Originally Posted by
tramp67
From the first time we did pole top rescue in the apprenticeship to present, I always went with the thought that I am not in a race, but I need to get to the victim safely. If I race up the pole, fall, and get hurt myself, then what was accomplished? Most of the guys in my apprenticeship class raced to see who could get the best time, but like mentioned above, a couple times rescue randy got airmailed. Glad that wasn't me up there!:eek: I am used to freeclimbing, and I freeclimb until just below the victim, then belt in. If you are used to belted climbing, then that's the way you should do it. Whatever method you normally climb is what you should be doing. In an emergency, you want to do what comes natural, not try to remember some different thing that you learned in a training exercise 9 months ago. The whole purpose is to get to the victim, safely, and without becoming a victim yourself, get him to the ground without causing any more injuries to him.
I haven't had to use any of the fall arrest stuff that some of you are being required to use, just wondering how much extra time it takes to get someone disconnected from all that junk. And, when you practice pole top rescue, is rescue randy all tethered in like a real person would be??:confused: