Tactical Rope Operations – Instructor Qualification Course 2022-04-26
Tactical Rope Operations Course Instructor Qualification Course
Dates: April 26 through May 1 2022 (6 days)
Refunds: NO Refunds after April 11, 2022. 50% penalty if canceled after March 28, 2022
Location: Redmond, Oregon (USA) (Vertically Speaking Tactical training center) (Nearest local airport is Redmond Airport – RDM, nearest international airport is Portland – PDX )
Accommodations: Many local hotels in Redmond, Oregon. Free camping (tents, tipis, propane showers, porta-potty) on the training center grounds (a couple of small cabins may be available.)
Overview: The Tactical Rope Operations Instructor Qualification Course (TROIQ) is a 60 hour course delivered in 6 days designed to develop highly proficient tactical rope operators who can also serve effectively as instructors in this industry. Course integrates learning objectives from all 3 levels of ITRA tactical and all three levels of Vertically Speaking Tactical curriculum, and will prepare you to assess the ITRA level 3 and instructor learning objectives. Level 2 assessments will be completed by day 4. Students will be assessed on their level 3 and instructor skills on the last day (deliver both a theoretical and hands on block of instruction as well as perform assessments on mock candidates.) As such, you will be expected to already have a strong level of basic proficiency with single rope travel, knots, basic edge rigging and anchors, and basic haul systems (see below). Most of the skills taught will be on single rope without a belay, so you must be able to solve your own problems on rope. We train as you will operate. This course will be based on the learning objectives developed by the ITRA tactical working group for the 3 levels of operation and instructorship. Course will be held at the Vertically Speaking training center located in Redmond Oregon. Components of the class will also occur at the Bend Fire Department training tower, local firearms ranges, and local bridges.
Target Audience: (ONLY OPEN TO ACTIVE LAW ENFORCMENT / MILITARY PERSONNEL AND DESIGNATED TRAINERS FOR THESE AGENCIES) Special Operations police and military units tasked with direct action operations involving a human antagonist to access areas by a vertical medium (urban or wilderness) to effect an arrest, conduct hostage rescue, remove vertical protesters, intervene with suicide jumpers, rescue / transport downed operators, set up over watches or containment, board vessels, or infiltrate criminal facilities. Also to develop instructors and program facilitators who provide this type of instruction to government agencies. (Be prepared to show proof of affiliation if asked.)
Pre-requisites: There is no specific course pre-requisite, but operators attending should already have confident proficiency of a suite of knots, contingency anchor rigging, basic mechanical advantage haul systems, and ability to ascend and descend a rope passing a knot in either direction. YOU WILL HAVE TO PASS AN ENTRY SKILL TEST TO GET INTO THE CLASS. An entry packet with a required knot list and a description of the entry skills test will be sent upon registration. Packet will include links to training videos that demonstrate all entry tests. Operators will be expected to report with all duty gear, entry gear anticipated for vertical access, their duty handgun and / or SBR, 100 rounds of ammunition, and range safety PPE. (Some of this gear can be provided for international participants)
Qualifications / Certifications / Records: Course will include assessments of learning objectives from the International Technical Rescue Association tactical division. This is a 3 year qualification that is recorded in the ITRA / ITM database and is referable by any agency seeking verification. Registration into ITRA database as an instructor ($150.00) is included with course fee. Each student will have a profile established on ITM (if permitted by agency policy). To maintain the qualification, the assessment performance test will have to be repeated every 3 years. https://itra.international/
Course Description: This is an intensive course designed specifically for law enforcement operators to develop true vertical mobility on rope as a single responder and to manage team-based operations. Use of force considerations, actions on contact, tactical medical, and agency policy considerations are integrated throughout. Course is roughly 60 contact hours in 6 days, as it will include slightly extended days and a night ops session after dinner Wednesday. Let VS know if that is an issue with time rules / OT / union agreements, etc.
Any operator on rope MUST be capable of multiple directional travel…UP ,down and horizontal…on demand…no exceptions…independent of top side operators, or they are a liability waiting to happen and create an even more egregious situation. Rope in some situations may not reach the ground. Access to the top may not be possible, thus we teach remote rigging / urban climbing over structures and suspended tie ins in trees, bridges, etc. Operators need to be able to perform these skills in the dark, snow, rain, or shine, equipped with full entry gear, and have a plan for extrication if something goes wrong with their system or that of a teammate, or if a civilian needs to be extricated. A tactical team with any claim of “vertical capability” must be independently capable of managing the entire operation from risk assessment, site access, anchor planning, rigging, & inspection, and have operators fluent on rope…not dependent of top-based systems run by non-tactical personnel.
TROIQ is based on single rope techniques (SRT) and Small Party Assisted Rescue (SPAR) tactics used by the most proficient SRT practitioners in the world…cavers and arborists. These are light-weight / go-fast rope professionals that go anywhere, and can do the most with a minimal amount of gear. The TROIQ course fuses tactical rope operations with these concepts. Our instructors are accomplished practitioners of all three industries. Course is designed to develop operators working as a small unit of 2 to 4 in a vertical plane.
This isn’t just a rope course…it is how to do your JOB safely using rope to access your jobsite. Integrating weapons handling, weapons safety, and entry gear management while traveling on rope, and being able to react to adversarial stimuli is what makes tactical rope operations unique. Vertical operations raid planning is part of the course. As such, there are several role player supported Reality Based Training (RBT) drills embedded in the course to give mission context to the training, and build true confidence in operators so that they KNOW they can succeed and win when the time comes, not just hope that they can. To that end we integrate full mission gear into training, live fire familiarization drills, night operations, confined space (perhaps water) to build unconscious competence.
