I recently attended Tactical Rappel Master School presented by Ben Tisa and Dave Bliss of International Training Resources. Ben and Dave have over 50 years of combined law enforcement experience, most of which has been spent teaching tactics and techniques designed for special operations. In fact, ITR’s founding members are responsible, either wholly or in part, for developing the fundamentals at the core of most SWAT and high risk response teams operating on the west coast as well as many other specialized teams across the US. Offering more than forty individual courses, ITR covers all bases from Basic SWAT School and Advanced Tactical Operations to Plain Clothes Officer Tactical Procedures and Active Shooter First Responder Tactics.

The crew at ITR is adept at teaching critical skills in a manner that’s both effective and enjoyable. Classes are kept small to ensure each student receives one on one instruction as needed. ITR’s faculty is composed of active or former federal agents, SWAT operators and team leaders, military special forces personnel and other specialized law enforcement professionals. Each course is designed from a standpoint of reality and practicality, and instructors are knowledgeable, experienced and patient. Students are pushed to their limits but never beyond their ability to absorb information and learn.

Tactical Rappel Master School begins in the classroom where Ben Tisa and Dave Bliss discuss the basics of both climbing a structure and descending from one safely. Hardware and tools are presented to the class. Each is explained and discussed in open forum. You’ll tie knots until your fingers bleed and fashion your own seat everyday. Many times throughout the course, your life is in the hands of someone you’ve just met. If you have a fear of heights or trust issues, this course is a great way to overcome both.

The final three days of this five day course are spent ascending and descending multi-story buildings, identifying good and bad anchor points, selecting the right hardware for specific missions and lugging yourself, your rigging, your gear and your weapons up and down a variety of obstacles. Scenarios and tactics are discussed amongst classmates and ideas are presented and tested.

In this course you’ll master carabiners, figure eights, pulleys and straps. You’ll grow to trust the knots you tie as well as super-light caving ladders with aluminum rungs not much wider than your boot. At some point, you’ll step on the instructor’s rope and you’ll hear about it. You’ll rappel on single and double lines, belay from high and low points, perform rappel rescues and practice cover team maneuvers while moving your team off tall buildings. I have no doubt that every student returned to their agency a better asset. This course is suited for SWAT teams, Search and Rescue teams, firefighters and snipers, as well as any crew seeking a week of team building.

Visit the ITR website for a schedule of upcoming courses. Enhance your skill set and win each battle… even on a rope.

www.itr-swat.com

Thanks again to Ben Tisa and Dave Bliss for your knowledge and experience.