AIARE PRO Rescue

The AIARE Pro Rescue Course provides participants with professional-level avalanche rescue skills so that they can be a contributing member or leader of an avalanche response team. The course covers technical rescue skills, risk management considerations and incident-site organization for small team rescue in a variety of workplace contexts.

The PRO Rescue course application window is OPEN.

Applicants with complete applications and payment are enrolled on a rolling basis until the course is full. Scroll down for more information on course prerequisites and how to apply.

How to Apply

1: Prepare your application materials listed below (under "Prerequisites") before applying.

2: LOGIN OR CREATE AN ACCOUNT

3: Select "details" next to any course below to access the application form.

If you need to make any changes to your application, find the edit link on your courses page.

AIARE PRO Rescue Course Schedule

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Application Timeline

November 1 - Applications open for the upcoming winter season.

At time of application - students can choose to pay a $500 deposit, 50%, or 100% of the total course cost. At a minimum, the $500 deposit is required regardless of scholarships or other financial aid status.

1-2 business days after application and payment submission - AIARE will review your application and approve or request additional information. Applicants with complete applications and payment are enrolled on a rolling basis until the course is full.

The PRO Rescue course is designed for:

Current or aspiring avalanche workers who are seeking professional-level avalanche rescue training.

These include avalanche workers associated with the following types of organizations/environments:

Ski areas

Guiding operations like: snowcat, ski tour, alpine, expedition, snowshoe and snowmobile

Helicopter operations

Public forecasting operations

Avalanche education

Search and Rescue

Transportation corridors

Mining

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

Demonstrate Departure Checks

Demonstrate a pre-trip Departure Check that considers the group's plan and equipment in addition to a complete transceiver function check.

Implement Risk Management

Implement appropriate risk management strategies and incident-site organization for a wide range of avalanche rescue contexts

Conduct Complex Rescues

Demonstrate how to efficiently conduct complex multiple burial and deep burial avalanche rescues individually and as part of a team.

Allocate Resources

Explain how to allocate resources and employ triage systems during complex multiple burial rescue scenarios.

Manage Communications

Perform on-site interviews and communicate pertinent information to outside parties during an avalanche incident response.

Describe Post-Excavation Protocols

Describe the post-excavation components of a rescue including documentation, transportation, medical considerations and debriefing.

About the course:

Topics

Risk Management Considerations for Avalanche Rescue
Response Theories and Plans
Incident-Site Organization
Scene Assessment
Search Techniques
Excavation Techniques
Medical Considerations and Patient Transport
Small Team Response
Debriefing and Incident Reporting

Pro Patroller Sam Llobet doing a tranciever search of slide debrie

The course includes:

Pre-course online learning modules (2-3 hours)
A 1-hour pre-course webinar 2 weeks before the course start
4-day course that is mostly in the field and largely scenario-based

On-site at the venue, participants will engage in lectures, discussions, scenarios and field exercises. The class may travel near or in avalanche terrain to get to field venues. Multiple rounds of scenarios provide opportunities for participants to receive trainer feedback. Students that pass all course categories receive a PRO Rescue Certificate which is a national standard audited by the American Avalanche Association (A3). The evaluation criteria are communicated through the online modules and in the pre-course webinar. Retesting is an option for participants who do not pass the written exam and/or one field-based category.

Prerequisites

Level 1 Avalanche course certificate from an A3 recognized provider
Avalanche Rescue course certificate from an A3 recognized provider
Current BLS-CPR certification (American Heart Association-approved)
Transceiver must comply with current ICAR recommendations.
- 3 antenna unit
- Marking Function
- Battery Display
- “Realistic Maximum Range” of at least 30 meters
- Revert to Send functionality
Shovel and probe should be UIAA rated. Probe must be at least 300 cm long.
Students will also be required to upload proof of payment of the American Avalanche Association student fee of $100 (not required to join the waitlist).

Recommended additional training (not required):

Wilderness First Responder (WFR), Outdoor Emergency Care (OEC) or higher first aid training
Psychological First Aid

Course Participant Expectations

To be as prepared as possible for the Pro Rescue Course, we require that students meet the Essential Eligibility Criteria, and strongly recommend that participants have the following core skills well established prior to the course start:

Be proficient & consistent in companion rescue and multiple burial transceiver skills (find two transceivers buried up to a meter deep in a 75m x 75m area in under 7 minutes). Know how to incorporate alternative search strategies such as Micro Search Strips or the 3 Circle Method. Familiarity with your transceiver's specific functions is essential. Review group management strategies and communication, organization and leadership techniques from previous A3-approved Avalanche Rescue course.
Practice self-care and maintain a growth mindset. Your ability to flourish in the course setting will hinge on your physical and mental health. Eat well, get an adequate amount of rest, and be prepared for long days during the course. Schedule gaps in your workload prior to the course to study and practice the above skills and complete the online materials. There will not be formal lunch breaks during the course so plan accordingly as you pack food and snacks for the course.
For skiers and riders, be able to get in and out of skis/board quickly and in cold, wet or snowy conditions. Transitions to uphill or downhill mode should be efficient.
Know how to operate two-way radios (FRS) and be aware of basic radio communication etiquette.

Sample Course Agenda

Course Assessment + Equipment List

Assessments will include individual and group scenarios as well as a 50 question written exam.

See A3 Pro Rescue and Guidelines and Proficiencies for additional information.

Course assessment principles adhere to those described in the American Avalanche Association (A3) Professional Avalanche Training Guidelines and Proficiencies for the Pro Rescue Course. Students are provided a description of the assessment plan and evaluation criteria before the course starts.

70% total marks are required to pass the course. Students must achieve a 70% or greater on the written exam, pass the Transceiver Function Check exam and pass two of the field rescue scenarios with scores of 70% or greater. Additionally, students will be evaluated on their contribution to a series of group scenarios throughout the course. A student may retest in up to two categories–the written test and one field-based category.

A comprehensive equipment list for most AIARE professional-level courses can be found here. A few exceptions to this list for the Pro Rescue course:

You will not need the equipment listed in the Observer’s Kit section, except a snow saw.
UIAA-certified avalanche probe should be at least 300 cm with high visibility 1 cm markings.
Students on this course will not receive fieldbooks, but will receive rescue cards.

Course Cancellation + Travel Insurance + Airborne Illness

Travel Insurance

AIARE strongly recommends all course participants to purchase travel insurance to protect themselves should they need to cancel outside of the refund window.

Course Cancellation

Please visit the AIARE Course Cancellation page for detailed information about our cancellation policy, travel insurance, and course transfer fee.

60+ days before start	59-25 days before course start	Within 25 days of start
Full refund minus $250 admin fee.*	No refund, unless a waitlisted student fills the spot (then, full refund minus $250 admin fee).*	No refund.

*Note: Merchant processing fees for all payments made by credit card are non-refundable.

Airborne Illness

Course participants who have an airborne illness are expected to refrain from participating in a course until they have been symptom-free for at least 1 day without the use of medication. Read more about AIARE's Airborne Illness Guidelines.