Cold Water Boot Camp is a multi-media program designed to educate Canadians about the effects of cold water immersion, how to avoid and / or minimize the effects of an accidental immersion and to save lives.

The finished programming will be aired on broadcast television, as a teaching aid for boating and outdoor recreation education, on the internet and in print. 

Designed as a ‘Fear Factor/Survivor’ style of presentation, a number of volunteers are required from across the country to participate.  The search for volunteers is now ongoing under the following criteria.

Volunteer Criteria

For the Canadian Production of Cold Water Boot Camp we are looking for 8 volunteers in total.  The targeted mix of volunteers is 5 men and 3 women.  We are looking for a reasonable representation from across the country and the geographic distribution of volunteers is as follows:

Pacific  - 2

Prairies - 1

Ontario - 2

Quebec - 2

Atlantic  - 1

Boot Camp will be held early in April, 2008 in southern Ontario.  Not including travel time, the volunteers will need to spend 2 days ‘on location’ which may or may not fall over a weekend.  Travel time will be the day in advance and the day following boot camp. All travel, on location and related expenses will be covered for the successful applicants. 

Professions are not necessarily important but keeping in mind Cold Water Boot Camp’s target audience of males 19 to 49 who enjoy outdoor recreation, ideally the volunteer candidates’ professions could include student, fire fighter, police office, military personnel including coast guard, etc.  Because an important part of Cold Water Boot Camp is to have the audience identify with our volunteers through the show providing some background on each, it would be beneficial if our volunteers enjoyed outdoor activities.

Medical Considerations

The volunteers should be 20 to 40 years of age, reasonably fit and have no underlying medical conditions that would preclude them from participating (no heart, respiratory or other limiting medical conditions).

To participate, the volunteers must to provide a doctor’s certification that they are fit and do not have any underlying conditions that would preclude their involvement.  They will also be required to sign an informed consent form which allows them to be video taped (and have portions of the taping broadcast, carried on the internet and in print) and to agree to hold the producers of the program harmless in the event of accident or injury.

Expectations

Our volunteers will be given comprehensive classroom style education and briefing sessions designed to inform, educate and discuss Cold Water Immersion and all of the phases of the Boot Camp experience.

On at least three occasions, all of the volunteers will be put into very cold water and will experience first hand the effects of cold water immersion that will include initial gasping, eventual incapacitation and some volunteers will be taken into mild hypothermia. They will also be interviewed on camera about their experiences and what they have learned.

Medical and Safety Personnel will be on location taking every possible precaution to ensure the volunteers safety, but they can expect to become very cold and uncomfortable while participating in the “in-water” segments of the program.

How To Apply

In order to participate in this unique media event, please contact the producers to receive the Volunteer Application and Informed Consent Form. A recent photograph is required with your application.

e-mail – ted@coldwaterbootcamp.com

telephone – 905-989-0664