Rope Rescue Technician Exam |256
Questions and Answers
Acute Bad Judgement Syndrome - -Occurs when adventures don't truly
understand the consequences of their decisions
- Take the time to do a reality check - -Don't overestimate your groups
ability, take the time to observe all facts, clues, ability level, and skill set
before making a "go or no go" decision
Maintain high situational awareness
- Most common accidents in mountaineering: - -1.) fall or slip on rock
2.) fall or slip on snow or ice
3.) falling rock, ice, or object
- Most frequent contributing causes to accidents in mountaineering: - -1.)
climbing without ropes
2.) exceeding one's ability
3.) having an adequate equipment/clothing
4.) placing inadequate or no protection
5.) weather
- Utilize checklists: - -Reduces errors and omissions in:
- technical procedures, and medical procedures
- deployment briefing's for permission profiles
- equipment checklist
- Safety - -Resounding theme of mountain rescue operations
+ personal safety = group safety
- Minimizing risks: - -- pre-plan as much as you can
- conduct trailhead safety briefing so everyone understands the mission/goal
- use redundant systems or systems with belay lines
- conduct frequent reality checks
- utilize safety checks with checklists
- don't rush through your rigging; do it right and do it perfectly
- train hard so you can rescue easily
- Decision making: - -3 main types: heuristics, analytical, expertise
- perfect decision making doesn't exist
- Heuristics - --mental shortcuts or "rules of thumb" that we employ to make
decisions
, - Pitfalls of Heuristics: - -1.) familiarity:
2.) acceptance:
3.) consistency/commitment
4.) expert halo
5.) track/scarcity
6.) social proof
- Common mountaineering heuristics: - -- don't climb alone
- always wear a helmet
- climb within your ability level
- get good beta on the route before heading out
- leave detailed itinerary with a reliable person
- stick to your itinerary
- establish "go, or no go" conditions
- establish a safe turnaround time
- don't travel solo on glaciers
- use two ropes when training
- system should pass "whistle test"
- Analytical decision making: - -- breaking down a larger problem into
smaller more manageable ones
- conducting a risk/benefit analysis may be your best option
- works best when research backs decision
- Common pitfalls of analytical decision making: - -- there may often be
unknown variables we may not recognize
- can be time consuming
- subconsciously biased
- Expertise (intuition) decision making: - -- draw upon previous experience
to make decisions
- important to provide team with mission briefing explaining the problem and
why specific strategy was chosen
- Extreme ownership in leadership: - -- never blame anyone else
- leaders ultimately responsible for the team and its actions
- if something goes wrong take accountability as the leader and figure out
how to ensure it never happens again
- requires effective communication, assigning roles, and trusting team to
excel
- Mission clarity: - -- all members of the team support mission
- always communicate the "why"
- only 100% committed team members allowed
- only except the highest standards for your team
, - Check your ego: - -- live and die as a team
- no place for ego or glory
- Cover and move: - -- rescues always uncertain
- mitigate risks and hazards to the best of your ability and trust in your team
- each teammate is an integral part
- Keep things simple: - -- simple = clarity and understanding
- complexity = confusion and doubt
- Decentralized command: - -- Delegating leadership to small teams to get
the job done
- don't micro manage and have trust
- Manage up and manage down: - -- understand commands perspective,
needs, and wants
- keep leader in the loop
- communicate important goals, objectives, and the "why" down the chain of
command
- Discipline equals freedom - -- be the best leader and teammate you can
be
- Rescue leader: (site command or task force rescue leader) - -- The rescue
leader will communicate with incident command at trailhead or basecamp,
requested resources and keeping command updated on field operations
- should maintain a "hands off approach"
- may act as safety
- Incident Command: (IC) - -- functions as mission coordinator
- Will and instill operation staff at Basecamp to accomplish ordering more
resources, scribing all personnel and equipment in the field
- Safety officer: (SO) - -- responsible for overall safety check on specific
operations
- ensures everyone has proper PPE
