Water
Swiftwater 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 is now able to host these evaluations through a new partnership with the District of North Vancouver District Fire and Rescue Services, a ProBoard accredited testing agency.
What is ProBoard?
Check out this short video for a good overview.
For Departments
At the request of a department, evaluations can be held immediately following our 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 courses (see list 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 has ensured our instructors are well-versed in NFPA requirements and the ProBoard testing process (written and practical) and so they are able to ensure candidates are well prepared.
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.
Swiftwater Evaluation: Pre-requisites
- 18+ years of age
- Current EMT Certification
- In good physical condition
- Strong swimming ability
- Hazmat Awareness Certification
How to Prepare for a ProBoard Evaluation
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.
- Swiftwater Rescue Technician - Level One
- Swiftwater Rescue Technician - Advanced
- Technical Rope Rescue - Technician Level
Again, these courses are not pre-requisites, but they are 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 specific courses by other providers.
In addition, we recommend that candidates for evaluation are fully aware of the contents of the NFPA 1006 Standard for Swiftwater Rescue. To order see below.
Making it Official
Upon successful completion of the evaluation, candidates will receive their ProBoard “stamp” from North Vancouver District Fire Services, whereupon their name is submitted to ProBoard to be registered in the ProBoard Fire Service Professional Qualifications System online database used by many employers to check individual firefighter credentials.
Other ProBoard Evaluations
We also host ProBoard Evaluations in Technical Rope Rescue (Technician Level), without the swiftwater components. Click here to view a description of the ProBoard Technical Rope evaluation process.
Evaluation Details
Duration: 3 days (24 hours)
Format: 1 day swiftwater skill evaluation, 1 day rope skill evaluation & 1 day classroom-based testing
Cost: $599
Required Equipment
- Drysuit or wetsuit*
- Personal flotation device (PFD: Type III or IV)*
- Water-sports helmet*
- Water-proof flashlight or headlamp
- Neoprene footwear with a good walking sole, wading boots, or running shoes
- Neoprene gloves (available through MEC for about $20)
- Layers of wool or fleece clothing for under the drysuit/wetsuit including sweater, pants, gloves, socks
- 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.)
ProBoard Evaluation: FAQ
More details about Swiftwater Rescue Technician 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 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.
To order NFPA Standards
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.
