Climbing without aerial rescue?

[Mick Dempsey]

I can’t be bothered to look, but a couple of years back there was a female climber in the US who was using a base tie in on srt,  she was attacked by hornets up top, managed to get down to 30 odd foot above ground. Her groundy panicked and cut the base tie to lower her down manually, the rope got away from him and she freefell the rest suffering life changing injuries.

Some peeps are good in a crisis, some make very bad decisions under that sort of pressure.

Sadly I think I’m in the second category.

Edited August 9, 2018 by Mick Dempsey

[Khriss]

I did run a trial morning , last year and it was interesting just how many little points came out. A lot of fun and definately recommend every company does this periodically -  a lot of little snags you wouldnt even think of ! Pole rescue demo fr the H & S guy was funniest - he thought we used some sort of rescue pole ! K

[Khriss]

( Always clip a figure of 8 in my SRT setup now )

[Pete Mctree]

10 minutes ago, Haironyourchest said:

You could also use a system involving a base tie and cammed descender device that would allow the groundie to lower the climber remotely. This would be easy to train as well. Can also be used with Drt - to hoist the drt system. Now, if the climber is stuck, it's not going to work, but it would certainly increase the chance of a rescue overall.

I understand your theory, but the reality could be a potential nightmare if used inappropriately. There are very few trees suited to working in there entirety with a basal anchor. Although it does give a positive opportunity for rescue, it also carries inherent risks, especially when rigging operations are involved. 

I really think we have to examine our own actions in to avoid accidents & also look at how to get ourselves out of trouble as opposed to relying on others. 

[BobG]

This topic has struck a chord with me, I work as a one-man team and often have to climb telegraph poles up to 14m high. It's never occured to me that I might fall and be left dangling. Guess I've finaly got something to mention at next month's meeting with management.

[Mark J]

I've done loads of solo tree work.  Just be extra careful. If you're not happy subbing to someone who has no competent rescue climbers, then just don't do it.  In an ideal world you'd have a trained climber ready to go.

[stihlmadasever]

Just out of interest how many guys on here,climbing 10 years plus, can remember how to perform an aerial rescue?

Im not even at 10 years and id struggle to properly perform a rescue.

It would be alot easier with modern mechanical devices zz sj etc but with 2 ddrt ropes and prussiks???

Id struggle big time

Edited August 10, 2018 by stihlmadasever

[Ty Korrigan]

In the cases of the last two kickback deaths, I don't think aerial rescue would have helped.

I'll climb small to medium trees without a rescue climber but on larger jobs sometimes we are all climbers with kit at the ready.

 Stuart

[Steve Bullman]

17 minutes ago, stihlmadasever said:

Just out of interest how many guys on here,climbing 10 years plus, can remember how to perform an aerial rescue?

Im not even at 10 years and id struggle to properly perform a rescue.

It would be alot easier with modern mechanical devices zz sj etc but with 2 ddrt ropes and prussiks???

Id struggle big time

can't see it would make any different wether it was Ddrt or SRT, still the same principle.  Get up to them and get them down.

 

No I can't remember the exact step by steps we were taught, but pretty confident I could get someone down regardless.  The technicalities of it isn't rocket science.  Speed is the important factor

[stihlmadasever]

9 minutes ago, Steve Bullman said:

can't see it would make any different wether it was Ddrt or SRT, still the same principle.  Get up to them and get them down.

 

No I can't remember the exact step by steps we were taught, but pretty confident I could get someone down regardless.  The technicalities of it isn't rocket science.  Speed is the important factor

Agreed steve,although my thoughts were more of a mock rescue under assesment sort of thing.

Real world yeah id get the guy out the tree double quick one way or another.