- double checks the rigging, knots, edge protection, and other key system
components
- Mainline rigor/operator: (MLR) - -- responsible for rigging and managing
the mainline the load will be raised and lowered on
- after rigging is complete they become the main operator
- Belay line rigger/operator: (BLR) - -- responsible for rigging and operating
the independent back up belay line
, - needs to have bombproof multiple anchor system
- maybe using two tensioned rope syste
- Edge pro: - -- responsible for maintaining a safe edge transition for rescuer
or a leader attendant
- includes: protecting from sharp edges, clearing loose rocks, watching for
ropes, helping carry the load over the edge transition
- aids in communication
- First Responder: (FR) - --Will go over the edge to initially assess and
stabilize the patient
- strong technical and medical skills required
- Litter Attendant: (LA) - -- Assembles the litter and goes over the edge to
bring up or down in the litter
- The SAR Mission briefing: - -- successful rescues require planning,
teamwork, and excellent communication
- teams should conduct a premission breathing before deploying into the
field, it helps ensure:
+ all members know the Mission profile (what's going on)
+ members can you hear intended plan, and the "why" behind the plan
+ team members can ask questions and clarify details to buy into the plan
- crucial part of team success
- SAR quick brief: - -1.) problem- this is our mission profile
2.) hazards- any dangers or hazards we need to be aware of?
3.) plan- this is what I think we should do
4.) why- here is the "how?" And "why?" of the plan
5.) questions- are we forgetting anything? and Questions or comments
6.) execute- implement plan and advise incident command if we need to
deviate from plan
- Team pre-deployment: - -- after briefing and questions, roles will be
assigned and teams
- all teams should utilize a checklist for necessary logistics and equipment
- going over details of mission will give ownership, shared responsibility and
better vision to all involved
- Team Pre-deployment Checklist: - --determine team roles
- establish plan and route
- environmental updates
- travel hazards
- group travel
- "go, or no go" concerns
- food/water/gear check
Questions and Answers
Acute Bad Judgement Syndrome - -Occurs when adventures don't truly
understand the consequences of their decisions
- Take the time to do a reality check - -Don't overestimate your groups
ability, take the time to observe all facts, clues, ability level, and skill set
before making a "go or no go" decision
Maintain high situational awareness
- Most common accidents in mountaineering: - -1.) fall or slip on rock
2.) fall or slip on snow or ice
3.) falling rock, ice, or object
- Most frequent contributing causes to accidents in mountaineering: - -1.)
climbing without ropes
2.) exceeding one's ability
3.) having an adequate equipment/clothing
4.) placing inadequate or no protection
5.) weather
- Utilize checklists: - -Reduces errors and omissions in:
- technical procedures, and medical procedures
- deployment briefing's for permission profiles
- equipment checklist
- Safety - -Resounding theme of mountain rescue operations
+ personal safety = group safety
- Minimizing risks: - -- pre-plan as much as you can
- conduct trailhead safety briefing so everyone understands the mission/goal
- use redundant systems or systems with belay lines
- conduct frequent reality checks
- utilize safety checks with checklists
- don't rush through your rigging; do it right and do it perfectly
- train hard so you can rescue easily
- Decision making: - -3 main types: heuristics, analytical, expertise
- perfect decision making doesn't exist
- Heuristics - --mental shortcuts or "rules of thumb" that we employ to make
decisions
, - Pitfalls of Heuristics: - -1.) familiarity:
2.) acceptance:
3.) consistency/commitment
4.) expert halo
5.) track/scarcity
6.) social proof
- Common mountaineering heuristics: - -- don't climb alone
- always wear a helmet
- climb within your ability level
- get good beta on the route before heading out
- leave detailed itinerary with a reliable person
- stick to your itinerary
- establish "go, or no go" conditions
- establish a safe turnaround time
- don't travel solo on glaciers
- use two ropes when training
- system should pass "whistle test"
- Analytical decision making: - -- breaking down a larger problem into
smaller more manageable ones
- conducting a risk/benefit analysis may be your best option
