Support | Investing In Others
|
Archive for category Training for Technical Rope Rescue
No servant is greater than his master. A servant is one who toils and strives to make his master look good. His labor contributes to the success and overall well being of the same. His thoughts are filled with wondering what can be done to improve the life of his master. The heart’s motive is to make his master shine without attempting to bring attention to himself. Absent are the thoughts of how one’s labor can benefit himself and elevate his own standing.
Do so and the word “passion” will return to how others describe you. In past newsletters you’ve heard Lance talk about passion… as the glue that holds dreams together. A true servant has passion, a goal outlined to make his “chief” or his “unit” a success and the willingness to pursue that goal to whatever degree necessary. A dedication to the point where his life is wrapped up in the success of others before himself…a glue holding dreams together.
Regarding the upcoming Petzl Workshops: “I can speak from experience; the Petzl Solutions Workshops are “fully assembled” with no missing parts. From start to finish, products and solutions are presented in a professional manner with a high level of energy; Lots of things to cover and not much time to “dilly-dally” around. I would recommend any of these workshops for any technician.” Lance Piatt, owner Rescue Response Gear.
The next workshop is the Petzl Equipment Management Workshop, August 24-25, 2010. Sign-Up Deadline: July 30, 2010.
Workshop participants will learn Petzl’s recommendations for care, maintenance, and inspection of life safety equipment. The program will cover practical techniques and procedures required to conduct thorough examinations, produce inspection reports, and specify corrective action when needed. Considerations for creating a thorough life safety equipment management system and inspection regime will also be covered.
Instructor: Rick Vance
After that the Petzl Climbing and Arborist Workshop, August 26-27, 2010. Sign-Up Deadline: July 30, 2010.
Workshop participants will learn about advanced tree-climbing systems that make tree climbing safer, easier, and more efficient. Topics will include single rope and double rope techniques, limb walking, and climbing rope installation / retrieval. Basic concepts of physics and mechanical advantage will be introduced as they relate to climbing systems. Arborist ascent and aerial rescue techniques will also be covered. Drop tests will be performed to demonstrate the strengths and limitations of key pieces of equipment.
Instructors: Luke Glines & Charley Wagner
You can check out other Training Workshops coming up at RescueResponseGear.com.
The MPD is a major advance in hardware for technical rope rescue. This multi-purpose device performs all functions for main lines, belay lines, tag lines and haul lines and do so in under two (2) minutes.
When Matt Adams (our in-house techie) suggested we give this thing a whirl and actually time a set up (he thought we could set up a 5:1 system in less than 2 minutes), we all thought it was a great idea. We headed to Redmond Fire Department and drug out Randy (you many remember his cameo appearance and swan dive off a cliff at Smith Rock State Park) and have him lend us his “weight” for rigging and filming. We were very excited at showing off this new piece of gear.
The other side of the story and “someone else” we were really excited about showing off was Torrey (my son) and a good friend Adam Ermatinger. They both had worked on a number of projects with us (RRG video series) as well as with Zion Pictures, and are now working at putting projects together under the Raven Film Works label (be looking for more to come).
CMC Rescue has done an exceptional job at providing rescuers with the equipment they need to save lives. They pulled out all the stops on the MPD. Working with Rock Exotica, the plan was to come up with a worthy answer to weight, ease of use, cost savings and efficiency.
The MPD successfully and efficiently controls descents, is a high efficient pulley when used in a pulley system, as well as acts as a progress capture (in the same pulley or mechanical advantage system). It meets BCCTR Rescue Belay Competency Criteria and is NFPA G rated.
You know you feel old when…
Jun 18
You know you feel old when “you could have been surfing for thirty plus years or climbing for twenty six years” if… one had stayed with it (either of them). So for me, surfing has been back for 7 years, but I am land locked. Climbing, which is all around me, is back again as well; Mostly because my son encouraged me to give it another whirl. Why did he take so long to ask me? Typical parental response!
In some respects, I have climbed off and on for many years, but not enough to really progress much. My friend Dean (who lives in June Lake, near Yosemite) has been a huge inspiration to me. On one climb, I took an incredible 60 minutes, to lead one stinking pitch; his patience was remarkable. Although it had been many years since placing a single piece of gear on a climb, my appetite was set for trad routes (placing gear in lieu of clipping bolts). If you can lead in Yosemite, you can lead anywhere. I hadn’t climbed much since then, but did have some motivation to take youth groups and “leaders” out for a day on the rocks. Super fun.
This leads up to the present. With a recent opportunity for Rescue Response Gear to do some filming with Peak Rescue Institute in Joshua Tree National Park, my old stomping grounds (Intersection Rock, The Old Women and The Blob) were in full view. Oddly enough, this is where my friend Dean first cut his teeth as well. A spectacular place, with stunning landscapes, clear skies, warm air and… wicked sharp rock with a nasty disposition for goof balls and those who lack the right gear. A 5.7 can quickly turn into something intimidating without things like a Black Diamond Camelot #4.
The two days prior to shooting were amazing; Climbing with my son, where twenty-five years before, I had started climbing… only he is much better than I was then. Still, the hook was set. The interesting plot in front me was forming. Rigging; placing gear, planning the belay stance on multi-pitch routes and setting three and sometimes four point equalized anchors were common. I loved it. At 50, I will never be able to climb “young” again, but securing the climbs (and falls), are certainly things I can do well enough and get better at. My life is much the same. The Lord has granted me many opportunities to help anchor or lead people… knowing placements, direction of falls (vector angles) and encouragement are huge and should never be shrugged off.
A recent outing at our local crag (Smith Rock) was another example where not having the right gear (again a #4 and #3 BD Camelot) meant certain problems for me; fortunately, a friend had both; Thanks Adam!
All this has lead me to a pivotal point in my life. Experience should lead to wisdom (applied knowledge, understanding and discernment over time; almost sounds like science) and if not, you end up “where only fools tread”; Proper rigging, as in life, is exactly the same. Whether securing a belay, being on the “sharp end” of the rope or creating anchors in anticipation of something really bad, a solid foundation and wisdom is mandatory. Without both, your life or someones day, could come to a halt real fast. As it has been said, “it isn’t fall that kills you, but the sudden deceleration”.
My friends, life can be a playground of blessings or poor reflection of who we are to be; pay attention to life and love people.
Lance
