What Whitewater Rescue Institute does

Whitewater Rescue Institute (WRI) is a privately held technical rescue training and inland oil spill response company headquartered in Missoula, Montana, with its primary training facility on the Clark Fork River near Alberton, Montana. The company was co-founded by Cody Harris (President) and Mike Johnston (Lead Instructor), with Johnston's swiftwater rescue career dating back to 1986 with the National Park Service. WRI delivers five core instructor-led courses — Swiftwater/Flood Rescue Technician (20 hours, $395), Swiftwater Spill Response Technician (32 hours, $1,695), Rope Rescue Technician (40 hours, $985), Ice Rescue Technician (16 hours, $305), and Motorized Boat Operations (24 hours, contact for pricing) — all compliant with NFPA 1006 and NFPA 2500 standards, with spill response courses also aligned to OPA 1990, EPA, USCG, and DOT PHMSA. There is no proprietary technology platform; the company's core capability is instructional methodology, scenario-based curriculum, and the operational expertise of its credentialed instructors (USCG-licensed boat captains, National Park Rangers, NOLS instructors, EMTs, climbing guides).

WRI's revenue model is built on per-student course tuition delivered through three channels: open enrollment at the Montana training facility, private in-house courses at client locations nationwide (minimum six participants), and mixed open courses where smaller agencies can fill seats alongside public registrants (free seats at 12+ and 15+ enrollments). Supplementary revenue streams include 24/7 inland oil spill response services, equipment rentals (Immersion Research drysuits at $150-$200 with credit toward purchase), and facilitation of Montana Conservation License sales. The company has expanded its service surface with FAA-certified Drone Services (thermal imaging, 4K video, photogrammetry) and an Integrated GIS Response & Recon Map with worldwide satellite connectivity for real-time situational awareness. Customers span fire departments, county and volunteer search and rescue teams, law enforcement, federal agencies (USGS, National Park Service), railroad operators (BNSF Railway), oil and gas/environmental response firms, fisheries professionals, and commercial river guides.

WRI is a founding member of the Rapid Response Group, a cooperative of eight emergency response and environmental consulting organizations, and its staff manage the Montana Wyoming Oil Spill Control Cooperative. The company operates without disclosed institutional investment or external ownership, relies on direct sales and phone-based registration (406-207-2027, 1-800-381-RAFT, 1-800-545-1923 for emergency response), and distributes primarily through its website, social channels, and referral-driven agency relationships.

Name

Whitewater Rescue Institute

Legal name

Whitewater Rescue Institute

Website

https://whitewaterrescue.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Whitewater Rescue Institute is a privately held Montana-based firm that delivers NFPA-compliant technical rescue training (swiftwater, rope, ice, spill response, boat operations) and 24/7 inland oil spill response to fire departments, SAR teams, law enforcement, federal agencies, and industrial operators across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Technical Rescue Training

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (61171), Support Activities for Mining (2131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Search & Rescue (SAR) & Technical Rescue Training (EDAOAMAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT) Handling & Response Training (EDAOAMAL), Search & Rescue (Urban/Water/Wilderness) Coordination (HLAJAGAJ)

Keywords

• Swiftwater rescue training
• Technical rescue courses
• Oil spill response services
• Rope rescue training
• Ice rescue training

