WHY TAKE THE INLAND OPEN WATER SAFETY AND RESCUE COURSE?

First of all, this award is all about keeping safe in your craft on the inland open water, suitable craft include kayaks, canoes, sit on tops and Stand Up Paddleboards. So, whether you are paddling with friends or your club, or working towards a leadership assessment, this practical course is packed with safe practical solutions. It doesn’t matter about your age or whether you’re relatively new to paddling on inland open waterways, this course supports your knowledge and raises your awareness of your personal safety.

If you needed any more convincing, the course is completely based around training and raising awareness, with no assessment. Structured to support you, our experienced tutors will ensure you have plenty of time practicing, as well as understanding how you can develop skills and experience after the course.

The course takes around 6 hours and will cover 7 modules:

• Safety frameworks
• Clothing and equipment
• Providing assistance
• Self-rescues
• Deep water rescues
• Rescue scenarios
• Reflection and skills checklist

There will be opportunities to develop and progress your rescue skills and meet like-minded people during the course. Many of our course candidates develop long lasting friendships, connections and contacts.

To get the most out of your course, we would recommend holding an appropriate personal performance award, for example the Open Water Touring Award or Progressive Canoe Award or equivalent ability, due to the paddling environment and the boat control required to participate fully in the course.

You can read the sample programme here: Inland Open Water Safety and Rescue Sample Programme and Session Plans

You can check your skills using the Inland Open Water Safety and Rescue Skills Competency Checklist

This is a mainly practical training course with no assessment. Your course will support you in keeping yourself and others safe whilst on the water, providing you with the tools and concepts to consider solutions to common issues on inland open water, in both sheltered and moderate conditions.

The course will cover 7 key modules -

• Safety frameworks
• Clothing and equipment
• Providing assistance
• Self-rescues
• Deep water rescues
• Rescue scenarios
• Reflection and skills checklist

Safety Frameworks

• Inland open water environment and choice of location
• Safety principles
• Decision making
• Calling for help
• Journey planning

Clothing and equipment

• Craft overview and safety considerations
• Clothing and equipment
• Additional safety equipment

Providing assistance

• Towing systems
• Injured paddlers
• Assisting a swimmer
• Evacuation

Self-rescues

• Self-rescues
• Assisted self-rescues

Deep water rescues

• Rescuing and emptying craft
• Techniques for getting a swimmer out of the water

Rescue Scenarios

• Incident mangement
• Multiple rescues
• Unconscious / unresponsive rescues

Reflection and Skills Checklist

• Reflections from the course
• Reflections on own learning and areas for development
• Skills checklists

The course is suitable for all ages and great for individuals, clubs and groups wanting to expand their safety practices. 

Participants will need to either hold the relevant British Canoeing Awarding Body Personal Performance Award or the equivalent ability in or on their preferred craft due to the paddling environment and the boat/board control required to complete the course. As an example, the Open Water Touring Award or Progressive Canoe Award would be seen as the appropriate level of ability to fully engage on the course.

Attendance certificates are issued to candidates by the SCA, following a recommendation from the course provider.