RECOGNIZED CERTIFICATIONS

CARS is a self-certifying agency. This means that the classes we teach meet and/or exceed NFPA and VDFP standards and the certificate you receive will have our organization's name on it. For many reasons, we stop issuing VAVRS & VDFP certificates in 2005. All classes taught by our members are state-of-the-art.

Classes taught locally can be found here.

Basic & Light Duty Rescue (Rescue Technician I)

Certifying Agency: VAVRS
Description: This course is designed to teach basic rescue skills and techniques, proper use of ladders, ropes, etc. and the correct way to rescue persons from heights above or below ground.
Hours: 32
Standard/Regulation: NFPA 1670
Personnel Certified: 70, 2 Instructors

Certifying Agency: ARK, FEMA
Description: This course teaches breaching, breaking, lifting and stabilization of concrete structures that have collapsed with victims inside. During the course the student will be shown the many specialized tools used in concrete collapse rescue.
Hours: 34
Standard/Regulation: NFPA 1670
Personnel Certified: 16

Certifying Agency: ARK, CMC
Description: Specifically designed to give rescuers practical, no-nonsense information. Combines basic structural principles with practical skills and on-site evaluation and shoring techniques. Most of the time is spent in the field designing and constructing shores for buildings.
Hours: 32
Standard/Regulation: NFPA 1670
Personnel Certified: 23

Certifying Agency: VAVRS
Description: This course is designed to introduce rescue personnel to cave environment, personal safety and orientation to basic cave rescue operations.
Hours: 32
Standard/Regulation: NFPA 1670
Personnel Certified: 1

Certifying Agency: VDFP, MFRI
Description: A course designed to examine hazard recognition, victim access, stabilization and retrieval. The curriculum closely follows Virginia Labor and Industry guidelines with regard to definitions, equipment, and rescue team preparation. Practical and class room sessions focus on the three primary hazards associated with confined space entry: physical, atmospheric and physiological. Much effort is devoted towards realistic training evolutions using the latest equipment and techniques to assure student retention of the material.
Hours: 16
Standard/Regulation: NFPA 1670
Personnel Certified: 47, 1 Instructor

Certifying Agency: FEMA
Description: A course designed to prepare fire and rescue personnel to deal with both wood-frame and concrete building collapse rescue situations. This course consists of both classroom instruction and practical exercises.
Hours: 80
Standard/Regulation: NFPA 1670
Personnel Certified: 7

Certifying Agency: VDFP
Description: A entry level course for new firefighters. Consists of a combination of class room study, scenarios, and homework that will prepare the firefighter to carry out most fireground functions under the direct supervision of an officer or experienced firefighter. The scenarios are designed to train the student in realistic fireground operations.
Hours: 135 (includes Hazardous Materials Awareness and CPR)
Standard/Regulation: NFPA 1001-92
Personnel Certified: 51, 7 Instructors

Certifying Agency: VDFP
Description: A course designed for the firefighter I who is prepared to assume more of a leadership role in a department. Consists primarily of classes designed to give the student more knowledge of fireground situations so that he or she can make basic evaluations of safety problems and assume leadership roles in carrying out interior attack and search operations.
Hours: 86 (includes Hazardous Materials Operations)
Standard/Regulation: NFPA 1001-92
Personnel Certified: 35, 7 Instructors

Certifying Agency: VDFP
Description: This program is intended for all members of the service from the Chief to the newest member. The Mission of this class is two part: first and foremost is to provide training for every member of the team to survive the worst event of the fireground and return to their families; second, is to provide Chief officers with training to administrate a "2in/2 out" VOSH compliant program. The practical evolutions are very labor intensive and require a high degree of physical fitness.
Hours: 16
Standard/Regulation: NFPA 1001-92
Personnel Certified: 11, 3 Instructors

Certifying Agency: VDFP
Description: A course designed for all emergency responders who may respond to potential hazardous materials emergencies. Includes hazard recognition, and instruction on using the DOT Emergency Response Guide Book.
Hours: 8
Standard/Regulation: NFPA 472-92 and OSHA 1910.120 (subpart H)
Personnel Certified: 104, 3 Instructors

Certifying Agency: VDFP
Description: A course designed for hazardous materials responders. Includes both classroom and practical training. Classroom builds upon Hazardous Material Awareness level discussion and goes into properties of hazardous materials, containers, transportation hazards, and protective equipment. The practical covers various defensive practices scenarios.
Hours: 32
Standard/Regulation: NFPA 472-92 and OSHA 1910.120 (subpart G)
Personnel Certified: 32

Certifying Agency: NAUI
Description: A course designed to teach the rescuer how to perform ice rescues.
Hours: 16
Standard/Regulation: NFPA 1670
Personnel Certified: 12, 1 Instructor

Certifying Agency: NFA
Description: The Rescue Systems I course is a National Fire Academy course designed to provide participants with the ability to apply basic search and rescue skills, approach rescue situations safely, and understand the organizational concerns at light-frame and ordinary structural collapse incidents.
Hours: 32
Standard/Regulation: NFPA 1670
Personnel Certified: 16

Certifying Agency: VDFP, VAVRS
Description: A course designed to orient the fire/rescue provider with methods, under which no other means are available, to access and remove accident victims from elevated and below grade locations. The participant will become familiar with vertical equipment and use. Skills will be developed in rope use, rappelling, self-rescue, rigging and victim access. Emphasis is placed on safe and effective rigging procedures including knots, safety procedure and belay techniques.
Hours: 16
Standard/Regulation: NFPA 1983-95 & 1670.
Personnel Certified: 74, 2 Instructors

