Rescue and Immediate Care Course

The WIRES Rescue and Immediate Care Course (RICC) is an introductory training course covering a wide range of species that provides individuals with the skills and knowledge to assist with the rescue and immediate care of injured, sick and orphaned native wildlife. Upon completion of the RICC, volunteers are processed as a WIRES member and connected to a local branch.

If you are a former WIRES member, please read the RICC Refresher page for more information on how to renew your WIRES membership.

Who can enrol?

• Participants must be 18 years and over to register for WIRES training.
• Participants must live in an area in NSW where WIRES is licenced to rescue and care for wildlife.
• Volunteers will need a valid driver’s licence and their own vehicle to attend rescues and transport animals.

What species can I help with?

Individuals who complete the RICC can assist with the rescue of birds, small mammals, lizards, turtles, frogs, raptors and large mammals. After completing the RICC, volunteers can get involved in rescuing most wildlife, excluding snakes, monitors and bats which require further training and vaccinations.

After completion of the RICC, WIRES members are able to access the WIRES advanced species courses.

What's involved?

1. After enrolling below, WIRES participants will be given access to the online RICC training within 2-3 working days and have 12 months to complete the training.
2. Volunteers are provided with personalised training credentials where they can access the online theory modules. Upon completion of the online theory, students will need to complete a workshop component.
3. Upon successful course completion, you will be contacted by the WIRES membership team with information about your local branch. You can begin attending rescues, and under the direction of your branch species coordinators begin providing immediate short-term care for some birds, lizards, turtles, and mammals.
4. The enrolment period for this course is 12 months.
5. For further information including the course refund policy please read the RICC Course Information Pack and FAQ's.

Course Content

There are 8 online modules in this course, containing essential information including:

• Work, Health & Safety
• Species Identification
• Common Rescue Scenarios
• Safe Handling Techniques
• First Aid
• Physical Examination
• Immediate Care

Course Delivery

The RICC consists of an online theory component and a workshop component. The online theory takes roughly 6-8 hours to complete. Once you have completed the online component you can enrol in a workshop. The online theory must be finished before you can register and attend a workshop.

The workshop component takes approximately 8-10 hours to complete and can be done either as:

• A 1 day-face-to-face workshop (recommended) - see the RICC workshop schedule
• An online practical workshop, allowing you to complete your RICC training while remaining contactless.

Course Fee

$125

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