Training for treacherous rescues

While rolling hills and picturesque embankments make the area’s topography visually pleasing, they also present a treacherous situation when an accident occurs that results in someone falling or being catapulted down into a ravine. It is because of those types of rescue situations that local firefighters and paramedics trained Feb. 9 through 12, so they would be well-prepared to deploy special techniques in order to bring individuals up to safety.

“These types of situations are what we call ‘high risk, low frequency,” explained North County Fire (NCF) Chief Bill Metcalf. “That is, they are very dangerous and demanding and they don’t happen too often. So, it is critically important that we train on these scenarios frequently so we are prepared when the incident occurs.”

The topography of the area, Metcalf said, does lead to instances where his staff has to perform rescues ‘over the side’ that require high-angle rescue skills.

“For example, some of the steep drop-offs and ravines off the I-15 freeway,” said Metcalf. “These rescue situations are not only hazardous for the victims, but also for our personnel who have to go and perform the rescues.”

NCF Captain Mark Couglar said staffers with the local fire agency train about 24 hours per year to keep their skills sharp in these types of situations.

“We do training sessions on a quarterly basis,” explained Couglar, who defined a high-angle rescue as one where emergency responders can’t freely walk up and down a hill.

Although the training carries a mandatory time commitment, Couglar said NCF personnel seem to enjoy it.

“From all the feedback I get, the [firefighters] really enjoy this,” said Couglar. “It’s challenging, yet it’s also fun. You are outside, hanging from ropes, lashing people into baskets and lifting them out. They always look forward to the next training session.”

NCF public information officer John Buchanan said high-angle rescue situations typically occur as a result of a car or motorcycle accident.

“We’ve had two of those situations recently,” explained Buchanan. “A woman was traveling on Reche Road when she crashed and went off a steep cliff. We had to set up a system to pull her up. The same thing occurred recently off Old Highway 395 at Shear’s Grade.”

At other times, Buchanan said, a hiker will get him or herself in trouble when out for recreational purposes.

“We had a hiker in DeLuz recently who fell and broke a leg that required rescuing,” Buchanan noted.

The techniques used in these rescues is somewhat complex and requires regular refresher sessions, Metcalf said.

“They use a combination of climbing gear equipment and methods that are specifically designed for high-angle rescue,” explained Metcalf. “The equipment is complicated and it requires constant practice to maintain proficiency.”

Buchanan said equipment includes ropes, pulleys, chest and waist harnesses, patient transport baskets and other specialty devices.

“Emergency workers also have to understand the physics of pulling weight up the terrain,” said Buchanan. “We set up different pulley systems depending on the situation. It can require a two-to-one, three-to-one, or four-to-one ratio.”

Training exercises that North County Fire conducts include not only achieving expertise in raising and lowering systems and safety measures, but also patient packaging and handling techniques.

Buchanan explained that crews follow a certain procedure.

“You send a rescuer down who is equipped with EMS gear and they try to stabilize the patient,” he said. “Meanwhile the system to haul them up is being set up. Then, another rescuer is sent down to help the other one get the patient secured.” Buchanan said in most cases, the patient is secured onto a backboard.

“If someone has fallen, you don’t know whether they have had a head injury, back injury, or have internal injuries,” he explained.

In addition, rescue operations of this type require heavy manpower and are time-consuming.

“It can take nearly a dozen people, more than half of the total on duty in the entire district, to rescue a single person,” said Metcalf. “Given how busy we are with our normal call load, these types of events put a big demand on our available resources. , they are time consuming. It just takes a long time to rig the equipment, go get the victim(s), and recover them to a place where we can treat and transport them.”

It is not uncommon, Buchanan said, for North County Fire to be assisted by Cal Fire responders and vice versa on these situations in the greater Fallbrook area.

“[Cal Fire] trains with us; we help them and they help us,” said Buchanan.

Although getting everyone through regular training operations can be challenging on the schedule at times, Metcalf is adamant that North County Fire emergency responders be well-prepared.

“Regular training is what prepares us for the real event when it occurs,” said Metcalf. “Our personnel are able to set up and carry out high angle rescues with a high level of proficiency – all because of this type of training.”

To comment on this story online, visit http://www.thevillagenews.com.