- works best when research backs decision
- Common pitfalls of analytical decision making: - -- there may often be
unknown variables we may not recognize
- can be time consuming
- subconsciously biased
- Expertise (intuition) decision making: - -- draw upon previous experience
to make decisions
- important to provide team with mission briefing explaining the problem and
why specific strategy was chosen
- Extreme ownership in leadership: - -- never blame anyone else
- leaders ultimately responsible for the team and its actions
- if something goes wrong take accountability as the leader and figure out
how to ensure it never happens again
- requires effective communication, assigning roles, and trusting team to
excel
- Mission clarity: - -- all members of the team support mission
- always communicate the "why"
- only 100% committed team members allowed
- only except the highest standards for your team
, - Check your ego: - -- live and die as a team
- no place for ego or glory
- Cover and move: - -- rescues always uncertain
- mitigate risks and hazards to the best of your ability and trust in your team
- each teammate is an integral part
- Keep things simple: - -- simple = clarity and understanding
- complexity = confusion and doubt
- Decentralized command: - -- Delegating leadership to small teams to get
the job done
- don't micro manage and have trust
- Manage up and manage down: - -- understand commands perspective,
needs, and wants
- keep leader in the loop
- communicate important goals, objectives, and the "why" down the chain of
command
- Discipline equals freedom - -- be the best leader and teammate you can
be
- Rescue leader: (site command or task force rescue leader) - -- The rescue
leader will communicate with incident command at trailhead or basecamp,
requested resources and keeping command updated on field operations
- should maintain a "hands off approach"
- may act as safety
- Incident Command: (IC) - -- functions as mission coordinator
- Will and instill operation staff at Basecamp to accomplish ordering more
resources, scribing all personnel and equipment in the field
- Safety officer: (SO) - -- responsible for overall safety check on specific
operations
- ensures everyone has proper PPE
- double checks the rigging, knots, edge protection, and other key system
components
- Mainline rigor/operator: (MLR) - -- responsible for rigging and managing
the mainline the load will be raised and lowered on
- after rigging is complete they become the main operator
- Belay line rigger/operator: (BLR) - -- responsible for rigging and operating
the independent back up belay line
, - needs to have bombproof multiple anchor system
- maybe using two tensioned rope syste
- Edge pro: - -- responsible for maintaining a safe edge transition for rescuer
or a leader attendant
- includes: protecting from sharp edges, clearing loose rocks, watching for
ropes, helping carry the load over the edge transition
- aids in communication
- First Responder: (FR) - --Will go over the edge to initially assess and
stabilize the patient
- strong technical and medical skills required
- Litter Attendant: (LA) - -- Assembles the litter and goes over the edge to
bring up or down in the litter
- The SAR Mission briefing: - -- successful rescues require planning,
teamwork, and excellent communication
- teams should conduct a premission breathing before deploying into the
field, it helps ensure:
+ all members know the Mission profile (what's going on)
+ members can you hear intended plan, and the "why" behind the plan
+ team members can ask questions and clarify details to buy into the plan
- crucial part of team success
- SAR quick brief: - -1.) problem- this is our mission profile
2.) hazards- any dangers or hazards we need to be aware of?
3.) plan- this is what I think we should do
4.) why- here is the "how?" And "why?" of the plan
5.) questions- are we forgetting anything? and Questions or comments
6.) execute- implement plan and advise incident command if we need to
deviate from plan
- Team pre-deployment: - -- after briefing and questions, roles will be
assigned and teams
- all teams should utilize a checklist for necessary logistics and equipment
- going over details of mission will give ownership, shared responsibility and
better vision to all involved
- Team Pre-deployment Checklist: - --determine team roles
- establish plan and route
- environmental updates
- travel hazards
- group travel
- "go, or no go" concerns
- food/water/gear check
