Update from Iceland
Every year Rigging for Rescue works with the good folks at ICE-SAR, the Icelandic Association for Search and Rescue, for a week packed with training, fun, and camaraderie. This year the seminar is taking place at the fjords of the east; so far the terrain and weather have been perfect! Stay tuned for more pictures…
Good times with the slow pull machine
In November of last year, the Rescue Program Coordinator from Rocky Mountain Fire visited us in Ouray with an interesting question: can wildland firefighters use their fire hose as anchor material in an improvised rescue scenario? The following videos show two pulls that we did on a .75″ forestry hose (commonly referred to as a “garden hose”) and a 1.5″ single jacket forestry hose; both samples were heavily used prior to testing. The .75″ hose was configured as a wrap two pull two with a ring bend, and broke mid-strand at 6.83 kN. The 1.5″ hose was configured as a single strand anchored at each end with an overhand knot, and broke mid-strand at 18.93 kN. Both of these are considered “quick look” tests and are far from comprehensive. Nonetheless, it’s fun to see things break.
New Course Offering: Self Rescue and Small Team Response Workshop
Climbers, guides, mountain rescue practitioners, and military personnel are who we had in mind in crafting the Self Rescue and Small Team Response 5-day workshop. The workshop will focus exclusively on personal and self rescue ropework techniques as well as some improvised small team approaches to realistic rope rescue challenges.
Springtime in the Valley…
Rigging for Rescue offers two open enrollment seminars each Spring in California’s Yosemite Valley. The March 31-April 6 seminar already has a waiting list, but there are spots still remaining in the March 3-9 offering. More information about seminars in the Valley can be found on our website here: http://dev.riggingforrescue.com/yosemite2.html
Today at Rigging for Rescue…
Day four of the Waterfall Ice Rescue Workshop featured a multi-pitch lower in the Skylight climbing area. Kevin took some photos of the operation from the top of the second pitch. Enjoy! Troy Couture leading pitch 1 Mike Kingsbury topping out on pitch 2 Moving the load down the upper pitch After the station transition, moving the package down the lower pitch
Horsetail Mission
Members of the Ouray Mountain Rescue Team including three Rigging for Rescue employees recently responded to Horsetail Falls in the backcountry outside of Ouray to assist an injured ice climber. The team chose to use a Guiding Line aerial ropeway system to evacuate the injured party.
Ice!
Winter in Ouray means ice climbing, and at Rigging for Rescue it means ice rescue workshops. Ice Park Manager and Rigging for Rescue instructor Kevin Koprek has been working hard to build our winter playground, and the proof is in the results. Check it out here: http://www.facebook.com/OurayiceparkInc And mother nature has been doing her job to grow the backcountry climbs that also make Ouray the ice climbing capital of North America. The San Juan Mountain Guides Blog is a reliable source for current backcountry conditions. Every year, Rigging for Rescue offers Waterfall Ice Rescue Workshops to military and civilian SAR teams from all over the country. RfR also hosts an open enrollment ice workshop running January 15-20. This offering focuses on efficient climbing movement and companion rescue in addition to team based rescue techniques. More information and photos can be found on our website here. We are looking forward to seeing you in Ouray this winter!
Yosemite Update and Beyond
Rigging for Rescue held an open enrollment Update and Beyond seminar in Yosemite Valley in October. It was great to see old friends and train in such an inspiring setting. Below are some photos from a packed week.
ITRS 2011
Earlier this month representatives from Rigging for Rescue once again attended the International Technical Rescue Symposium in Ft. Collins, Colorado. Every year ITRS brings together members of the rescue community to discuss the state of the art of technical rescue. This event is always a worthwhile experience – a great opportunity to share ideas and visit with friends. Included in this year’s program was a report from Matt Stark from YOSAR. Matt shared the findings from an ongoing evaluation of the Yosemite Helicopter Rappel Program, which included a study conducted in conjunction with Rigging for Rescue. The RfR report can be found here. Next year’s ITRS will be held in Seattle, Washington from November 1-4. We hope to see you there!
Ouray Mountain Rescue Refresher
The Ouray Mountain Rescue Team recently completed a 3-day Rigging for Rescue workshop. Included in the field exercises were the 2-attendant moderate slope lower and raise and guiding line pictured below. It’s always fun to train in the sunshine with close friends! 2-Attendant Technique Guiding Line
