some natural. You must attend the entire course in order to receive your certification. Our Bank-Over Vehicle Rescue course is 2 1/2 generally one evening and 2 days; TRR-Operations is 3 days in total; and TRR-Technician is seven days in total. If you have taken a TRR-Operations course within the past year, you can upgrade to a Technician course by attending only four days of the TRR-Technician at a reduced cost.
Q. How long does the course run each day?
The Bank Over Vehicle Rescue course generally starts with a 4 hour evening session, followed by two full days of approximately 8 hours/day with a break for lunch. The TRR-Operations and TRR-Technician courses are both full 8 hour days. We usually start at 8:30 or 9:00 a.m. and finish up around 4:30 - 5:00 p.m. Anyone more than 30 minutes late (without prior approval from the instructor) will not be permitted to continue the course for safety reasons and out of consideration for other participants.
Q. Where and when?
If you are registered in a public, open enrolment course, we will send an email approximately 10 days prior to the course, with final details including classroom location, start time and contact info for your instructor in case of last minute questions. If your employer is coordinating the course, please contact them for details.
Q. Are there any pre-requisites?
Other than the general pre-requisites listed on the course description above (age, physical fitness etc.) no prior rope experience is required. However, our TRR-Technician course proceeds fairly quickly from basic to more advanced skills and therefore, some basic rope knowledge is an asset.
Q. What prior knowledge do I need before I take a TRR-Technician level course?
The course proceeds in small steps that build logically on each other, so you don’t need any prior rope knowledge. However, the Technician-level course proceeds quickly from low angle to high angle skills and covers a lot of material in five days, so some basic rope knowledge makes it a lot easier to keep up. If you have some familiarity with the following knots, hitches, bends etc. you will be able to focus on the more advanced skills. There are many online resources available, such as Animated Knots by Grog or any standard rope text will cover what you need to know:
- The “Family of 8’s”
- Water knot (for tubular webbing)
- Double fisherman’s
- Muentner
If you’re really keen, it helps to have some familiarity with the following concepts and systems:
- Tensile strengths of rope and webbing
- Anchors (simple to complex)
- Mechanical advantage (3 to 1, 4 to 1, pig rig)
- High line tyrolean (some idea of how these are built is nice)
Again, our instructors all agree: don’t get caught up in the fancy stuff. Practice your knots so that you can recognize them and tie them quickly, and you’ll be in a good position to maximize your learning in a Technician’s course.
Q. What if I already have an Operations-level rope certification?
For those who already possess a valid TRR-Operations certification or equivalent, it is possible to upgrade to a Technician certification by attending the last five days of the TRR-Technician course, at a reduced fee. However, we strongly recommend that you review basic knots, hitches and other low angle skills (see TRR-Operations course outline) before commencing technician level training as the instructor will be unable to review these skills in the latter part of the course.
Does the Bank Over Vehicle Rescue course qualify me to take the TRR-Technician course in only four days?
We’re working on this. Keep you posted.
Q. Do I get a manual in advance for pre-reading?
Pre-reading is not required. You will receive your manual on Day 1 during the classroom session.
Q. What do I need for Day 1 (the classroom session)?
- Come prepared for note-taking.
- Dress for the weather as you may go outside in the afternoon to review basic rope knowledge.
Q. What do I need for the outdoor training sessions?
- Climbing or rope rescue helmet
- Full-body harness (or both a sit harness & a chest harness)
- Pants made of durable material
- Boots (hiking boots are fine)
- Leather-palmed gloves (work gloves are fine)
- Appropriate outdoor gear including sunscreen
- Lots of drinking water
- A good lunch
- A hot drink in a thermos if the weather is wet/cold
Q. I don’t own a harness or climbing helmet. Can I rent them?
- With advance notice, we can provide both. Helmets are free, harnesses are $25/day.
- We will need your height and weight for sizing
- Charges will apply if equipment is lost or damaged
Q. What if I’m scared of heights?
In order to receive a certification you are not required to do anything you are uncomfortable with. Raven Rescue recognizes that caution is a sign of a good rescuer and believes in “challenge by choice”. Please note that if you cannot complete enough skills to your instructor’s satisfaction, your certification could be downgraded to a lower level which could limit the type of activities you can perform. However, if you wish to observe a specific activity only, please advise the instructor immediately. This will be noted on your skill sheet, which you should review with your supervisor after the course, to determine the activities for which you are suited. Your supervisor should keep a copy of your skill sheet on file to demonstrate due diligence in training and record keeping.
Q. What kind of paperwork do I receive?
Upon the conclusion of the course (no waiting to get it in the mail), the instructor will provide:
- A personalized Skill Sheet (training record) documenting the skills & knowledge performed or observed. This is a valuable training record. Please share it with your supervisor and keep it in a safe place.
- A Certificate of Completion
- A wallet card with your personal Rescue 3 registration number & date of expiration
- You also take home your illustrated manual
Q. How long is my technical rope certification valid?
TRR certification is valid for 3 years from date of issue. We offer a 25% discount for those who recertify before their certification expires.
Q. What if I lose my paperwork?
Your certification is granted by Rescue 3 International - the global leader in technical rescue training. Part of what sets us apart is the attention we pay to record-keeping. Every student is entered into the Rescue 3 database, and in the future, if you ever need to verify your credentials for employment or legal reasons, all it takes is a phone call or email to Rescue 3 to obtain a copy of your training record.
