https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQGc8CGez9U

 

Let's start this conversation by watching this video...

 

What could be done differently?

What went wrong?

How could it have been avoided?

What should not have been done?

 

Looking forward this conversation!

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while I'm not trained in high angle calls, my first thoughts are that they should have used a manikin (instead of the dummy they used) in the stokes. Second, I would have used another line to stabilize both the head & foot end of the stokes as they lowered it. That could have avoided that sudden drop when they let go of the side.

Of course, the best way to avoid it is to just use the dang stairs, put him in a stair chair & carry him down. If possible c-spine compromise apply a ked's device first. Probably just as smooth, if not smoother than the sudden drop and a lot quicker than taking the time to set up the rigging and harnesses. But then it wouldn't be as much fun or as dramatic.
Tip #1-Try it several times with an empty basket until you get all your rigging glitches worked out.
First, they were acting highly unprofessionally even after they #$%&d the evolution. Second, they obviously have never done this before.

What could be done differently? The basket should have been lowered from the roof level and not over the railing. Taglines attached to the head and foot to lower it and control the descent.

This is not a difficult evolution at all. However, if you do not do it right, it can be disastrous. I am more amazed that they were laughing after they almost dropped the basket. This would have been an immediate stop and regroup. Then there would have been some ass chewing going on.
Can't really tell what's going on from that angle and distance. All I can think of is the guys holding onto the stokes may have held on too long before letting go. Their hands should be free as soon as the basket begins to tip over the edge and they should only have to give it one final little (gentle!) push.
Bet the guy on the main line was in need of clean underwear as well...
And I agree with Reg. Why put a person at risk if you don't have it down solid?
Definitely a close call/near miss, this could've been disasterous. Where was the IC/Safety leader to stop this evolution before someone gets killed?
If that was on a 540 Belay device the manufacturer should pay them for advertisement usage rights for that video. Hardware performed properly under extreme shock load.
Bags of rope balance out a basket nicely too. The crews are also protecting the rope as well when working at height so they don't get yelled at for dropping it. Haha...
Guys...this one is gut wrenching. There IS NO BELAY on helicopter winches I guess. This is upsetting to watch. But it is what we train to avoid...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQjMUK5vSsY
What went wrong?

They Didn't pretension the system, the litter attendant isn't practiced and looks to be on a different system as well as being belayed by the stokes basket(can see when the litter drops). his belay is on the wrong side and it's too long, lack of safety officer is startling. especially if its an news-anchor person in the basket.

How could it have been avoided?
Practice makes near perfect.... and a micro-m/a pulley system to keep the litter stable

they shouldn't have let him over before they pre-tensioned the system. If he happened to stand against that face and they dropped that basket he would not be able to sit in a chair properly anymore.
I thought it would be proper and fair to read everyone elses responses before commenting because rope rescue is one of those things that have a tendancy to become "political" within a department because of it's exposure and public "wow" factor. Rope rescue is like bomb defusing...you only get one "oops". The FIRST RULE of rescue is "don't become a victim". second is that going "on rope" should be a last resort and shall be practiced LOTS before actually doing. Everyone's responses are correct SAFETY,SAFETY, SAFETY. i dont want to bash too hard because i cantr see the anchor and rig system. from what i do see, Tension on the basket lines as it's going over the edge first. Unless the patient had to be monitored on the ride down, send them alone. If you're gonna send a rider, they should be on a seperate line. Safety lines all around and keep drilling, when you get good, try it at night, "everything get stranger when the sun go down"
I'm not entirely sure why the litter attendant was hanging off of it at all. He could have been inside the bridle above the litter, using his legs both to push the litter away from the building and to tension the system as many of pointed out.


I'm at a loss to understand what in the world is going on at 00:55 into the video when it appears that the attendant is hanging like a dead weight off a litter that is on its side being supported only in the hands of two individuals on the edge of the building. Even though it looks like both guys helping on the roof are in harnesses (I hope this means they're also tied off), the body position of the one on the left at 1:00 has him holding onto the railing with his left hand and bearing 50% of the weight of the litter and two people with his right as he leans out over the edge. That railing does not look like a solid anchor, and he is in for a nasty tumble if his left hand slips, even if he is tied off.

Rather than sending the litter over the edge on its side, they could have rigged it for a vertical lower and sent him over the edge feet first. It would have been much safer for all involved.

I'm not convinced that tag-lines would have helped here, because they're only intended to guide the direction of the litter and not to take any load. The problem here is simply that nobody was where they were supposed to be.
Actually started my descent on my first ever high-angle grab at dusk. The patient rigging was all done in the dark on the side of a cliff. It was nerve-wracking! Pretty wild first real-world life experience with rope rescue. Thank god for all of those training hours.

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