Surface Ice Rescue Tech Level 1 2027
- Technician Level (16 Hours): Day one classroom sessions followed by Day two hands-on practical stations on the ice. Teaches members to safely and rapidly rescue a victim, write liability-protecting SOPs, and properly handle patients. No prior experience is necessary.
- Operations Level (8 Hours): Covers the full classroom and medical portions on Day one. For members wishing to receive a certification who do not wish to participate in the hands-on ice evolutions.
- Awareness / EMS Session (4 Hours | Sat 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM): A reduced-cost session addressing drowning, patient handling, cold water emergencies, and patient care. No hands-on or on-ice training is conducted. CME credit is available for Suffolk County EMTs.
- Observers: Those wishing to observe or refresh will be considered based on availability in the class.
- Drowning & Patient Handling: Traumatic, dry, and wet drowning mechanisms; immersion hypothermia reflex; why patients must be handled exceedingly gently to prevent ventricular fibrillation.
- Cold Stress Physiological Changes: Cold shock, vasoconstriction, hypovolemia, cold/immersion diuresis, and respiratory/blood pressure fluctuations.
- Rescuer Safety Assessments: Why in-water rescuers require baseline vitals checks, why medical histories like hypertension/asthma are contraindications, and why rescuers "kiss the water hello."
- Pre-Hospital Care Limits: Pros and cons of ALS vs. BLS care, and complications administering IV medications to long-term drowning victims.
- Who Can Attend: All students must be a current, active member of a Police, Fire, EMS, Military, or other recognized/sanctioned First Responder agency and be fully insured by said agency.
- Command Approval: Permission to enroll must be approved by a Chief Officer.
- Scheduling Conflicts: Please make sure you or your members that you are signing up have no conflicts scheduled for this class. While we can accommodate certain conflicts like arriving late or leaving early, registered students who do not show or cancel less than the required time may be charged unless the spot can be filled.
- Group Registrations: If you are registering a group, please make sure each member makes the necessary arrangements for their availability for this class. Departments may be charged for registered members who do not attend.
- Arrival & Check-In: Students are to arrive 30 minutes prior to the start of the class unless otherwise instructed. You must check in at the registration desk to receive an identification tag that must remain with you during the class.
- Group Assignments: Students will be assigned to groups and must remain with that group for the entire class. A student may or may not be assigned to a group with other members from their department depending on class size. Members wishing to remain with their own department must request so at registration.
- Instructor Instructions: Students must complete all requirements and follow all instructions of the instructors from LGS and Engine Company.
- Facility Rules: Classroom sessions are held at the Bayport Fire Department Headquarters (251 Snedecor Ave, Bayport). This is an active fire station; personnel attending are prohibited from exploring areas of the property not associated with the class without permission. Smoking and/or vaping is not permitted inside the headquarters.
- Field Locations: The hands-on portion of the classes are typically held on private property. Personnel are to remain strictly in the designated areas outlined by Engine Company.
- Course Adjustments: Eng Co reserves the right to alter the class to fit the needs of the department, district, LGS, available locations, weather, and those enrolled. The class is typically held regardless of weather conditions, including snowstorms, with the exception of extreme weather.
- Right of Refusal: Engine Company No. 1 reserves the right to refuse service, reject, and/or terminate any person's participation in said class for any reason without refund—including disruptive behavior, fighting, failure to follow instructions, illness, or being under the influence of drugs or alcohol. No alcohol will be served or permitted during the class.
- Mandatory Vitals Checks: Immediately after check-in and periodically before and during the class, all students will be required to fill out and sign a HIPAA waiver and have their vitals checked by onsite medical personnel.
- Medical Restrictions: Any student whose vital signs are deemed out of normal range (a systolic pressure greater than 160 and diastolic pressure above 98) or who has a current or past medical history that includes but is not limited to Cardiac, Respiratory, Seizures, or other conditions and disabilities, may be prohibited from participating in the hands-on portion of the class and will receive an Operations certificate instead of a Technician certificate. This will be at the discretion of either LGS, Engine Company, and/or onsite medical personnel.
