This course is designed for professional avalanche workers, including ski patrols and SAR team members, who respond to avalanche incidents as an organized unit.

Silverton Avalanche School facilitates the ProAvSAR as a four or five day course, including three days of instruction, practical skills application and training scenarios, individual evaluations, and a final written exam. Electing to incorporate air assets, technical rope work and nighttime operations pushes us into the five day option. We can edit the itinerary as needed for a custom course for your team. 

SAS’s ProAvSAR faculty is composed of seasoned professionals with experience embodying decades of field response, rescue, recovery and critical incident management. No other organization utilizes experiential approaches and student-led field exercises while incorporating such diverse response modalities, including human, canine, mechanized and air assets. Participants will be challenged to facilitate collaborative, multi-agency technical responses to complex scenarios.

SAS ProAvSAR A3 Prerequisites:

Course applicants must have completed the following* prior to enrollment:

• Avalanche Rescue Training (8 hours minimum)

• Avalanche Awareness Training (8 hours minimum)

• Online ICS 100* and 200* completion certificates https://training.fema.gov

• Current BLS/ CPR certification 

*Applicants who believe they have the educational equivalent of the prerequisites listed above, can apply for a training equivalency.

In addition to the education prerequisites, preferred experience includes:

• Previous Recreational Level 1 Avalanche Course completion

• Member of volunteer rescue team or professional rescue team

• Professional ski patroller

• Internship in the SAR industry

The A3 ProAvSAR focuses on these critical competency areas:

• Avalanche Incident Management

• Avalanche Incident Scene Safety, Size-up and Risk Management

• Avalanche Site Management and Complex Rescue Tactics

• Probe Lines and Recco Utilization

• Avalanche Dog Teams 

• Avalanche Patient Management and Witness Interviews

• Transportation Operations

• Team and Inter-Agency Communications

Why take a ProAvSAR with Silverton Avalanche School?

• Our Roots are Rescue: SAS is the oldest, continuously operating avalanche training and snow safety program in the US, in our 63rd season of operation.

• Where the Snow Pros Go: SAS works closely with A3 and the A3 Pro Alliance to offer this professional training to the US. SAS is one of only three providers of this certification program in the country. Our involvement at the national level ensures you will experience cutting edge curriculum rooted in the most current best practices.

• International Best Practice: SAS has been a voting delegate of the International Commission for Alpine Rescue (ICAR) since 2016 and is an inaugural member of the mountainsafety.info workgroup consisting of 26 countries.

*In addition to Silverton Avalanche School's course fee, participants will pay $100 to the American Avalanche Association for professional recognition. More information on A3's fees can be found here.

Contact Us to arrange a custom course for your organization.