Headquarters

HQ city

Missoula

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Technical Rescue Training Courses: WRI generates revenue primarily through instructor-led training courses in swiftwater flood rescue, spill response, rope rescue, ice rescue, and boat operations. Courses are priced per student with varying durations and complexity levels, ranging from $305 to $1,695 per participant.
2. 24/7 Emergency Spill Response Services: WRI provides round-the-clock inland and fastwater spill response services for oil spills and environmental emergencies. Response services include boom deployment, containment, recovery operations, and environmental mitigation across the United States.
3. Equipment Rental: WRI rents drysuits to course participants at $150 for Swiftwater/Flood Rescue courses and $200 for Spill Response courses. Rental fees can be credited toward purchase of the same suit.
4. Conservation License Sales: WRI facilitates the sale of Montana Conservation Licenses to course participants ages 12 and older, with proceeds supporting Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks land conservation and K-12 education funding.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Whitewater Rescue Institute delivers NFPA 1006 and NFPA 2500 compliant technical rescue training courses (Swiftwater/Flood Rescue Technician, Swiftwater Spill Response Technician, Rope Rescue Technician, Ice Rescue Technician, Motorized Boat Operations, and REMS) at its Clark Fork River training facility in Montana and via nationwide private in-house courses. It also provides 24/7 inland and fastwater oil spill response, drone aerial survey, GIS-based incident mapping, drysuit equipment rentals, and facilitated Montana Conservation License sales.

Product overview

Whitewater Rescue Institute offers a portfolio of five core technical rescue training courses (Swiftwater/Flood Rescue Technician, Swiftwater Spill Response Technician, Rope Rescue Technician, Ice Rescue Technician, and Motorized Boat Operations), supplemented by equipment rental services (WRI Drysuit Rental), mandatory Conservation License sales, and emergency response services (24/7 Inland Spill Response, Drone Services, Integrated GIS Response, and Rapid Response Group membership). The training courses range from 16 to 40 hours and are compliant with NFPA standards, U.S. Coast Guard standards, and federal environmental regulations (Oil Pollution Act, EPA, DOT PHMSA). Training is delivered at the company's Clark Fork River facility in Montana and can be hosted at client locations nationwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Swiftwater/Flood Rescue Technician Course 20-hour technical rescue training compliant with NFPA 1006 and NFPA 2500, teaching swiftwater and flood rescue operations for firefighters, SAR teams, law enforcement, and outdoor professionals; priced at $395 per student.
• Swiftwater Spill Response Technician Course 32-hour inland and fastwater oil spill response course covering boom deployment, recovery systems, anchoring, and jet boat operations, compliant with OPA 1990, EPA, USCG, and DOT PHMSA; hours apply toward HAZWOPER; priced at $1,695 per student.
• Rope Rescue Technician Course 40-hour high- and low-angle technical rope rescue training covering rigging, belaying, and complex rescue execution; compliant with NFPA 1006 and NFPA 2500; priced at $985 per student.
• Ice Rescue Technician Course 16-hour (two-day) ice and moving water rescue course covering rescuer safety, tactical decision-making, and real-world practice; exceeds NFPA 1006 and NFPA 2500 standards; priced at $305 per student.
• Motorized Boat Operations Course 24-hour course on motorized boat operations in moving and still water, covering hydrology, self-rescue, boat rigging, and emergency response; aligned to U.S. Coast Guard standards; pricing available on contact.
• REMS (Rapid Extraction Module Support) Course Specialized rapid extraction training course for technical rescue operations, offered at the Missoula, MT location.
• WRI Drysuit Rental Rental of premium Immersion Research drysuits (Devils Club or Operator LX) in Medium, Large, and X-Large for course participants; $150 for Swiftwater/Flood Rescue courses and $200 for Spill Response courses, with rental fee creditable toward purchase of the same suit.
• Montana Conservation License (Facilitated Sale) Mandatory Montana Conservation License required for all course participants ages 12 and older (with hunting/fishing license exemption), facilitated by WRI with proceeds supporting Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks land maintenance and K-12 education trust.
• 24/7 Inland & Fastwater Spill Response Service Round-the-clock, 365-day-a-year emergency response for inland oil spills and fastwater emergencies nationwide, deploying a rapid-response fleet, expert personnel, motorized and non-motorized boats, skimmers, containment boom, and mobile storage.
• Drone Services Aerial drone support delivering real-time situational awareness for emergency, environmental, and commercial operations, with FAA-certified pilots operating thermal imaging, 4K video, and photogrammetry-ready mapping systems for spill mapping, flood zones, construction projects, and SAR missions.
• Integrated GIS Response & Recon Map Service Geographic Information System response service with worldwide satellite connectivity enabling real-time data sharing from field operations or Incident Command Post, including an interactive map documenting historical swiftwater courses, boom deployments, responses, and projects with photo and survey capabilities.
• Rapid Response Group Cooperative Service Strategic cooperative of eight premier emergency response and environmental consulting organizations offering comprehensive all-hazards response capabilities with real-time data sharing, advanced communications, and coordinated deployment; WRI is a founding member.

