Rope Rescue/Train

From PCSAR

Current revision

[edit] Training time and dollar budget

• Basic Skills
  • estimated 4 hours of in-house training
  • most PCES have already been taught (S-300 course)
  • maintain skills
    • 2 hours per year
    • in-house refresher
  • roster: ~20

• Team Member
  • estimated total: 100 hours of in-house training, formal course, and practice
  • take a decent course
  • maintain skills
    • 20 hours practice per year
    • e.g. scenarios
  • roster: 9
    • attrition: 1.5 every year

• Team Leader
  • estimated total: 200 hours of in-house training, formal course, and practice
  • experience
  • maintain skills
    • 30 hours practice per year
    • e.g. scenarios
  • roster: 3
    • attrition: 1 every 2 years

totals:

• initial: ~1580 person*hr (less training people already have)
• maintain: ~310 person*hr/yr
• replacement: ~250 person*hr/yr (less training recruits already have)

[edit] Subject matter

Potential training subjects:

• formal course
• basic skills
  • equipment checking (i.e. checking ropes)
  • handling rope
  • knowing parts, gear recognition
  • anchors
  • stretcher tie-in
• practice scenarios
• site safety assessment
• a helicopter safety talk

[edit] Skills

• See Skills checklist.
• See PEP evaluation criteria

[edit] Self study

• http://www.animatedknots.com

• Members:Search and Rescue Fundamentals manual/Chapter 24
• Members:Search and Rescue Fundamentals manual/Chapter 25
• Members:Basic Search and Rescue Skills textbook/Chapter 21

[edit] In-house training syllabus

In-house training syllabus (from BC PEP Rope Rescue Manual):

Rope Rescue in Pincher Creek

• scheduled to cover during 2010-11-09 Rope Rescue training
• (from BC PEP RRM Chapter 1)
• How rope rescue relates to SAR / Emergency Services
• Describe the training process of a rope rescue Team Member
• Describe the training process of a rope rescue Team Leader
• Describe the Incident Commander's role in rope rescue

Rescue Site Overview

• covered during 2009-12-08 Rope Rescue training, 2010-01-12 Rope Rescue training
• (from BC PEP RRM Chapter 2)
• Describe zones of the rescue site
• Describe rescue organization
• Describe the roles of rescue personnel
• Describe hazard assessment
• Assess rescue terrain
• Describe the standards of Rope Rescue
• Outline the principles of rope rescue
• Determine forces on the rescue system

Equipment

• covered during 2010-03-09 Rope Rescue training
• (from BC PEP RRM Chapter 3)
• Describe the safe working load limits of rescue equipment and systems
• Describe the properties, use and proper care of:
  • High stretch and low stretch rope
  • Webbing and sling material
  • Accessory cord
  • Pulleys
  • Rigging plates
  • Personal descenders
  • Rescue brake bar racks
  • Edge protection
  • Personal ascending devices
  • Helmets
  • Harnesses
  • Gloves

Knots, Bends and Hitches

• covered during 2009-12-08 Rope Rescue training, 2010-01-12 Rope Rescue training, 2010-02-09 Rope Rescue training, 2010-04-13 Rope Rescue training
• (from BC PEP RRM Chapter 4)
• Utilize proper knot terminology
• Demonstrate the following knots and ties:
  • Water or tape bend
  • Figure-eight-on-a-bight
  • Figure-eight-follow-through
  • Figure-eight-follow-through bend
  • Fishermans bend
  • Prusik hitch
  • Prusik-on-itself
  • Italian hitch
  • Blocking knot
  • Clove hitch
  • Radium release hitch
  • Inline figure eight
  • Butterfly knot
  • Block and tackle
• Properly stack and coil rope
• Integrate seat and chest harnesses

Anchor Systems

• covered during 2010-08-10 Rope Rescue training
• scheduled to cover during 2010-09-14 Rope Rescue training
• (from BC PEP RRM Chapter 5)
• Select appropriate natural anchors
• Define the principles and considerations of anchor construction
• Build different anchor point attachments
• Build multipoint anchor systems
• Extend anchor systems
• Describe the effect of angles on anchor legs

Belay Systems

• covered during 2010-04-13 Rope Rescue training, 2010-05-11 Rope Rescue training, 2010-06-08 Rope Rescue training
• (from BC PEP RRM Chapter 6)
• Build belay systems for single and multi-person loads
• Demonstrate the properties of types of belay devices used in rescue
• Operate various belay devices
• Tie-off any of the belay devices

