Course Content
Introduction and Module 1
This online course is all about giving you a clear, practical understanding of surface water rescue at the **awareness** level under NFPA 1006, section 20.1.
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Introduction and Module 1
Learning Objective 1: Describe types of reference materials and explain their specific uses in ice rescue size-up.
Quiz 1-1
Learning Objective 2: Identify the availability and capabilities of local resources, such as operations teams or equipment, for supporting ice incidents.
Quiz 1-2
Learning Objective 3: List and define the key elements of an incident action plan (IAP) relevant to initial ice rescue response.
Quiz 1-3
Learning Objective 4: Explain the structure and roles within the incident management system (IMS) for ice rescue operations.
Quiz 1-4
Learning Objective 5: Demonstrate information gathering techniques and describe how they inform the size-up process.
Quiz 1-5
Learning Objective 6: Apply basic search criteria to identify parameters of an ice rescue incident.
Quiz 1-6
Module 2: Identify hazards and isolate scenes with barriers/PPE.
Module 2 is about keeping the scene safe by spotting hazards early, setting clear boundaries, and making smart decisions about what you should and should not do at the awareness level. Big ideas in this module • You learn to weigh risk versus benefit before acting, and to recognize when it is safer to call for higher level teams instead of trying to make contact or enter the ice yourself. • You practice identifying common ice rescue hazards, marking hot/warm/cold zones, and using simple tools—like tape, apparatus placement, and assignments—to control who goes where. • You see how technical references (ice charts, advisories, pre plans, standards, and SOGs/SOPs) back up your decisions and feed into your size up, risk/benefit analysis, and what you tell the incident commander. By the end, the message is that hazard ID, scene isolation, and risk based decisions are a core part of your job at the awareness level, not extra paperwork or theory.
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Learning Objective 1: Describe the concept of risk/benefit analysis as it applies to awareness level ice rescue operations.
Quiz 2-1
Learning Objective 2: Given a brief ice rescue scenario, identify at least two potential benefits and two key risks associated with a proposed action and explain whether the action is appropriate for awareness level personnel.
Quiz 2-2
Learning Objective 3: List common hazards present at ice rescue incidents and describe why each is dangerous to responders and the public.
Quiz 2-3
Learning Objective 4: Using a simple scene diagram or description, identify hot, warm, and cold zones and correctly label at least two hazards within each relevant zone.
Quiz 2-4
Learning Objective 5: Define key terms related to isolation and control and match each term to its correct description in an ice rescue context.
Quiz 2-5
Learning Objective 6: Describe at least three methods for controlling public and responder access to an ice rescue scene.
Quiz 2-6
Learning Objective 7: Given a sample layout of an ice incident, select appropriate access control methods and explain how they reduce the risk of additional victims.
Learning Objective 8: Explain the awareness level responder’s role in maintaining scene control and enforcing zone boundaries without exceeding their level of training.
Quiz 2-8
Module 3: Activate operations/technician resources per AHJ.
Activating operations and technician level resources is one of the most important parts of your job at the awareness level. It is what stops an ice rescue from turning into “now we’re rescuing the rescuers.” Knowing when it’s beyond your lane Your role includes recognizing when conditions have gone past what an awareness level crew can safely handle: • Weak, cracked, or heavily fractured ice. • Moving water under or around the ice. • Long distances from shore to the victim. • Multiple victims spread out. • Night operations or severe weather. When you see those factors, the expectation is not that you improvise a risky rescue. The expectation is that you follow your department’s policies and call in the proper operations or technician level teams early. What your role really is At awareness level, you are there to set the stage, not to step onto weak ice or attempt contact rescues: • Secure the area and keep new victims off the ice. • Control bystanders and traffic. • Gather and pass on solid information (LKP, conditions, hazards, resources). • Support incident command with clear updates and basic shore based actions. When you understand and respect that role—and trigger the right higher level resources as soon as they’re needed—you protect yourself and your crew, keep your department from losing rescuers, and give the victim a better chance by getting the right people coming as early as possible.
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Objective 1: Recognize and describe the limits of awareness level ice rescue capabilities and why specific conditions or tactics require operations or technician level resources under AHJ policies.
Objective 2: Review a short scenario and identify at least three indicators that the incident exceeds awareness level capabilities and select which higher level resources should be activated.
Objective 3: Outline the notification and activation process for ice rescue operations/technician resources in your AHJ, including who to contact, what information to provide, and how to confirm that help is en route.
Objective 4: Compose and submit a scripted radio or phone request for higher level resources that clearly communicates incident location, conditions, victim information, hazards, and current actions.
Objective 5: Describe and summarize the ongoing role of awareness level responders after higher level resources are activated, including scene control, information gathering, support functions, and staying within training and PPE limits.
Quiz 3-1
Module 4: Support higher-level ops with tasks and reporting.
Module 4 is all about what you do after the “big guns” have been called. Instead of stepping back and watching, 20.1.4 asks you, as an awareness level responder, to lean in and actively support the operations and technician level team. Working alongside the specialists In this module, the focus shifts from deciding when to call for help to understanding how to work with the higher level team once they arrive. You will look at practical, real world tasks—like maintaining scene control, relaying updated conditions, helping manage equipment, and providing clear, concise reports—that keep the incident running smoothly. The idea is simple: even without going onto the ice, you are a key part of the operation, and the quality of your support work can directly influence how safe and effective the overall rescue becomes.
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Learning Objective 1: Describe, in their own words, how awareness level personnel are expected to integrate into their AHJ’s ice rescue SOPs/SOGs, including reporting lines and basic expectations for support roles.
Learning Objective 2: Identify the key positions in the incident management system and explain how an awareness level responder reports to and receives tasks from this structure during an ice rescue incident.
Learning Objective 3: Differentiate between awareness level PPE and operations/technician level PPE for ice rescue and state the operational limits associated with their own issued PPE.
Learning Objective 4: Given a list or images of typical ice rescue tools and equipment, identify which items awareness level personnel may reasonably assist without exceeding their training and describe how that support would be provided.
Quiz 4-1
Course Conclusion
Awareness level training under 20.1 is designed to keep responders, victims, and bystanders as safe as possible by clearly defining what can and cannot be done at the shoreline. It emphasizes recognizing ice and cold water hazards, understanding how rapidly conditions can deteriorate, and identifying when an incident has moved beyond basic, shore based capabilities. Within this framework, the awareness level responder is expected to think critically, recognize limits, and act early to prevent a single emergency from becoming multiple rescues involving untrained or improperly equipped personnel. At the same time, 20.1 makes it clear that “awareness level” does not mean “uninvolved.” Responders at this level are responsible for establishing and maintaining scene control, gathering and relaying accurate information, supporting the incident management structure, and activating higher level operations and technician resources when indicators show that specialized skills and equipment are required. They are expected to communicate clearly—through concise size ups, resource requests, and status reports—and to plug into their AHJ’s SOPs and ICS roles so that the overall operation runs smoothly and efficiently. In conclusion, the awareness level responder’s success under 20.1 is measured less by dramatic rescues and more by disciplined, professional decision making. Staying strictly within training and PPE limits, recognizing when the situation exceeds awareness capabilities, and providing strong support to incoming specialized teams are not secondary tasks—they are central to safe and effective ice rescue operations. When 20.1 is followed as intended, responders avoid becoming victims, technical teams arrive earlier and better informed, and the chances of a positive outcome for everyone involved are significantly improved.
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Awareness level training is designed to keep responders, victims, and bystanders safe.
Private: NFPA 1006 Ice Rescue Awareness