Named customers7 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Rapid Response GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWRI is a founding member of the Rapid Response Group, a strategic cooperative of eight premier emergency response and environmental consulting organizations. The group delivers comprehensive, all-hazards response capabilities leveraging real-time data sharing, advanced communications, and coordinated deployment strategies to protect communities, businesses, and the environment during critical incidents.
• Montana River GuidesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeveral WRI team members (including Alan Burgmuller and Cory Davis) have professional backgrounds with Montana River Guides. The relationship appears historical/professional rather than formal partnership.
• Montana Wyoming Oil Spill Control CooperativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWRI's Josephine Ellsworth manages the Montana Wyoming Oil Spill Control Cooperative, coordinating high-level spill response efforts for WRI members.
• XSPORTS4VetsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWRI team member Josephine Ellsworth helped develop the riverboarding program for XSPORTS4Vets, a nonprofit providing extreme sports opportunities for combat veterans.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Roco Rescue: Roco Rescue delivers technical rescue and confined-space training programs with NFPA 1006/2500 alignment, serving fire departments, industrial responders, and SAR teams. Direct overlap with WRI's rope, confined-space, and rescue technician course portfolio.
• Rescue 3 International: Rescue 3 International is a direct competitor offering technical rescue training (swiftwater, rope, confined space, ice) with NFPA-aligned curriculum and a network of authorized instructors across the U.S. and internationally. It is the most comparable peer in the technical rescue training category.
• Rigging for Rescue: Rigging for Rescue specializes in rope and technical rescue training with strong curriculum focus on rigging systems and high-angle rescue. Comparable to WRI's 40-hour Rope Rescue Technician course and serves a similar agency/responder base.
• Environmental Safety Training Institute: ESTI/HazWoper Center delivers OSHA HAZWOPER 40-hour, spill response, and hazardous-materials training online and onsite. Comparable to WRI's HAZWOPER-aligned spill response course and serves a similar industrial/environmental buyer base.
• Safety Training Systems: Safety Training Systems (STS) delivers HAZWOPER, spill response, and hazardous-materials training aligned with EPA/OSHA standards. Comparable to WRI's Swiftwater Spill Response Technician course and serves the same industrial and environmental response market.
• Northwest Response: Northwest Response provides inland oil spill response and HAZWOPER training across the Pacific Northwest and Western U.S. Directly comparable to WRI's 24/7 spill response and Spill Response Technician course line.
• MAST (Maritime Accident and Survival Training): MAST delivers swiftwater, flood, and maritime rescue training with hands-on water-based curriculum and NFPA-aligned standards. Closely comparable to WRI's swiftwater/flood and boat operations portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• Clean Harbors: Clean Harbors is a large publicly traded environmental and industrial services company offering spill response, hazardous waste management, and related training across North America. Overlaps with WRI's emergency spill response business but at much greater scale and breadth.
• TEEX (Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service): TEEX operates the National Emergency Response and Rescue Training Center (NERRTC) and is a much larger, government-affiliated provider of technical rescue, HAZMAT, and emergency-response training nationwide. Overlaps broadly with WRI's portfolio but operates at greater scale and broader scope.

Emerging players

• SERE Training Center / Apex Strategies: Apex Strategies / SERE-focused training providers deliver survival, evasion, resistance, and escape-style and austere-environment rescue courses to military and government buyers. Partial overlap with WRI's rescue training mission in austere/water environments.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@whitewaterrescueinstitute4376
• Facebookfacebook.com/whitewaterrescue
• Instagraminstagram.com/whitewaterrescue
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/whitewater-rescue-institute

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Whitewater Rescue Institute