Lowers

• covered during 2010-05-11 Rope Rescue training, 2010-06-08 Rope Rescue training, 2010-07-13 Rope Rescue training, 2010-08-10 Rope Rescue training
• scheduled to cover during 2010-09-14 Rope Rescue training
• (from BC PEP RRM Chapter 7)
• Describe the principles behind lowering systems
• Describe the different lowering devices and their limitations
• Thread and tie-off a brake rack
• Efficiently pass a knot in the load line during a lower

Raising Systems

• scheduled to cover during 2010-10-12 Rope Rescue training
• (from BC PEP RRM Chapter 8)
• Describe safety considerations in raising systems
• Describe the principles and applications of mechanical advantage systems
• Build simple pulley systems, 2:1, 3:1, 5:1
• Build compound pulley systems
• Convert a lower to a raise under tension
• Efficiently pass knots in a the load line while raising

Stretcher Rigging

• scheduled to cover in 2011-01-11 Rope Rescue training
• (from BC PEP RRM Chapter 9)
• Describe litter models available for rope rescue
• Rig stretcher bridle attachments
• Attach load and belay ropes to the stretcher
• Construct attendant and subject stretcher tie-ins
• Demonstrate stretcher handling techniques
• Demonstrate subject securement techniques

Rappelling and Ascending

• covered during 2010-05-11 Rope Rescue training, 2010-06-08 Rope Rescue training
• (from BC PEP RRM Chapter 10)
• Understanding rappelling methods
• Outline the various belay methods
• Set up and operate various rappel devices
• Tie-off rappel devices
• Set up and operate Prusiks and mechanical devices for ascending
• Perform safety checks for rapperlling / ascending systems

Communications

• scheduled to cover during 2010-11-09 Rope Rescue training
• (from BC PEP RRM Chapter 11)
• Describe the need for clear, standard terminology and protocols
• Use verbal rescue signals proficiently
• Use whistle rescue signals proficiently

Slope Rescue

• scheduled to cover in 2010-12-14 Rope Rescue training
• (from BC PEP RRM Chapter 12)
• Describe techniques to operate safely and proficiently on slopes ranging from very low angle to steep angle
• Adapt techniques used in vertical rescue
• Describe forces encountered during a slope rescue
• Describe hazards particular to slope rescue

Pick-off Techniques

• scheduled to cover in 2011-02-08 Rope Rescue training
• (from BC PEP RRM Chapter 13)
• Outline when pick-off techniques should be used
• Perform lowering pick-offs
• Perform rappel pick-offs
• Demonstrate subject positioning options
• Perform stretcher tilt-lift pick-offs

Rescue Operations

• scheduled to cover during 2010-11-09 Rope Rescue training
• (from BC PEP RRM Chapter 14)
• Describe the need and process of preplanning
• Outline the role of the Initial Response Team
• Describe the elements of a successful rope rescue

rope rescue force diagrams rope rescue anchor diagrams

[edit] Schedule

In addition to what's below, PCES will use 20 minutes of every second regular training night to review basic rope skills.

We train the evenings of the 3rd Thursday of the month.

Past:

• 2009: 05-27 exercise - an initial exercise which started the discussion of reviving the joint team, 09-12 Transalta tour, 10-23 Canadian Hydro tour, 11-10 formative meeting, 12-08
• 2010: 01-12, 02-09, 03-09, 04-13, 05-11, 06-08, 07-08, 07-13, 08-10, 09-14, 10-12, 11-09, 12-14, 2010 April or May - Rope Rescue course (never held)
• 2011: 01-11, 02-08, 2011-02-26 Calgary SAR / ACRO SRT & rigging, 03-19, 2011-03-26 Calgary SAR / ACRO skills validation, 03-29,
  • other sessions were scenario practice, Brett has details in personal notes: 04-26, 05-24, 06-28,08-23
  • 2011-09-16 to 2011-09-18 interprovincial (rope rescue) SAR exercise in the Crowsnest Pass
  • other sessions were scenario practice, Brett has details in personal notes: 09-27, 10-25, 11-22
• 2012: 01-24, 02-16, 03-15, 04-19, 05-17, 06-21, 07-19, 08-16, 09-20, 11-15
• 2013: 01-17, 02-21, 03-21, 04-18, 05-04 demo, 05-16, 06-20, 09-19, 10-17, 11-21
• 2014: 01-16, 02-20, 03-20, 04-17, 05-15, 05-17 scout
• 2015: 04-16
• 2016: 07-21

Upcoming:

[edit] Venues

• Lundbreck cliff band