Water Rescue
Outreach Rescue

DEFRA Mod 5 WFIM Recertification
Course length

14 hours (2 days)

Instructor

1:12

Period of validity

3 years

Certification

Outreach Rescue Certificate of Achievement

Venue

Any suitable classroom

Water & Flood Incident Manager Recertification (WFIM)

Goal

To recertify a Water & Flood Incident Managers capabilities in specialist rescue incident command at the tactical and operational level.

Target group

Personnel requiring recertification of their Water & Flood Incident Managers award

Highlights

DEFRA MOD 5-compliant recertification for Water & Flood Incident Managers.

Focus on tactical planning and operational command in water rescue.

Updated to align with the DEFRA FRCO 2025 standards

Description
This 2-day course is designed for personnel requiring recertification of their Water and Flood Incident Commander award. It reassesses competency in identifying, selecting, developing, and managing appropriate tactical and operational plans in water and flood environments.
Water & Flood Incident Manager Recertification DEFRA Mod 5 (WFIM) is intended for personnel needing recertification of their Water & Flood Incident Commander award. The course refreshes delegates and reassesses competency in identifying, selecting, developing, and managing appropriate tactical and operational plans in water and flood environments through classroom lectures, online training material, presentations and table-top exercises. Delegate will refresh their knowledge about water rescue team resources and capabilities, multi-team search management, mass evacuation, welfare consideration for extended and large-scale operations, communication, incident management considerations, clear effective briefing and debriefing, crime scene and body recovery considerations, national water safety policies, the Civil Contingencies act, incident planning including interpretation of forecasts and forecasting flooding events and distribution. Delegate are issued a pre-course reading list and are given a subject knowledge quiz to complete, which is reviewed throughout the course.
Compliance

DEFRA FRCO 2025 Module 5

Previous knowledge

In-date Water & Flood incident Managers award. Delegates require a record of CPD totalling a minimum of 8 hours a year. The 2025 DEFRA FRCO has removed the requirement to maintain an in-water skillset, though Outreach Rescue strongly recommends maintaining operational competency in the water for the role of a WFIM.

Requirements

Age 18+. Delegates will require a laptop computer

Progression

Reassessment is recommended every 2 years by means of re-attending this course.

Theoretical elements

Classroom lectures and presentations covering water rescue team resources and capabilities, multi-team search management, mass evacuation, welfare consideration for extended and large-scale operations, communication, incident management considerations, clear effective briefing and debriefing, crime scene and body recovery considerations, national water safety policies, the Civil Contingencies act, incident planning including interpretation of forecasts and forecasting flooding events and distribution. Delegates are issued a workbook and a personal reflection which is completed throughout the course and is assessed along with a written examination.

Practical elements

- Whilst this course is classroom based, practical table-top exercises are conducted to put the theory into practice through simulations to confirm learning.

In total:
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