Entry test for TROIQ course: (Must pass the entry skill test on first morning of class) We have a free Basic Knots and Basic SRT Criteria and Information Guide available for download on VerticallySpeaking.com website.
1. Construct an anchor for a single mainline rope that also integrates a contingency lower (tied off descent control device or hitch) and a multi-purpose edge line with the same rope.
2. Single Rope Technique Test. (Starting with harness in pack, don harness, ascend 10 meters, passing a knot, change over to rappel, descend 8 meters, passing the knot, changeover to ascend, and down climb 2 meters. Demonstrate a tie off for your descender. (15 minutes) (see attached video)
3. Knot Test: Tie the listed knots, properly tied, dressed, and set, in 15 minutes. (see attached video and knot list)
4. Demonstrate proper control of the Münter Hitch for lowering, and for belay in ascent. (5 minutes)
5. Build a 2:1 haul piggy back, a 3:1 in-line haul, and a 4:1 piggy back haul system (20 minutes) See attached course guide for examples.
6. While on rappel, escape your device after the rope below you is loaded with full body weight by a suspect. (5 minutes to escape the device and resume upward or downward travel.)
TROIQ Topics:
• Inspect a student’s harness and gear/ edge safety
• Contingency anchors (with SRT anchor)
• Rigging redundancy philosophy & techniques when rigging light (classroom rigging lecture)
• Edge problem solutions (vectoring, human bipod, piggy back assist, packs)
• Tree anchors (basal anchors and suspended tie in’s)
• Remote rigging of buildings (throw line, human anchor, mid-wall redirects and rebelays)
• Integrating vertical gear with tactical gear / noise abatement / weapons safety
• Mechanical advantage / haul systems / improvised progress capture devices
• Traveling haul
• Convert static rigging to dynamic rigging
• Inspect a rope rescue system given 4 to 7 faults (5 minutes)
• SRT (deviations, rebelays, guidelines, J-hangs) in both directions
• Inverted rappel and test hang
• Window / balcony entry with cover
• Window roll outs / bail outs
• Difficult edges
• Complete your Level 2 assessment TSRT rope course.
• Passing an operator on rope in both directions
• Pick off (FBL, Direct haul)
• Diminishing loop basic with pulley
• Diminishing loop stacked
• Diminishing loop 3:1 intervention
• Officer rescues: * Bailout buddy rappel with officer or hostage (DCD on patient)
Officer stuck on rope rappel with an autolock device
• Releasable redirects / skateblock / guidelines
• Basic highlines / retrievable rope bridges
• Wet tube exercises (climb past injured officer in wet tube)
• TCCC (apply tourniquet on rope, pressure bandage, assist movement to window)
• Placing bolts on concrete (optional)
• Night operations (on rope NVG’s) rappels and SRT course (familiarization)
• Night operations (window entry and hostage exfil) (team exercise)
• SCBA orientation (optional)
• (Firearms: safety circle, window cover, establish cover post entry, etc)
• Live Fire drills with vertical gear
• Protester Intervention exercise (team exercise)
• Suicide jumper intervention from vehicle
• Vertical operations raid planning
Final Teaching & Assessment Skills:
1. Prepare & present a 15minute classroom block of instruction on a theoretical topic.
2. Prepare & present a 30 minute physical skills block of instruction, including demonstration that you narrate (skill assigned by instructor from a skill you did during the week)
3. Assess a student performing the skills entry test you did on day 1.
4. Assess a student performing the level 2 TSRT course (manage issues and complete scoring)
Final TROIQ Skills Assessment Include the below (in addition to others)
1. Conduct an unconscious pick off and descend with patient
2. Conduct a 5 minute safety inspection of a rope system.
3. Conduct a 2 minute inspection of an operator’s personal system
4. Perform a traveling haul (5 minutes)
5. Convert a static loaded line to lower or raise. (5 minutes)
6. Conduct a buddy rappel with a conscious cooperative subject with no knowledge of SRT (apply harness and DCD and bail out window or ledge)
7. Protestor intervention problem (break into protestor’s line and haul away)
8. Other assessments from the level 3 ITRA list as pertinent
Equipment: All ropes and vertical gear CAN be provided by Vertically Speaking, but we encourage participants to try using the gear issued to them by their department. There ARE some restrictions on gear (certain rappel devices like ATC, etc), which will be covered in the pre-course checklist. The use of some devices may be restricted due to the hazards they present (ex. Using a micro-traxion as an SRT climbing device, etc.) While heavy SPRAT / NFPA gear and harnesses are allowed, we strongly recommend lightweight caver style tactical harnesses that mesh well with assault gear. Speed in donning harness and vertical movement is safety in the tactical realm, which is why your rope course assessments are timed. You are already carrying a lot of extra mission gear for entry. Gear can be signed out to operators for the course. (Please advise in advance, especially if you flying in from outside USA)
Course Fee: $1500.00 each
Includes: 60 hours contact, assessments, instructor registration fee (150) with ITRA, course booklet, patch, all lunches, and dinner of night operations. Limited lodging (cabins or tents) also available for international students on the training site.
Extended meal plans (breakfast and dinner) can be purchased for $30.00 a day.
Additional whole day meal plans can be purchased at $42.00 a day.
Course is capped at 10.
Pre-Course Documents: We will provide you with pre-course equipment check list, knot list, pre-course reading, and video of entry test / scoring criteria approximately 6 weeks prior to course.
Vertically Speaking is registered with the System for Award Management (SAM):
Cage: 8GLF3
DUNS: 117386269
NAICS: 611519, 541690, 541990, 611430
Website: VerticallySpeaking.com
Email: [email protected]
/s/ Eduardo L Cartaya
Eddy Cartaya
Vertically Speaking Tactical LLC
ITRA cert #14956, Level 3 rope & Tactical
[email protected]
541-213-6257