Certifying Agency: VDFP, VAVRS
Description: A course designed to provide an opportunity for fire and rescue personnel who can demonstrate proficiency in basic rope rescue skills to further their knowledge. Classroom and skills exercises will be utilized to prepare advanced students to remove victims from above and below grade situations. Includes extensive information on rigging and haul back systems.
Hours: 32
Standard/Regulation: NFPA 1983-95 & 1670.
Personnel Certified: 29, 2 Instructors

Certifying Agency: VDFP, VAVRS
Description: A course designed to combine and expand on the skills learned in levels 1 & 2. There is emphasis on construction and operation of horizontal and angled high line systems. Classroom time (minimum) includes advanced rigging theory for single and double track systems.
Hours: 20
Standard/Regulation: NFPA 1983-95 & 1670.
Personnel Certified: 20, 2 Instructors

Certifying Agency: FIRES
Description: The students will learn the principles of various types of high-lines. They will learn how to use materials from nature, found at the scene. They will use alternatives (such as a tri-pod, commercial and vehicle mounted frames, home-made metal frames, etc. Destructive testing techniques will be shown to answer questions as to when a rope under tension breaks.
Hours: 18
Standard/Regulation: NFPA 1983-95 & 1670.
Personnel Certified: 3

Certifying Agency: NAUI, PADI
Description: A course designed for entry level divers, you are taught how to use scuba equipment, laws of diving and how to take proper precautions. Extensive conditioning in classroom instruction, swimming pool exercises and open water work is included.
Hours: 32
Standard/Regulation: NFPA 1670
Personnel Certified: 15, 3 Instructors

Certifying Agency: NAUI, PADI
Description: A course designed to give the basic diver more diving experience under supervision. A total of five dives in a variety of conditions are given.
Hours: 10
Standard/Regulation: NFPA 1670
Personnel Certified: 15, 3 Instructors

Certifying Agency: NAUI, PADI
Description: A course designed for experienced basic divers which allows you to explore new dive sites under the supervision of an instructor. In the series of open water dives, the diver is taught how to adapt to new diving situations.
Hours: 16
Standard/Regulation: NFPA 1670
Personnel Certified: 15, 3 Instructors

Certifying Agency: DRI
Description: Dive Rescue I is the internationally renowned three day training course for certified divers and surface support personnel. Successful completion of a Dive Rescue I program will provide basic methods and skills necessary to function effectively at a water accident scene.
Hours: 24
Standard/Regulation: NFPA 1670
Personnel Certified: 2

Certifying Agency: VAVRS, RQ3
Description: This course is designed to introduce rescue personnel to different types of water related emergencies, through both classroom and practical application. Hands-on practice will be stressed with emphasis being placed on safety, tactics and strategy, equipment, resources and medical considerations. Other objectives include an in-depth look at such subjects as understanding water dynamics, handling hazards and obstacles, using basic rescue equipment, setting up technical rope systems and controlling in-water contact rescues.
Hours: 32
Standard/Regulation: NFPA 1670
Personnel Certified: 49, 2 Instructors

Certifying Agency: VAVRS, RQ3
Description: This course is designed to introduce rescue personnel to different types of water related emergencies, through both classroom and practical application. Hands-on practice will be stressed with emphasis being placed on safety, tactics and strategy, equipment, resources and medical considerations. Other objectives include an in-depth look at such subjects as understanding water dynamics, handling hazards and obstacles, using basic rescue equipment, setting up technical rope systems and controlling in-water contact rescues.
Hours: 32
Standard/Regulation: NFPA 1670
Personnel Certified: 22, 2 Instructors

Certifying Agency: VDFP, MFRI or CARS
Description: A course designed to offer a combination of classroom and practical evolutions that allow the student to learn proper techniques to make open trenches and excavations safe for victim access and removal. Time is spent on locating materials locally and on obtaining a local community resource list. This class is made realistic by actual sheeting and shoring operations of "unsafe" trenches with shoring equipment as well as developing skills in lifting practices within the trench environment.
Hours: 16
Standard/Regulation: NFPA 1670
Personnel Certified: 35, 1 Instructor

Certifying Agency: VAVRS or VDFP
Description: A course designed for Fire and Rescue personnel with basic and intermediate experience in vehicle rescue. Classroom and practical evolutions teach the student to new hazards associated with today's vehicles.
Hours: 16
Standard/Regulation: NFPA 1670
Personnel Certified: 120, 9 Instructors

Certifying Agency:VDFP
Description: This program details bus (school and commercial) anatomy and extrication techniques. Attendance is limited to assure maximum hands-on applications of extrication techniques using actual vehicles in realistic situations.
Hours: 16
Standard/Regulation: NFPA 1670
Personnel Certified: 16

Certifying Agency: VDFP
Description: This program details heavy truck anatomy and extrication techniques. Attendance is limited to assure maximum hands-on applications of extrication techniques using actual vehicles in realistic situations.
Hours: 16
Standard/Regulation: NFPA 1670
Personnel Certified: 25, 1 Instructor

Certifying Agency: VDFP, VAVRS
Description: A course designed to prepare fire and rescue personnel to deal with farm machinery extrication issues in remote areas. This course consists of both classroom instruction and practical exercises.
Hours: 16
Standard/Regulation: NFPA 1670
Personnel Certified: 20

• Awareness level recognizes that type of incident and activating appropriate resources.
• Operations level represents a rescue capability in that discipline.
• Technician level team is expected to effectively supervise a technical rescue incident.