Aerial rescue in a REAL emergency

[Andy Collins]

My concern is that if an emergency occurred, who has proven that A/R trained personnel would be efficient enough to make a difference/save a life. I've seen enough in the business to know that even the best climbers may not be the best person to have around when the occasion arises, ie they may lose their head. Another consideration that concerns me is the scenario of a hard days work, everyone has been slogging away in the heat, accident occurs, A/R procedure goes ahead, rescue climber starts his ascent to the victim, and cramps up to the point he cant perform the rescue.

[Peter]

Come very close to doing a rescue, but the climber managed to get himself down.

 

The quickest way to get to the ground is to get yourself there imo.

 

I dont really practise rescue as such, although the comps help to stay sharp.

 

As a subbie climber you dont always know the groundies and what their rescue skills may be, so I always work on the basis that a quick rescue is unlikely to be forthcoming.

[Stephen Blair]

Come very close to doing a rescue, but the climber managed to get himself down.

 

The quickest way to get to the ground is to get yourself there imo.

 

I dont really practise rescue as such, although the comps help to stay sharp.

 

As a subbie climber you dont always know the groundies and what their rescue skills may be, so I always work on the basis that a quick rescue is unlikely to be forthcoming.

 

i work without another climber, i just tell the boys if i get in trouble, wrap my rope round the tree, i will take off my prussik and they can lower me down, basic,crude, but the best in a bad situation for me:001_smile:

[arbogrunt]

I've done 2 rescues, both with a ladder!. One was a bloke who flaked out in the heat in a conifer hedge, managed to get him into a firemans lift, undo his strop and get him down the ladder - that was a bit of a drama!.

The other one was, again using a ladder, a young climber cut himself whilst 'chunking down' a pole and went into shock. This was much easier, more of a case of talking him/handing him down - we snapped him out of it by taking the piss out of him:001_tongue:.

 

None of us practice AR enough, I'm always thinking 'what if now' and most of the time it wouldn't be good!.

 

Remember, you can't self-rescue if your not conscious!!!

[educated arborist]

Every one that i've met 1st hand that has had an accident up a tree/ been in the crew when its happend has managed to get themselves down, one of them with a life threataning injury losing pints of blood, i imagine his adrenalin levels were off the chart & was probably feeling little or no pain.

The point Andy was making about a hard days work is the most important factor in risk reduction in our industry. I don't beleive that there are many if not any accidents within our industry in which fatigue was not a factor.

Using erganomic access teckniques is something that not alot of firms do but it limits fatigue & cramp alot and if an access line can be left in the tree during the climb this would speed up a rescue 10fold but how many of us actually do this?

The AR training could be greatly improoved apon but it's not realistically going to happen any time soon as with most things in our industry it falls apon ourselves to ensure we are 'compitant'

Not only is there alot more to an AR than the rigging but the NPTC doesn't even go through that effectivly does it?

[Mick Stockbridge]

My concern is that if an emergency occurred, who has proven that A/R trained personnel would be efficient enough to make a difference/save a life. I've seen enough in the business to know that even the best climbers may not be the best person to have around when the occasion arises, ie they may lose their head. Another consideration that concerns me is the scenario of a hard days work, everyone has been slogging away in the heat, accident occurs, A/R procedure goes ahead, rescue climber starts his ascent to the victim, and cramps up to the point he cant perform the rescue.

 

I,ve never had to rescue anyone thank heavens. But if the occassion ever occurred and at the end of the day when everyone is tired I think adrenalin would kick in and I,d be up there like a rat up a drain pipe.

[educated arborist]

i work without another climber, i just tell the boys if i get in trouble, wrap my rope round the tree, i will take off my prussik and they can lower me down, basic,crude, but the best in a bad situation for me:001_smile:

 

What do they do if your KO'd?

[gibbon]

We do rescue practice every 6 months.

 

While subbing I did work for a guy who had to rescue his mate from a pole. They only had 1 set of spikes. The guy got 1 spike off before passing out through blood loss and the chap I knew had to get up the pole with 1 spike. Casualty never returned to work and the rescuer was still shaken up by it years later.

[Mesterh]

This is just my opinion on the situation (dont want to upset anyone )

I think that the most important thing is to try and ensure that you can get yourself to the ground asap ie think about where your life line is and try to always ensure that it isnt knotted up (part of the groundie's job) and is routed freely to the ground

I have been involved in a chainsaw accident which although not life threatening wasnt nice at the time the fact that my rope ran freely to the ground allowed me to get to the deck very quickly with using only one hand.

 

Recently a couple of lads that I know of have been involved in very serious chainsaw accidents while up a tree on both occasions they survived with only minutes to go (approx 5) due to massive blood loss. It is the opinion of the lads and the crew with them that if they hadnt self rescued they would have died.

 

I know that this isnt the case where a climber is unconscious but it is something worth mentioning I think.

 

As for training although we dont practice it it is something we are looking at(we do have aerial rescue NPTC) more so the case for groundsmen who dont climb, I wouldnt want to rely on them to rescue me in any situation.

 

If you cant get yourself down due to injury then I think there is not an awlfull lot down for you.

[Stephen Blair]

What do they do if your KO'd?

 

simple answer, i would be screwed!!