Abseil - Rescue Workshop Tullera

Proposal for Rope Rescue Workshop 17-18 August 2024 Tullera, Lismore 8-4 Saturday and Sunday.

Q - How long has it been since you practised all of those rescue techniques if we are somewhere they will be needed?
Experts claim that the half-life of emergency rescue skills is 6 months. So if it's been a year, you are overdue. Usually we don’t practice enough for the more complicated techniques that we need to keep current on. During a situation, it is not the best time to try to remember. So let's practice!

A full two-day workshop will cover many of the principles and techniques used in rope rescue in a variety of scenarios.
Practising rope rescue often has the effect of planning and rigging to prevent a rescue occurring.  A two-day refresher program is proposed.

Day 1 - Saturday - we will cover many subjects such as;

• Philosophy of rope rescue, planning for emergencies, pre planning sites, team organisation, communication,
• Preparation for outside assistance
• Utilising lower to higher risk options, the LAST rescue plan, larger incidents
• Equipment and anchoring review ERNEST
• Undertaking some more individual-based abseiler rescue methods.

Members will need to be experienced abseilers with the ability to perform vertical mobility skills on this day, including abseiling WITH another person such as

• Lowers
• Tandems
• Pickoffs
• The famed, and much dreaded, pitch rescues

Day 2 - Sunday - we shall undertake more group-based rescue operations.

Much of the workshop will focus on

•  Equipment review; pulleys, grabbing devices, progress capture devices, rigging plates, descenders
•  Anchoring review-load releasing anchors, anchor extension, central focal points
•  Raising and lowering operations using mechanical advantage
•  Changing from raising a load to lower to raise again.
•  Adding mechanical advantage-simple, compound and complex systems 1-1,2,3,4,5,9 -piggyback rigs
• Z drags etc
• Going from simple systems to more complex systems
• Setting up a telfer lower/raise utilising a more horizontal system to clear an obstacle under the drop
• Depending on progress, it is hoped in the second half of day two that we can get around to using some lesser used activities, such as stretcher hauling and attending, and practising a virginia closed loop rapid evacuation system.

*We will be undertaking live and simulated rescue weights*.

Location-once again we will be practising at Tullera, Lismore, Spinaze Park.
Meet at 8:30 till about 4:30ish every day.
Number of participants <15. Parking right at the site.

This is a convenient, highly manageable, lower height level setting where we can set up multiple scenarios simultaneously to increase practice turnover of each evolution. The site offers higher safety than others as most participants will not be on a cliff, there is good vision and supervision, most of the group is usually on the ground, there is no rope wear on edges, heights are small above a grassy level landing. The site has easy access, toilets, water.

Participants are requested to visit some sites or texts that review mechanical advantage systems, anchor rigging,releasable systems and knots, locking and unlocking a descender under load.

What to bring:

•  Everything you own related to vertical activity!
•  Food, chairs, clothes, tarp
•  Turn up on the day with your usual abseil gear rack on your harness and also bring separately if they don’t live on your harness: helmet, ascenders, chest harness, gloves, slings, carabiners, prussik, descenders, especially ones capable of carrying two persons load, extra pulleys if you have them
•  Notepad, manuals if they help you

Advise Dunc if you need to borrow club equipment for the day
Any concerns or queries, you can contact Dunc via the chat in MJ.

This event is open to members only. Register on the event.

Upon registration, it will be assumed you have read the Northern Rivers Bushwalkers Club Abseiling Essential Information Document and you bring in your pack a completed Medical Information slip