The purpose of the Rope Master course is to provide a basic foundation in the fundamentals to safely instruct and/or conduct rope access operations, to those responsible for teaching swat personnel rappelling and other vertical access skills. Each RMC student will be required to pass a written final exam and a practical final exam. All RMC students will be required to teach a rope access topic to fellow students, conduct hands-on training and coaching of fellow students and demonstrate overall “rope” proficiency and safety throughout the course.

This is an intense 40-hour instructor level course covering the following aspects of Tactical Rope Access (TRAC) work:

• Rope access standards and how they apply to SWAT work
• Liability
• Equipment selection, maintenance, inspection
• Rappel tower operations- inspection, safety, rigging, briefing, roper inspection, safe conduct of operation, de-rigging, collection, and storage of gear
• Evaluation of team’s abilities and capabilities
• Primary, Alternate, Contingency, Emergency (PACE) plan for rope operations
• Hands-on practical application of all phases of rope operations to include anchor building, belaying, descending, rescue of injured or stuck roper, lowering systems, mechanical advantage raising systems

In addition to the above, RMC students will be taught training and equipment documentation, and how to develop a training plan for unit sustainment.

COURSE INSTRUCTOR

Dana R Vilander – 32 years LASD, 25+ years at SEB working K9, SWAT, Air Rescue-SAR and SWAT Paramedic (18 years) 25+ years training both US and international- tactics, tactical medicine, rope access and rescue, helicopter operations