Education
& Safety
Classes
& Clinics
Swift Water Rescue Class
APEs offers Swift Water Rescue (SWR), Advanced SWR and refresher classes, all taught by American Canoe Association (ACA) certified instructors. APEs members will learn techniques for dealing with hazards that carry risks for both victim and rescuer, such as strainers; entrapments and pins; rescue vest functions; and more. Emphasis is placed both on personal safety and commonly used skills for rescue techniques.
Wilderness First Aid & CPR
An excellent complement to Swift Water Rescue (SWR), this fast-paced, hands-on, two-day course is taught by a certified instructor and covers a wide range of first aid and medicine treatments for illnesses and injuries commonly encountered during outdoor activities, as well as CPR, which can help save someone’s life during cardiac arrest. This course is designed for anyone who travels, plays or works in the outdoors.
Swift Water Rescue Scenarios Class
Our Swiftwater Rescue Scenarios (SWRS) course is aimed at APEs members desiring opportunities to further develop their rescue skills. Taught by American Canoe Association (ACA) certified instructors, SWRS focuses on critical judgment and rescue awareness, which impact both personal and group safety. This class primarily focuses on developing judgment and applying skills in rescue scenarios while on the river.
Kayaking Fundamentals
If you’ve never kayaked, but would love to join the fun, or if you’ve been downriver a few times and would like to get solid fundamentals for safe skills progression, this class is for you! Learn basic river reading and how to identify hazards. Practice core paddle strokes, ferrying, catching eddies and peeling out, as well as the wet exit and boat control. Basic boat outfitting/fitting and safety also will be covered.
River Clean Ups & Conservation
As an organization, APEs is passionate about protecting and maintaining our precious river resources. The Nolichucky is our home river, and we provide annual events to help keep its waters flowing clean. This 115-mile river flows through western North Carolina and east Tennessee, with its famous gorge winding through Pisgah National Forest and the Cherokee National Forest in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Photo Credit: Cheryl Killman Photography