ISTRO
TRAINING
Due to the potentially volatile nature of Tactical Rope work, operators must show proficiency in a wide variety of skills while working in the vertical environment. These skills are tailored directly to the challenges faced in the operational environment including medical care and/or rescue of injured operators or subjects; basic and advanced vertical mobility skills; operational planning; and various intervention techniques. Each level builds upon skills in the previous level, and as an operator advances through the levels, they must still show proficiency in the previous levels.
Tactical rope operations typically are situations where law enforcement and military are required to access or provide interventions on or via a vertical medium. During most operations top access for anchors is not guaranteed, and anchors can be in suboptimal areas.
Level 1
Tactical Operator
The ISTRO Tactical Level 1 (Basic) certification provides officers with the capabilities of multi-directional single rope travel (SRT) past any rope obstacle; operate independently where traditional rope rescue or technical assistance is unlikely; and the basic understanding on how to operate in trees, bridges, confined spaces, building or extreme venues. Some of the skills included basic knots, ascending/descending, pick-off of conscious subjects, safety at height, vertical medical considerations, as well as building and operating basic haul/lowering anchor systems. This international certification is good for three (3) years.
Level 2
Tactical Technician
The ISTRO Tactical Level 2 (Advanced) certification builds upon Level 1 with full SRT mobility; understands how to utilize body weight to effect small weight transfers to make small lifts; proficient in setting horizontal lines, off sets, and guidelines; able to conduct mid-line rescues or interventions for conscious / cooperative subjects in a tactical environment; manages two (2) person loads on rope; able to construct and control traveling hauls and simple counterweight rescue concepts; is able to perform all SRT tasks with helmet mounted NVG’s. This international certification is good for three (3) years.
Level 3
Tactical Rope Master
The ISTRO Tactical Level 3 (Master) certification is the highest level and focuses on risk assessment, mission assessment, problem solving, advanced rescue interventions, and RIGGING mid-pitch features, highlines, guidelines; experienced in how to utilize body weight to effect small weight transfers to break into loaded lines; able to assess suspect rigging for vulnerabilities or willful failure traps; master of Small Party Assisted Rescue (SPAR) concepts; able to stack counterweight systems, create improvisational hybrid systems; plans and coordinates tactical vertical training events and program management. This international certification is good for three (3) years.