Central Emergency Services (CES) marked a major milestone in late May by hosting its first-ever in-house Swiftwater Rescue Technician-I certification course—an initiative that’s been in development for several years.
Eight CES members participated in the three-day course held on the Kenai River, led by Engineer/EMT Caleb Lambe and Engineer/Paramedic Nate Nelson—both of whom earned their instructor certifications in 2024 after traveling to Golden, Colorado. The course offered rigorous, real-world training for department members and represents a significant step forward for CES’s Technical Rescue Team.
“It’s been a pretty lengthy process,” said CES Training Officer Captain Jason Craig.”[This training] was identified as something that’s a high-risk activity that I felt needed to be formalized.”
Craig said Lambe and Nelson took the lead in researching available programs. “We talked about it, got them set up for training, got it into the budget a couple years ago. They went down to Golden, Colorado, did the training down there, and then came back, and we were able to put it together this year.”
Given the uniqueness of an area like the Kenai Peninsula, Craig said working as an emergency responder here often comes with a diverse set of emergency situations. “Compared to a larger city, we get a lot more diverse calls than what is expected. So, [this training] gives you course material that is consistent.”
He emphasized that the new training program adds a layer of structure and safety to CES’s response capabilities. “So these are big things that you get out of formalized training—so we’re not doing things that may look good on paper but aren’t good in reality. It’s basically a safety type of issue that we build upon.”
Looking ahead, CES already has the training course scheduled for next year. “We’ve already got it on the calendar for next year for doing another class.”
Craig estimates the department will get more emergency responders trained by Lambe and Nelson and add another instructor. “I want to make sure that anything I plan out is sustainable, achievable, and something that’s worthwhile for the department.”
With eight newly certified Swiftwater Rescue Technicians and more planned, CES continues to raise the bar in specialized training, demonstrating a long-term commitment to responder safety and readiness.
Photo Credit: Central Emergency Services Facebook