- Injury Reporting: Any student injured at any time during the class must notify the officers of Engine Company 1 immediately and must be medically evaluated by onsite medical personnel. The student's continuation in the class will be determined by the extent of the injury and recommendation of the onsite medical personnel as well as the student's Chief Officer. LGS and Engine Company reserve the right to have the student continue with the class if necessary.
- Automatic Upgrades: If you are placed on a waiting list and a registered participant cancels through the website, the next person in line will automatically be added to the class, notified via email, and bound by these Terms and Conditions.
- Manual Adjustments: If there are no cancellations but a waiting list remains, Engine Company No. 1 may increase the class size when feasible, manually adding individuals from the waiting list. Once notified by email, you are considered fully registered. Anyone on the waiting list may remove themselves at any time prior to being added to the class.
- Why Late Charges Apply: Our classes involve significant preparation, staffing, equipment coordination, and logistical planning based on enrollment numbers. Much of this planning is finalized ten days prior to the class. Late cancellations and no-shows disrupt staffing, station assignments, group balance, and overall course structure.
- Standard Cancellations: Cancellations may be made up to 14 days before the class by using the cancellation link in your confirmation email. Before cancelling, we encourage you to see if another member of your department can take your place.
- Late Cancellations & No-Shows: If a reserved position is canceled less than 14 days prior to the start of the class, or if an enrolled member does not show or drops out, partial or full charges may be applied. All charges are assessed at the discretion of Engine Company No. 1 after attendance numbers and associated expenses are finalized. True emergencies will be taken into legitimate consideration.
- Attendance Modifications: If you or a department need to arrive late, leave early, or can only attend parts of the class, arrangements may be possible. Please let us know when you register or as soon as the issue arises.
- Course Rescheduling: In rare situations beyond our control, a class may need to be rescheduled. Registered attendees will have five (5) calendar days from notification to inform us in writing if they are unable to attend the new date. If notified within 5 days, no charges apply; otherwise, partial or full charges may apply.
- Host Cancellations: If Engine Company No. 1, the Bayport Fire Department/District, and/or Team Lifeguard Systems cancels a class for any reason, all prepaid registration fees will be fully refunded. The host agencies are not responsible for additional expenses such as travel, lodging, equipment purchases, per diem, or other related costs.
- Enrolled students are required to provide their own equipment for the class and are responsible for it. The Bayport Fire Department, Bayport Fire District, Engine Company No. 1, Team Lifeguard Systems, and/or any other participating host agency shall not be held accountable for lost, stolen, or damaged equipment.
- We value professionalism and mutual respect. If a concern arises, we strongly encourage you to contact us first so we can work toward an informal, reasonable resolution. If a dispute cannot be resolved informally, the following terms apply:
- Agreement to Arbitrate: By registering for or attending a class with Engine Company No. 1, you agree that any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to registration, attendance, fees, payments, cancellations, refunds, these Terms and Conditions, or services provided shall be resolved through final and binding arbitration rather than in court.
- How Arbitration Works: Arbitration will be administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) under its applicable Commercial Arbitration Rules before a single neutral arbitrator. The arbitration will take place in the State of New York, and the arbitrator's decision will be final and binding.
- Waiver of Jury Trial & Class Actions: Both parties waive the right to a trial by judge or jury. Claims must be brought on an individual basis; you agree not to participate in a class action, collective action, or representative proceeding.
- Governing Law: These Terms and Conditions are governed by the laws of the State of New York.
Event Information
| Event Date | 01-23-2027 8:00 am |
| Event End Date | 01-24-2027 5:00 pm |
| Cut Off Date | 01-16-2027 12:00 pm |
| Capacity | 80 |
| Registered | 1 |
| Available Place | 79 |
| Individual Price | $210.00 |
| Location | Bayport Fire Department Headquarters |
Speakers
Butch Hendrick
President / Founder
As President & Founder of Lifeguard Systems, Butch has been teaching, developing rescue procedures and performing surface and subsurface water rescues for over 30 years in 15 countries. He and his family started and ran one of the first scuba resorts in the Caribbean in Puerto Rico. They were innovators, pioneers, and leaders in the sport diving industry. They installed and ran the only nonmilitary hyperbaric chamber in the Caribbean. Hendrick performed many rescues of divers and other people in the water, and he started the first diving rescue team in the area. Butch had his boat Captains license before he had his driver’s license. He went on to develop many of the procedures used and taught today such as the rescue do-si-do and in-water mouth to mouth for scuba accidents. He developed many Island safety emergency management plans and safety protocols, such as those used today by the Cayman Islands and Bonaire.
