Rope
Technical Rope Rescue - Technician (ProBoard Evaluation)
A ProBoard Evaluation tests candidates against the NFPA 1006 Standard as outlined by the ProBoard Fire Service Professional Qualifications System (or “ProBoard”), an international accreditation system for fire service organizations. Raven Rescue hosts these evaluations through a new partnership with the District of North Vancouver District Fire and Rescue Services, a ProBoard accredited testing agency.
What is the ProBoard?
Check out this short YouTube video for a good overview.
Options for Departments
At the request of a department, evaluations can be scheduled to follow our existing swiftwater and technical rope rescue training courses. For example, a department that is interested in having several members achieve ProBoard certifications can host the appropriate training course (see below) in order to prepare their members for evaluation immediately following their training. Alternatively, the evaluation can be held at a later date to allow time to for review and practice. District of North Vancouver Fire Services had ensured that our instructors are well versed in the ProBoard testing process (both written and verbal) and so will ensure candidates are well prepared.
Options for Individuals
Individual firefighters who are interested in achieving a ProBoard certification should take the recommended course (below) to properly prepare for evaluation, and then register for one of the public ProBoard Evaluations listed on our online schedule, to be held spring and fall in major centres across Canada.
How to Prepare
Due to the rigorous nature of the testing, we recommend that departments or individuals first complete the following course, or an equivalent, and have had the opportunity to practice their skills regularly in order to build competence.
Again, this course is not a pre-requisite, but it is strongly recommended due to the high degree of competency required by ProBoard and the pass/fail nature of the testing. It is possible that similar NFPA-compliant training by another provider will adequately prepare candidates for evaluation, but we are unable to endorse courses by other providers.
Also, we recommend that candidates for evaluation are fully aware of the content of the NFPA 1006 Standard for Technical Rope. See below for ordering instructions.
Making it Official
Upon successful completion of the evaluation, candidates will receive their ProBoard “stamp” from North Vancouver District Fire Services and then their name will be submitted to ProBoard where it is registered in the ProBoard Fire Service Professional Qualifications System online qualifications database used by many employers to check individual firefighter credentials.
Other ProBoard Evaluations
We also host ProBoard evaluations for Swiftwater Rescue Technician, which includes technical rope components. (According to NFPA Standards, swiftwater rescue technician certification requires technician-level rope rescue skills in order to perform the range of rescues often required in swiftwater situations.) Click here to view a description of the ProBoard Swiftwater Rescue Technician evaluation process.
Details
Duration: 2 days (16 hours)
Format: 1 day rope skill evaluation & 1 day classroom-based testing
Cost: $399
Pre-requisites
- 18+ years of age (16-17 years with parental permission)
- Strong swimming ability
- In good physical condition
Required Equipment
- Full-body (Type III) harness* or separate chest and sit harnesses
- Climbing helmet*
- Sturdy boots (turnout boots or hiking boots are fine)
- Leather palmed gloves
- Durable pants and jacket
(* Rentals available - Click here for a list of rental prices and course equipment requirements.)
FAQ
More details about ProBoard evaluations including what to expect and how to prepare.
Course Outline
Day 1: Practical Skill Evaluation: Swiftwater
Day 2: Practical Skill Evaluation: Technical Rope
Day 3: Written (Cognitive) Test: Swiftwater and/or Technical Rope
Take-Aways
- Certificate of Completion issued by District of North Vancouver Fire Rescue Services
- Certificate of Completion issued by The ProBoard
- Registration of training record in The ProBoard’s certification registry.
Ordering NFPA 1006 Standard
In Canada, copies are available for purchase online from Annex Bookstore - Education and Training Materials for the Fire Industry or by calling 1-877-267-3473.
