Aerial Rescue info

L

Leafguy

New member
Looking to see if there are any good recommendations for books or videos on aerial rescue. There aren't any training options in our area. We are planning to do some training as our crew is growing and we are a little rusty in this area. We spend the bulk of out time stuck in spurs and rigging down spars. Techniques based around this situation would be ideal. Working down the spar using a petzl rig is the common tie in method or a wrench for some of us.

Any info would be great. Thx
 
Man. That's a tall order.
You should update your location to where we can see what part of the world you are in.
I'd recommend prevention over rescue, honestly. Spar injuries are no joke.

If you're hellbent, bringing in a very skilled climber who has a lot of training in AR would be my suggestion. People get hurt practicing rescues, and a pole is about the sketchiest place to practice rescuing someone.
 
SomethingWitty said:
Man. That's a tall order.
You should update your location to where we can see what part of the world you are in.
I'd recommend prevention over rescue, honestly. Spar injuries are no joke.

If you're hellbent, bringing in a very skilled climber who has a lot of training in AR would be my suggestion. People get hurt practicing rescues, and a pole is about the sketchiest place to practice rescuing someone.
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Our crew is very experienced and probably has more first aid qualifications then most(mountain guides and ski patrollers) More looking to see what new techniques we can implement. I have looked at private training but no luck on booking anytime soon.
 
Leafguy said:
Our crew is very experienced and probably has more first aid qualifications then most(mountain guides and ski patrollers) More looking to see what new techniques we can implement. I have looked at private training but no luck on booking anytime soon.
Click to expand...
That sounds like a very competent group. I was assuming less experience just because of the nature of the question.
The best answer is still to not do something if you're going to need rescued after you do it. Make good calls and good cuts.
 
colb said:
@oceans has the best method for on spar rescue, using the rescuer and rescuee as ballast for each other. He probably has a link to a video.
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Whoa! Thanks, Colb. @macswan, @Steve Connally and I did a presentation a couple-three years ago at Expo. That was a fun one. I put that system together with Swan a couple years before that Expo when we were doing demos in the Shelter Booth at New England Grows.

What I love about it it the flexibility of the used. I know the video will speak 1,000 words, but for anyone wondering, we used a Hitch Climber setup with a Fimblesaver and incorporated a Rope Wrench. The rescue climber can use their Lanyard and HC to alternate up (if needed). Up top, the rescuer can decide how to set it all up.

I set the Fimblesaver around the Spar above the injured Climber. Pass the HC spliced End through the saver, but connect directly to the victim. With the rope wrench on the HC, you are now essentially using the victim as a moving base anchor. Once in ballast, just keep the two climbers together with your positioning Lanyard.

The real reason for the setup is you can control both climbers with one hitch, and the ballast can really help when positioning the victim.

Hope that all made sense. Maybe Steve can throw up more?
 
Are spurs ever used in aerial rescue?

Probably not in training or competition events, but real world rescue, I think they would be very useful.
Not always, lots of variables from tree to tree.

The ART Ropeguide Twinline looks like a good piece of gear to help get in the habit of leaving an access line too.
 
Bango Skank said:
Are spurs ever used in aerial rescue?

Probably not in training or competition events, but real world rescue, I think they would be very useful.
Not always, lots of variables from tree to tree.
Click to expand...

In some ways it is so dangerous to practice aerial rescue because in a real situation you might use spikes, cut branches, cut ropes, etc., yet I often think about it without that workflow in mind.
 
Bango Skank said:
Are spurs ever used in aerial rescue?
Click to expand...

Definitely yes!

When Mac and I started the scenario I described, we had a 12’ tall log strapped to the staging. It wasn’t huge diameter, but enough to play on. We also hung a battery powered chain saw from his saddle to further simulate a real situation.

Many of the AR Workshops I’ve been to seem to lean a bit to “pick off” style rescues. Nothing wrong with that at all, but the Spar with spikes, saws, rigging ropes and blocks creates a much different feeing...and new things to evaluate and be aware of. The Spar top can get FULL of gear pretty quick with two climbers and rigging.

When we did this at Expo, I was afraid I might have damaged Mac’s spikes because the imaginary evaluation was that he was ok but non-responsive. I took the time to remove his Spikes and drop them to the stage to avoid the potential of getting pierced.
 
Leafguy said:
Looking to see if there are any good recommendations for books or videos on aerial rescue. There aren't any training options in our area. We are planning to do some training as our crew is growing and we are a little rusty in this area. We spend the bulk of out time stuck in spurs and rigging down spars. Techniques based around this situation would be ideal. Working down the spar using a petzl rig is the common tie in method or a wrench for some of us.

Any info would be great. Thx
Click to expand...

Leafguy, where are you located? Any access to lifts or cranes on your typical job site?

Tony
 
You know last rescue training we had (in house), my group was at the spar(spike) rescue and everyone had been taking off the spikes when they got to the climber. Suddenly we said, why not just bring the gaff guards up? Worked pretty well! Considering some spikes are hard to get off somebody else.
 
rope-a-dope said:
You know last rescue training we had (in house), my group was at the spar(spike) rescue and everyone had been taking off the spikes when they got to the climber. Suddenly we said, why not just bring the gaff guards up? Worked pretty well! Considering some spikes are hard to get off somebody else.
Click to expand...
Brilliant!
 
I don't have much to add to this thread. This is Whip's baby here and a brilliant solution for the scenario. I just tagged along on the ride, and graciously appreciated the inclusion.
 
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