📏 Standards, certification and typing ↓
🌊 Swiftwater & Flood Rescue Teams Map
Hover over a state for details, or use Preview a state. Click a state to open its swiftwater resource page.
Resources by state
Swiftwater & Flood Rescue
Swiftwater & Flood Rescue Operations
Specialized aquatic response in moving water
Teams specialize in recovering stranded persons, vehicles, and pets from urban flooding, swollen rivers, and flash floods.
Moving Water Dynamics
Operating in hydraulic holes, strainers, and rapid flows requiring specialized PPE.
Flash Flood Response
Rapid deployment during severe weather to rescue residents trapped by rising waters.
Live-Bait & Tension Diagonals
Rope techniques for moving water: a live-bait rescue sends a tethered, trained rescuer to a victim; a tension diagonal is a rope set at an angle across the current to move people or boats to shore.
FEMA swiftwater team typing
Team resource types describe capabilities; they are separate from individual training levels.
FEMA RTLT definition 8-508-1020 (version 1.8, March 2021) lists three types. Review the complete definition and confirm mission-specific capability with the provider before ordering.
| FEMA type | Minimum personnel | Capability summary |
|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 16 | Type 2 capabilities plus additional animal-rescue capability. |
| Type 2 | 12 | Type 3 capabilities plus coordination across a larger operational area and technical rope rescue. |
| Type 3 | 6 | Swiftwater rescue with paddle and powerboats, search management and basic medical care. |
Training & credential renewal
Confirm the named course, qualification and agency authorization required for each assignment.
Awareness, operations, technician and boat-operator courses have different scopes. A course certificate alone does not establish a team's FEMA resource type.
Check current renewal terms with the provider and your agency; other schemes may differ.
Watercraft & Equipment
Specialized gear used in aquatic SAR
IRBs & Rafts
Designed for maneuverability in turbulent rapids and shallow debris-strewn floods.
Outboard Flood Boats
Jet and propeller-driven watercraft capable of strong currents and patient transport.
Official References
Training standards & safety
Swiftwater Rescue Safety Notice
Aquatic Hazards & Strainers: Moving water exerts immense force. Low-head dams and strainers present fatal hazards requiring strict protocol adherence.
📝 Submit Data Revisions or Additions
Submit water-rescue team details, equipment updates or corrections with an official source. Confirm any resource type against the current definition; submissions are reviewed before publishing.
Law Enforcement in Flood & Swiftwater Events
During floods, law enforcement closes roads, enforces evacuations, runs dispatch and often operates the first boats on scene. Many sheriff's offices also have water-rescue trained deputies.
When to request a law enforcement unit
- Flash flooding where roads must be closed and barricaded quickly.
- Evacuations and welfare checks in flooded neighborhoods.
- Searches for people swept away in vehicles.
- Securing recovered remains and personal property after a flood.
Coordination tips
- Use 'Turn Around Don't Drown' messaging and close low-water crossings early.
- Watch river gauges and forecasts to decide which roads to close and when.
- Pair deputies with trained swiftwater teams; untrained personnel should not enter moving water.
National law enforcement resources
- NWS — Turn Around Don't Drown ↗Flood road signs and outreach materials for agencies.
- NWS Flood Safety ↗National Weather Service flood safety resources.
- NOAA National Water Prediction Service ↗River gauges, forecasts and flood inundation maps.
- Ready.gov — Floods ↗FEMA flood preparedness and response guidance.
For jurisdiction, incident command and evidence guidance, see the Sheriff & Law Enforcement SAR hub. Always follow your own agency's policies and local protocols.
📏 Standards, certification and typing
Swiftwater and flood teams are typed by FEMA and trained to NFPA and ASTM standards; many state fire training programs certify individual rescuers.
National standards
NFPA 2500Current
NFPA's technical rescue standard for agencies. It combined the former NFPA 1670, 1858 and 1983. Its water, swiftwater and flood discipline sets agency capability levels.
NFPA 1006 (individual rescuer qualifications) remains a separate standard.
Official source ↗NFPA 1006 (rescuer qualifications)Current
Sets the job performance requirements used to certify individual technical rescuers. The 2021 edition has Surface Water Rescue (Ch. 17) and Swiftwater Rescue (Ch. 18) at awareness, operations and technician levels.
Official source ↗NFPA 1955 (surface water PPE)Current
NFPA 1955-2025, "Standard on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for Surface Water Operations and Contaminated Water Operations," combines the former NFPA 1952 and 1953. It covers suits, helmets, gloves, footwear and PFDs for surface water work.
Official source ↗ASTM F3048 Swiftwater/Flood SAR OperationsActive
ASTM F32 guide for running swiftwater and flood search and rescue operations.
Official source ↗ASTM F3145 Swiftwater/Flood Rescue Technician BasicActive
Minimum recommended training for entry-level, shore-based swiftwater and flood rescuers (reach, throw and wade rescues). It does not cover boat or helicopter rescue.
Official source ↗ASTM water rescuer guidesActive
Older ASTM F32 guides on basic water rescuer performance, water rescue PFDs and throw-bag technique.
Official source ↗FEMA resource typing (NIMS)
Swiftwater/Flood Search and Rescue TeamPublished
FEMA typing for teams that search for, rescue and recover people and animals in swiftwater and flood. Type 1 needs at least 16 people, Type 2 at least 12, Type 3 at least 6.
Official source ↗Swiftwater/Flood SAR positionsPublished (as listed in the 8-508-1020 team definition)
Position qualifications that make up a typed swiftwater/flood team. Specialist skill sets (animal rescue, communications, logistics) and NIMS EMT are added for the higher types.
Official source ↗Certification and training
State NFPA 1006 rescuer certificationActive state programs
Many state fire training agencies certify surface water and swiftwater rescuers to NFPA 1006. North Carolina's program is one example.
Official source ↗TEEX NFPA 1006 Swiftwater Technician (RES402)Offered
Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service swiftwater technician course. TEEX says it meets the 2008 edition of NFPA 1006 (surface water and swiftwater chapters).
Official source ↗