This summer’s West Metro Fire training event followed an A,B,C shift rotation of 2-days each shift. The focus was on swiftwater-related ropework and rescue solutions for both pickoffs and patient transport. Our first scenario was a traditional Guiding Line through steep slope ground to a river crossing. At the river, we unstrapped the patient’s litter restraints (for the obvious swiftwater hazards) and we added an opposite side Tagline for the uphaul out of the belly of the trackrope system. I suppose you could call it a Guiding Line to Kootenay Highline System conversion.
The second scenario was a traditional drooping twin-track Kootenay Highline System, utilized for its variability in tension for executing a swiftwater pickoff of a stranded recreational kayaker, or similar. Waterton Canyon was an optimal location for our training focus. Thank you, West Metro Fire technical rescue!
