You will be assessed on the following competency areas.
1. River & Industry Knowledge
Verbal assessment at Grade 4/5 standard.
Water catchment & weather for trip section
How is flow info accessed, and what are min/max cut-offs?
River section info (entry, exit, hazards, consents)
Emergency exits and first aid protocols
Comms equipment and blind spots
Process of logging intentions
Role of WorkSafe/auditing, accident/incident reporting
NZRA's role and scope of this Guide Award
2. Trip Prep & Equipment Management
Pre-trip preparation at Grade 4/5 standard.
Pre-trip guide meeting (health forms, weather/flow check, SMS limits)
Gear selection (Rescue Equipment, Guide Equipment, Client Equipment)
Trailer Loading (Safely Loaded, Secured)
3. Trip Briefing & Client Screening
Client briefing and screening at Grade 4/5 standard.
Checks Clients needs/Abilities
4. Safety Briefing
Safety brief at Grade 4/5 standard.
Swim Positioning (positive/defensive)
Flip Potential and actions
Swimmer Recovery (T-Grip Rescue, lapel rescue)
5. Client Training
Client training at Grade 4/5 standard.
Rafting Skills (holding paddle, commands, strokes, weight shift)
Practices, checks for understanding, and gives feedback
6. Guiding Skills
On-water guiding at Grade 4/5 standard.
Ferry glides (forward/backwards)
Catching eddies and emergency stops
Raft control (with and without crews)
Crew commands (High-sides & Low-sides, clarity and timing of calls)
Client Safety (Timing of Hold On's Get Downs)
Wrap avoidance / dislodging stuck raft
Communicate with other guides (Whistles, Signals, Talking)
Placement of raft for rescue
7. Hazard Management
Hazard management at Grade 4/5 standard including scouting and cover strategies.
Identify river hazards & risk
Manage Cover Strategies - rolling cover, truck & trailer, land-based and boat orders
8. Professionalism
Professional conduct at Grade 4/5 standard.
Demonstrated courteous/professional conduct
Cultural and social awareness
Effective group communication: clear timing, group position, language, concise info
Demonstration and checking understanding
9. Post Trip
Post-trip procedures at Grade 4/5 standard.
Rounding trip off with clients
Explain/demo raft maintenance/repair
Report incidents/hazards as per SOPs
10. Guide Equipment
Guide and rescue equipment knowledge.
Equipment knowledge and use
11. Signals
River signal knowledge at Grade 4/5 standard.
River signal knowledge and use
12. Knots, Bends and Hitches
Knot competency at Grade 4/5 standard.
Demonstrated knots, bends and hitches and explained limitations
13. Rope Systems
Rope system competency at Grade 4/5 standard.
Rope system setup and use
14. River Access
River access knowledge and management.
River access knowledge and management
15. Throwbagging
Throwbag skills at Grade 4/5 standard.
Throwbag deployment and accuracy
16. Emergency Management
Emergency management at Grade 4/5 standard.
Emergency management competency
17. Entrapment Recovery
Entrapment recovery techniques at Grade 4/5 standard.
Entrapment recovery techniques
18. Tethered Raft Rescue
Tethered raft rescue techniques at Grade 4/5 standard.
Tethered raft rescue techniques
20. Guide Equipment
Personal safety equipment check — all items present, in good order, and candidate knows how to use them.
PFD with releasable tow line
Clothing suitable to river environment
Helmet (whitewater appropriate)
Shoes (appropriate footwear)
River knife (pointed end)
Flip line / long length of webbing
3x Locking carabiners (minimum)
2x Prusik or non-toothed mechanical ratchet
Whistle (without a wooden pea)
21. River Signals
Knowledge and correct use of river signals.
OK (Are you OK? / I'm OK)
22. Knots, Bends and Hitches
Demonstrate required knots and explain their applications and limitations.
Follow through figure eight
23. Rope Systems
Anchor building and mechanical advantage rope systems for river rescue.
Raft Anchor (3-point equalising)
On shore anchors (wrap 3 pull 2, basket anchor, no knot)
10 person pull with progress capture
Discuss loading and max limits
24. River Access
Swimming and river access skills in whitewater.
Support (mutual support and support lines)
Access mid-stream boulders
Aggressive head-up swimming technique
Safe defensive swim techniques
Swim through turbulent whitewater and/or wave trains
Swim a rapid and be rescued with a throwbag
25. Throwbagging
Throwbag deployment, belay techniques, and contact rescue.
Accurately and effectively throw to a swimmer (full length of throw bag)
Accurately and effectively throw a 10-metre recoil
Demonstrate a static belay
Demonstrate a dynamic belay
Discuss selection of access and retrieval point
Contact swim towing (live bait, strong swimmer rescue)
Unconscious victim support
26. Entrapment Recovery
Entrapment recovery and victim management techniques.
Maintain and/or establish victim's airway (stabilisation line)
Perform a tethered swimmer rescue
Contact rescue techniques (victim attachment)
Extract the victim from entrapment with lines
27. Tethered Raft Rescue
Tethered raft/craft rescue techniques.
Connection of rope systems
Correct orientation of raft/craft
Use of communications and effective use of teams
Movement of body to assist with movement of raft