MCSA field rescue exercise, Lakeside/Steenberg, 5 July 2009

scenario-based technical cliff rescue training exercise

Scenario: patient fallen down short cliff, sustained head, neck and rib injuries. Hosted up on stretcher using tensioned backrope to assist with keeping the stretcher away from the cliff. The stretcher needed to be turned from horizontal to vertical to get it through the gully at the top of the cliff.

patient packaged, stretcher connected to haul line & safety belay, backrope still to be connected

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Long Graham, our patient patient - a tad too tall for the Troll...

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Hooked up and ready to go

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Ant being boss

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Haul line setup - the prussic was replaced with a shunt (if no other rope-grab is a vailable, a dogging-the-tail knot is a better option than a prussic)

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Chris & the shunt...

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system in action

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two rescuers assist with getting the stretcher over the first lip

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nearing the top station...

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and meeting the gully

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horizontal didn't work - a tripod mounted on the cliff would have helped...

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Roy abseiling the feet down into a vertical position

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problem solved...

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and patient finally hauled through the narrow gap

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dismantling the top station

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Scenario: patient needs to be lowered down from the top of a cliff with a series of small ledges. Two abseilers are attached to the stretcher to assist the jockey in getting the stretcher over the ledges. Two additional rescuers are stationed at the lip to assisit in getting the stretcher over the edge and onto the lowering system (pics by Mo)

patient ready and waiting to go over the edge...

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abseilers setting up at the top station - main line & safety belay for tretcher & jockey, 2 abseilers at head and foot of stretcher, plus 2 extra over-the lip rescuers on gri-gris to assist getting the stretcher over the edge - the most awkward part of the lower.

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ready to go

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all stations go...

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getting it over the edge

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Main loweing line on an ID

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down to the first ledge

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and down to the next ledge

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abseilers assisting with getting the stretcher over the ledges

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almost there

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Images are not for commercial use.
If you are or were on any of the teams and would like prints or wish to make use any of these photos, please drop me an email.