About the Course

Across the country “tower” type rescues are becoming more and more common. Accordingly, there is a growing need for local rescuers to be aware of these sites in their response areas, pre-plan for different rescue scenarios, and train their specialized rescue personnel to the appropriate level to facilitate the rescue in a safe manner.

Tower rescues have become so prevalent, that when the NFPA published the latest version of the 1670 standard, it included Tower Rescue Awareness, Operations, and Technician level requirements. Still, the big question for all of us who work in high angle rescue is, “how many departments and rescue teams across the country are truly trained and equipped to carry out these demanding types of rescues?” The first thing we need to define when talking about tower rescue is the tower itself. What exactly is a tower?

Nathan Paulsberg, an instructor you'll see a lot of inside this course, currently serves as a Lieutenant for Palatine Fire Department, located in the Chicagoland area. He is a member of Palatine’s Technical Rescue Team and the head of MABAS Division 1’s Technical Rescue Training Committee. Instructor for technical rescue classes at the Northern Illinois Public Safety Training Academy and Gateway Technical College. Squad officer and head of rope operations for Illinois Task Force 1. Co-owner of Elevated Safety, and SPRAT level 3 Rope Technician.

What You'll Learn

Join us inside Tower Rescue Technician as we'll cover concepts and areas such as:

  • “Bottom-up” style rescues

  • “Top-down” style rescues

  • Tower Control versus Ground Control

  • And more!

Learn from One of the Best in the Industry

Learn more about Tower Rescue Technician's expert instructor

  • Nathan Paulsberg

    Rigging Lab Academy Instructor | Co-Managing Director of Elevated Safety

    Nathan Paulsberg

    Nate is a Co-Managing Director of Elevated Safety, a SPRAT certified Level 3 supervisor and directs training and rope access arms of Elevated Safety. Nate is also a Lieutenant with the Palatine Fire Department, a member of the department Technical Rescue Team (TRT), head of the MABAS Division 1 TRT Training Committee, a Rescue Team Manager for IL Task Force 1 overseeing all rope operations for the Task Force. Nate began instructing for Northeastern Illinois Public Safety Training Academy (NIPSTA)’s technical rescue programs and has been a lead instructor at FDIC for Tower Rescue HOT Class since 2017. When not working with rope systems, Nate is usually found out coaching one of his three kid’s sports or training for and competing in Ironman Triathlons or other endurance events. Elevated Safety was founded to educate anyone who works with their feet off the ground in safe practices that ensure they make it home safely. We accomplish this through high-quality education and training, in accordance with established standards and safe practices. In the years since we began, our reputation and experience have taken us across the U.S. and internationally. Our staff is passionate about rope access and maintaining safety in the workplace. Elevated Safety remains active in the rope access community through continued training, service on SPRAT committees, and as members of professional organizations. Elevated Safety is committed to safety: we work to ensure that everyone makes it home to their families after every job.

Course Curriculum

  • 1
    Unit 1: Welcome
    • 1.1 Welcome FREE PREVIEW
    • 1.2 Course Material
    • 1.3 Elevated Safety Tower Rescue Technician Resource Manual
    • 1.4 Tower Rescue Standards Brief NFPA 1670-2500
    • 1.5 Size Up - Type of Tower Structures
    • 1.6 Action Plan - Tower Emergencies
    • 1.7 Incident Plan - Tower Emergencies
    • 1.8 Rigging Guide - Tag Line System
    • 1.9 Rigging Guide - Guide Line System
    • 1.10 Rigging Guide - Skate Blocks
    • 1.11 Rigging Guide - Tracking Line System
    • 1.12 Rigging Guide - Tracking Skate Block (Hybrid)
    • 1.13 Tower Emergencies
  • 2
    Unit 2: Tag Line System
    • 2.1 Tag Line System
    • 2.2 Video Tutorial: Tower Rescue Tower Control Tag Line
  • 3
    Unit 3: Guide Line System
  • 4
    Unit 4: Skate Blocks
    • 4.1 Skate Blocks
    • 4.2 Video Tutorial: Tower Rescue Ground Control Twin Tension Skate Block
  • 5
    Unit 5: Skate Block Anchors
    • 5.1 Skate Block Anchors
    • 5.2 Video Tutorial: Tower Rescue Tracking Skate Block (Hybrid) Ground Anchor
  • 6
    Unit 6: Skate Block Patient Connection
    • 6.1 Skate Block Patient Connection
    • 6.2 Video Tutorial: Tower Rescue Hybrid Skate Block Patient Connection
  • 7
    Unit 7: Tracking Line System
    • 7.1 Tracking Line System
    • 7.2 Video Tutorial: Tower Rescue Tower Control Twin Tracking Lines
  • 8
    Unit 8: Tracking Skate Block (Hybrid)
    • 8.1 Tracking Skate Block (Hybrid)
    • 8.2 Video Tutorial: Tower Rescue Tracking Skate Block (Hybrid) System
    • 8.3 Video Tutorial: Tower Rescue Tracking Skate Block (Hybrid) Patient Connection
  • 9
    Unit 9: Pick Off
    • 9.1 Pick Off
    • 9.2 Video Tutorial: Tower Rescue Pick Off
  • 10
    Unit 10: Gathering Information
    • 10.1 Gathering Information
  • 11
    Unit 11: Controlling the Site
    • 11.1 Controlling the Site
  • 12
    Unit 12: Access
    • 12.1 Access
  • 13
    Unit 13: Tower Control Versus Ground Control
    • 13.1 Tower Control Versus Ground Control
  • 14
    Unit 14: Patient Packaging
    • 14.1 Patient Packaging
  • 15
    Unit 15: Wrap Up
    • 15.1 Wrap Up
  • 16
    Unit 16: Bonus Video
    • 16.1 Elevated Safety Bonus Video

Added Perks

Additional features Rigging Lab Academy Members are enjoying

  • Certificate of Completion

    Download your personalized Certificate of Completion after completing the course.

  • 100% Self-Paced

    Go through the course material as fast or as slow as you'd like.

  • Private Discussion Board

    Ask questions, meet other students, and even chat with the course instructor.

What Students Are Saying

  • Tower Rescue Tech

    Ryan Hrebin Ryan Hrebin

    Course was amazing, material was informative and effectively presented through text and videos. I will definitely be taking more online courses, keep up the...

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    Course was amazing, material was informative and effectively presented through text and videos. I will definitely be taking more online courses, keep up the great work!

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  • Tower Rescue Technician

    Robert Oaks

    A really great refresher or review course. Keeping up to date with current equipment and techniques. Thanks for the Christmas deal.

    A really great refresher or review course. Keeping up to date with current equipment and techniques. Thanks for the Christmas deal.

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  • I can't say enough about this course!

    Gordon Ward

    Can't say enough about the good videos you have presented. It certainly means a lot for the active trainers to keep tabs on what's new, and different methods...

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    Can't say enough about the good videos you have presented. It certainly means a lot for the active trainers to keep tabs on what's new, and different methods. Thanks very much for all of your hard work, and it's great to have joined Rigging Lab Academy! - Gord Ward Ottawa, Canada

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  • 5 stars!

    Chris Richardson

    I enjoyed the material. Thanks!

    I enjoyed the material. Thanks!

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  • Tower Rescue Technician

    Paul Reygie Torlao

    Thank for the wonderful training you have shared to us last day it is helpful to us how to assess the situation if the call is rescue or retrieval and many m...

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    Thank for the wonderful training you have shared to us last day it is helpful to us how to assess the situation if the call is rescue or retrieval and many more. As member of this Academy I would share it to my colleages and encourage them to become a member of this Academy

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