NORA Hosts First Collaborative Trip Leader & River Rescue Training on the Nolichucky
- Nolichucky Outdoor Recreation Association
- Dec 12
- 4 min read
November 18, 2025 — A Milestone in Safety, Partnership, and Post-Flood Resilience
On November 18th, the Nolichucky Outdoor Recreation Association (NORA) held its first-ever collaborative Trip Leader and River Rescue Training, bringing together a powerhouse team of river professionals, medical experts, and partner outfitters committed to the safety and long-term recovery of the Nolichucky River.
This inaugural training was led in partnership with Blue Ridge Adventure Medicine and Wake Forest Wilderness Medicine, whose doctors, instructors, and field specialists joined NORA guides on the river for a full day of hands-on, scenario-based training in the heart of the gorge. Their expertise elevated every element of the day—from medical decision-making to advanced rescue techniques—and reflects a deep and ongoing commitment to helping the river community adapt to the major geomorphological changes brought on by Hurricane Helene.
Participating outfitters included:
Together, these crews represent the beating heart of NORA: guides, educators, and river stewards dedicated to serving guests, supporting each other, and building a safer, stronger, and more resilient Nolichucky.
Training Focus: New Rapids, New Hazards, New Best Practices
As the Nolichucky continues to evolve following Helene’s historic flood, NORA’s priority is ensuring that outfitters, private boaters, and first responders understand the new hazards and hydraulics created by the altered riverbed. This training specifically targeted two high-consequence areas where new drops, sieves, and hydraulics have formed.
Working as a unified team, the group:
Assessed hazard severity and identified the changing dynamics of newly formed rapids.
Deployed a rescue dummy into specific hydraulics to observe real-world swimmer behavior in the new features.
Performed boat-based rescues, analyzing angles, approaches, and extrication strategies.
Practiced rope systems and tether rescues, refining techniques for high-flow, high-risk environments.
Discussed and drafted preliminary best practices that will shape NORA’s evolving risk management and river safety guidelines.
This hands-on, multi-disciplinary approach allowed everyone present—guides, instructors, and medical professionals—to combine strengths and perspectives. It also allowed the group to begin building the foundational risk management portfolio for commercial and recreational boating on the transformed Nolichucky.
A Model of Collaboration and Community Commitment
Events like this one embody exactly what NORA was created to do:bring people together across agencies, professions, and organizations to care for the river and the people who depend on it.
The strong turnout from outfitters demonstrated their unwavering dedication to guest safety, community protection, and the long-term wellbeing of the Nolichucky. At the same time, the medical teams from Blue Ridge Adventure Medicine and Wake Forest Wilderness Medicine provided invaluable insight—bridging the worlds of emergency medicine, wilderness decision-making, and river rescue.
We extend our deepest appreciation for their participation, their enthusiastic leadership, and the time, equipment, and expertise they brought to the water. Their guidance will play a critical role in shaping future protocols, and their willingness to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with local river professionals is a powerful sign of solidarity as the region continues to recover from Hurricane Helene.
Looking Ahead: Building a Safer Future for the Nolichucky
This event marks the beginning of a new era of collaborative river safety work on the Nolichucky. With conditions still shifting and new hazards emerging, NORA will continue to organize and host:
Trip Leader trainings
Rescue and response workshops
River hazard assessments
Interagency collaboration days
Community education events
Swiftwater training opportunities for local outfitters and guides
The commitment shown on November 18th demonstrates the deep and growing network of people who care about this river and the communities along its banks.
A Final Word: None of This Is Possible Without You
As we celebrate this milestone, we want to acknowledge a truth at the core of everything NORA has accomplished:none of this work is possible without the generosity of our supporters.
Over the past year, donor contributions have allowed NORA to:
Deploy work crews who have removed nearly 200,000 pounds of debris from the river and its floodplain
Launch a multi-county recovery network supporting communities across East Tennessee
Rebuild damaged river access points and improve safety for outfitters, paddlers, anglers, and families
Begin restoring the Nolichucky’s riparian forests
Invest in training, equipment, and multi-agency collaboration events like this very safety workshop
Every training day, every restoration project, every piece of debris pulled from the river—it all ties back to the community members, paddlers, and supporters who believe in the Nolichucky and invest in its recovery.
As we continue the long journey of rebuilding after Hurricane Helene, we ask you to stay with us. Your contributions help ensure that the Nolichucky not only heals—but emerges stronger, safer, and more vibrant than ever before.
Please consider donating to support NORA’s ongoing recovery, safety, and river stewardship efforts. Together, we will bring the Nolichucky back—better than ever.
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