Over the last year ten
members of the Graeagle Fire Protection District participated with personnel
from other local fire districts in a thirty hour Low Angle Rope Rescue
Operational (LARRO) Course.
This is a California State Fire Marshal
certified course which requires strict adherence to skills testing and
documentation.
Topics in the course include rescue rope
specifications, knots, harnesses, rescue baskets, load ratings, anchor system
setup building, belay techniques, mechanical advantage systems, ascending and
descending lines, basic rappelling, patient packaging lashing and rigging,
litter attendant considerations, rescue of ambulatory and non-ambulatory
persons. All
this is done with an emphasis on maintaining the safety of rescuers, patients,
and bystanders and the necessity of teamwork of the rescuers.
Low Angle Rope Rescue is
utilized on any slope less than 55 degrees.
Examples where this type of rescue would apply
would be a vehicle over an embankment, a hiker or rock climber or animal in
trouble in moderate terrain.
The training was prompted by two fairly recent
occurrences where Graeagle Fire Personnel had to wait for responses from other
agencies to make the rescue which they are now trained to accomplish.
The training was done on flat
ground to gain confidence in the necessary techniques before moving to an angled
slope for more intense training.
This practice also gave trainees an
understanding and appreciation of what a victim experiences when strapped into a
Stokes litter basket, placing their trust in the hands of rescuers trying to
save them.
The standard procedure is for
one person to rappel down to the victim, assess the situation while the other
team members prepare the anchor system.
Two other team members will then rappel down
with the Stokes Basket.
The victim is strapped into the basket and
generally further protected by a back board and cervical collar to immobilize
the person and prevent further injury.
The three team members and the victim are then
raised as a group back to safety with the use of the fairly complex rope and
pulley system.
The minimum rope, harness, and safety equipment necessary to outfit four people (the minimum necessary for a rope rescue team) and a basic Stokes Basket will cost the Graeagle Fire Protection District about $9,000.00. Donations toward this purchase would be greatly appreciated.