In the 1970’s Butch established the training program, and conducted the dive training for FDNY Rescue Companies dive teams, including, in 1991, the FDNY diver instructor training course. He has trained other noted teams such as FDNY Rescue Companies, U.S. Parks Dept., Washington DC FAA, South African Paramedics Dive Team, and hundreds of other fire, police, EMS, and military teams.
Published over 300 times, Hendrick is a noted International public speaker, and expert.
Hendrick has been training public safety dive teams, sport divers, and rescue personnel for over 35 years in over 15 countries. He is a major innovator and contributor to the water rescue industry. He is one of the most important fathers of diver safety education, always striving for increased safety standards.
President and founder of Lifeguard Systems, Inc., an international rescue and recovery training company. Lifeguard Systems is the oldest Public Safety Diving and Ice Rescue Training company with the same continuous owner and President in the United States.
President and founder of RIPTIDE, Inc, a nonprofit organization dedicated to drowning prevention, drowning victim recovery, and homicidal drowning investigation.
Butch’s credentials include:
- Expert Legal Witness for diving and other water-related incidents
- Homicidal Drowning Investigation, assists law enforcement and private citizens with homicidal drowning investigations
- Numerous Media Interviews
Andrea Zaferes
Vice President
Andrea began teaching diving with Dr. Lee Somers and Karl Huggins at the University of Michigan’s Scientific Diving Program. She served as a Diving Safety Officer for the American Museum of Natural History’s Animal Behavior Research Department, and had three research papers published by the age of 22. She took her first diving rescue course at age 16 with Walt Butch Hendrick. Since that time she has become Vice President of Lifeguard Systems Inc. and RIPTIDE Inc, a course director and instructor trainer, a well published author, a noted public speaker, an award winner, a program designer, and is one of the leading trainers in the international water rescue and recovery industries today.
Andrea teaches over hundreds of police, fire, EMS, military, and USCG personnel annually throughout the U.S., Canada, Asia, and Caribbean.
Andrea, Vice President of Lifeguard Systems and RIPTIDE, a NAUI & ACUC course director, and a PADI, DAN, and Red Cross Instructor, teaches approximately 1000 surface rescue and dive personnel annually. She co-authored with Walt Hendrick such videos and books as Surface Ice Rescue,
Scuba Instructor Readiness Series, Field Neurological Evaluations, Public Safety Dive Operations, Blackwater Contingency, and Homicidal Drowning Investigator, was the managing editor of SORTIE Magazine, she manages the www.wateroperation.com discussion group, and has over 100 published articles. She is a noted public speaker, is an award winner, and is a NYS EMT. Her main mission is to keep you alive and well.
Andrea’s credentials include:
- Expert Legal Witness for diving and other water-related incidents
- Homicidal Drowning Investigation, assists law enforcement and private citizens with homicidal drowning investigations
- Numerous Media Interviews
Barry Lipsky
Instructor
- NAUI Technical Diver
- TDI Decompression Diver #310402
- Trelleborg Diving in High Risk Environments
- Trelleborg Chemical Testing on Dry Suits
- Dive Rescue International Boat Based Operations & Current Diving
- Lifeguard Systems Overturned Vessel Dive Training
- Emergency Medical Technician
- OSHA 10 hour
- Lifeguard Systems PSD Ice Diving
- 2004 – current Bayport Fire Department: Lieutenant Water Rescue, Dive Instructor
- 2008 – current Long Island Divers Association, Vice President
- 2003 – current The Dive Club of Bayshore
- 2000 _ current Boy Scouts of America Dive Advisor, Sea Base Florida
- 1977 – current Professional Ski Instructors of America