Introduction:
High Angle Emergencies
An element of a vertical emergency is a factor, condition, or influence that can be redirected, and treated by the rescue team. A strong rescue team will draw from their “skill” toolbox and deal with these elements in a safe and expedient manner.
How does a rescue element effect the choices of the rescue team? What elements determine the manpower needed, or the amount of equipment needed at the scene? Too often rescuers make these decisions with little training or experience.
Most rescue agencies have the expertise to perform a low angle carryout. Most technical rescue personnel can rappel, do some basic climbing, and complete a rescue involving a non-changing fall line. But ask yourself, does your team have the skills to perform a difficult vertical extrication with a fall line of multiple obstacles that requires controlled horizontal movement, or extricate an injured worker off the top of an electrical transmission tower?
Some elements are minor, some are major. It is the accumulative effect of these elements that change the course of action. A successful rescue is the direct result of a team’s ability to recognize these elements and deal with them with confidence. Technical rescue is a high maintenance item for any department, tremendous amounts of training and equipment for only a “once in a while” type of call. Unfortunately, the public tends to see only the cost and not the potential. City fathers will surely want justification for the large amounts of time and money for such needs.
Due to budget considerations most cities are compelled to develop crews that are multi-functional, in that they are called to respond to EMS, fire, social emergencies, and on rare occasions, technical rescue. This is a dangerous trend, in most cases these crews simply do not have the needed amount of time to train. Lack of proper training is the greatest of all safety violations. Declaring that you have a technical rescue team and not allowing the proper amount of time to train is like having a flight attendant take over the controls of the plane while in the air. It is not fair to the team and it is a disservice to the public. If this is the system that you operate from, chances are, one day someone will pay with their life. Multi-functional crews are not a bad thing, but multi-functional crews that are also charged with vertical rescues must have time allowances, which will afford them needed training opportunities.
Warranty
