Beach Lifeguard
Pool Lifeguard
Rookies (6-13)
Lifesaving (senior)
Community
First Aid
First Responder
Trainer Assessor

Main page
Helm Syllabus

Rescue Boat (Crew) - Assessment Syllabus

Your first step to becoming qualified to use an IRB is to attend a Rescue Boat (Crew) course which will teach you the basic boat handling skills along with the specific role of the crewman in a rescue craft.

Pre-requisites before attendance

A1 - At least 16-years-of-age at the commencement of training
A2 - Hold a current National Beach Lifeguard Qualification (holders of other RLSS Open Water Lifesaving awards may be able to attend with suitable experience)
A3 - Hold a current Life Support 3 award
A4 - Have no limiting disabilities

The initial training course will last a minimum of 15 hours, after which you will be required to log a minimum of 10 hours of logged practical experience (e.g. when on patrol) over a period of no less than two months. These are the minimum durations and typically courses and ongoing training will exceed these durations. If you are already qualified to RYA Powerboat Level 2 standard and you have logged experience you may be able to take the Rescue Boat (Crew) assessment straight away.

Assessment Syllabus

Training will encompass a large base of theoretical and practical knowledge, of which the following will be tested:

Shorebased Teaching

B1 - Communications
Demonstrate knowledge of all hand, flag and whistle signals, and flares and their uses.

B2 - Craft and Motor
Demonstrate a knowledge of the craft, its equipment and motor including the appropriate spares to be carried.

B3 - Pre-operation Checks
Demonstrate a knowledge of all the crewman's responsibilities in the pre-operation checks and all safety aspects to be observed in the operation of the IRB.

Water Based Training

C1 - Launching, Manoeuvring and Recovery
Demonstrate competence in all aspects of the crewman's responsibilities in launching, manoeuvring and recovery of the IRB
Demonstrate how to start the motor and return the IRB to shore under appropriate conditions.

C2 - Rescues
Demonstrate the crewman's role whilst performing the following rescues, during which the crewman must demonstrate and ability to recover a patient weighing no more than 70kg (11 stone) into the craft from the water:

- Swim and tow a casualty, with a towing aid, over a distance of not more than 20 metres.
- Throw line or towing aid to a casualty not more than 10 metres away
- A mass rescue, encompassing any of the above, with at least 3 casualties

C3 - Resuscitation, Care of Casualty and Spinal Injury
Demonstrate the following:

- The ability to give resuscitation in the boat
- Care of the patient in the boat
- The crewman's role in the casualty transportation from boat to shore and secure
- A knowledge of the appropriate treatment of suspected spinal injuries

C4 - Emergency Procedure
Demonstrate an ability to cope with the following emergency situations:

- Helmsman overboard - safe recovery of IRB
- Engine failure in appropriate situations
- Simulated puncture of pontoon
- Roll-over procedure for the craft (to be carried out with out the engine)

C5 - Stowage of equipment
Demonstrate a knowledge of the crewman's responsibilities towards the stowage of the IRB, motor and equipment after use.

C6 - Maintenance
Demonstrate a knowledge of the crewman's responsibilities towards the routine maintenance of the IRb and motor.

C7 - Knots
Demonstrate the following knots, bends and hitches:

- Reef knot
- Bowline
- Round turn and two half hitches
- Timber hitch
- Sheet bend