Trench Rescue Operations

NOTE – Online content for this course is currently under development. Check back periodically to view available student resources designed to refresh knowledge and skills from the live training.

If you have already attended the MUSAR Trench Ops class, claim your certificate below.

Course Description:

This intensive hands-on program is designed to meet the NFPA 1006: Technical Rescuer Professional Qualifications (Trench Rescue Level II) and NFPA 2500: Standard on Operations and Training for Technical Search and Rescue Incidents requirements for trench rescue operations.

Building on awareness-level competencies, participants will engage in realistic trench-collapse scenarios emphasizing incident size-up, soil analysis, protective system design, atmospheric monitoring, and victim management. Through guided field exercises, students will develop the skills necessary to safely and efficiently perform rescue operations in single-wall, non-intersecting environments while maintaining scene safety and team coordination.

Course Topics:

  • Trench hazards, soil classification, and collapse dynamics
  • Shoring systems: timber, pneumatic, and hydraulic configurations
  • Access, egress, and victim removal techniques
  • Air monitoring and ventilation procedures
  • Incident command structure and rescue team coordination
  • Scene stabilization and secondary collapse prevention

Certification Criteria:

Successful completion of written and practical evaluations qualifies participants for Trench Rescue Operations certification in accordance with NFPA 2500.

Course Content

Claim your Trench Operations Certificate