Thanks to a generous grant ear marked for safety and people in the community volunteering their services Colorado Whitewater will once again be offering free and subsidized safety training to members. This year I have tried to include additional advanced courses and more targeted courses to meet the needs of a more advanced audience. While you are required to be a member to take advantage of this special pricing the courses are all at least half the price of list and if you are not already a member you can become a member and still save money on any of the classes. Please take advantage of these excellent offerings and help improve not only your safety but your crew's safety. You can enroll in all of these classes once you are logged into the Colorado Whitewater home page.
Oh, and if there is not something YOU would like to see on the list below please feel free to contact me with ideas for this year or next year.
Safety First, Fun Always!
Spring runoff is likely to be EPIC this year given the huge snowpack in many parts of Colorado. Learn how to keep yourself and others safe(r) on all levels of water. Colorado Whitewater is sponsoring a series of safety-focused classes for everyone – beginner to expert. These classes are subsidized by CW through a grant from Jay Fawcett and time contributed by professionals.Professional instruction at rock bottom prices! Do yourself and your paddling buddies a favor – play safely.
CPR and First Aid Certification Class Date: Friday April 18th - 6:00 PM Location: 455 Sherman Street, Suite 300, Denver
Price: Free!
In an effort to promote safety on the river, CW is once again requiring that all on-water volunteers at club events be certified in CPR and First Aid. If you are coordinating a cruise this year, or plan to volunteer at Training Camp or one of the river weekends (Poudre River Weekend, Colorado River Weekend, or Arkansas River Weekend), we are asking that you provide documentation that you are certified in both Adult CPR and basic First Aid. This is also a requirement of the CW insurance policy that protects members and volunteers at club sponsored events. CW will hold a free CPR certification class on Friday April 18, 2008. Contact Matthew Rensel for details. If you're unable to attend these classes, CW will provide either a gift certificate for each volunteer to take the necessary training through the Red Cross, or reimburse you (up to $50) if you take the training through another organization. CPR training must be re-certified each year, while First Aid training must be re-certified every three (3) years. If your First Aid certification is still valid, you do not need to re-certify in that area. However, we recommend that you review your class materials and practice the first aid skills before the boating season. If you have any questions about what classes you need, please contact me to make sure you are signing up for the appropriate classes.
Safety: Ropes Seminar Date: Sat. May 10th - 8:00 AM Location: Waterton
Price: $50
This is a one day safety class taught by Nick Wigston that focuses on Ropes skills. Topics we will be going over include but are not limited to throw rope technique, knots, z-drags, zip lines and Telfer lowers.
Safety: River Scenarios Date: One weekend day during June Location: TBD
Price: $50
This is a one day safety class that focuses on river scenarios. Details to be set in the near future.
Advanced Swiftwater Rescue Class Date: Saturday July 26th and Sunday, July 27th 8:00 - 5:00 PM each day Location: Waterton
Price: $100
The Swiftwater Rescue Class is two full days of instruction with hands-on exercises designed for situations that the more advanced paddler might find themselves in. Topics will include situation assessment and development of rescue plan alternatives, boat and swimmer extraction techniques, use of a stabilization line, along with rope and rigging set-ups.
The class is taught by a team of CW Volunteer instructors who are all ACA certified safety instructors. Bring your questions and experiences, as the instructor team will be able to help you assess the situations you have found yourself in the past and prepare for the future.
Safety: Swimming Strategies Date: Saturday August 16th - 8:00 AM Location: Waterton
Price: $50
This is a one day safety class taught by Nick Wigston that focuses on Swimming strategies. Topics we will be going over include but are not limited to:
1. Swimming across rivers, onto rocks, across eddy lines.
2. Avoiding hazards in the water including strainers, sieves, holes and rocks.
3. Setting safety and rescuing swimmers from shore.
4. Rescuing swimmers while in a boat
5. Rescuing gear while in a boat
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