This online course is all about giving you a clear, practical understanding of surface water rescue at the **awareness** level under NFPA 1006, section 20.1. You are not being trained to enter the water or perform hands-on rescues; instead, your role is to recognize hazards, keep yourself and others safe, and support trained operations-level and technician-level rescuers. By the end of this course, you should feel confident identifying when a water rescue emergency exists, understanding what resources are needed, and knowing what you should and should not do in your role.

This course pulls everything together so you can see what you’re expected to do at the awareness level on an ice rescue. It is not about turning you into a technician; it is about making you confident in your role, your limits, and how you plug into the system.

Big picture of the learning outcomes

By the time you work through these modules, you will be able to recognize when you truly have an ice rescue incident, gather the right size‑up information, and feed it into the incident management system in a way that actually helps the person in command. You will also know how to spot hazards, use barriers and PPE to isolate the scene, call for the right level of help, and support higher‑level operations with good information and practical tasks—without stepping outside your training.

This course is organized into four short, focused modules, each ending with a quiz-style knowledge check so you can confirm what you’ve learned before moving on. The modules build from basic concepts to putting everything together at an actual surface water incident, always keeping you in the awareness role.​

Module 1: Roles and Hazards

This module explains your role as an awareness-level responder, how surface water rescue fits into your agency’s response, and the common hazards you might see around shorelines, rivers, ponds, and flood water. You will look at how responders get hurt at these calls and what “scene safety first” really means at the awareness level. A short quiz at the end checks your understanding of roles, responsibilities, and basic hazard recognition.​

Module 2: Water Behaviour and Environment

Here you learn how water behaves: basic hydrology, water movement, and how features like currents, strainers, and low-head dams can quickly turn a simple situation into a high-risk event. The focus is on recognizing dangerous water conditions from a safe location so you know when to back off and call for specialized resources. A brief quiz at the end helps reinforce key terms and concepts about water behavior and environmental hazards.​

Module 3: PPE, Safety, and Scene Control

This module walks through what PPE is and is not appropriate at the awareness level, and why you are not expected to enter the water. You will also see how to set up safe zones, control bystanders, establish simple site control, and support the incoming operations or technician-level team without putting yourself at risk. A short knowledge check at the end confirms that you can match your PPE and actions to your actual qualification level and agency procedures.​

Module 4: Initial Actions and Communication

The final module pulls everything together into a simple “on-arrival” game plan: sizing up the scene, identifying resource needs, activating the emergency response system, and communicating clearly with dispatch, command, and specialized rescue teams. You will walk through realistic scenarios such as a person in the water, a vehicle near or in the water, or flooding in your area, and practice thinking through what you should and should not do at the awareness level. A final quiz at the end of this module checks your comfort with initial actions, communication, and knowing your limits before you complete the course.

Let’s begin.

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