TECHNICAL ROPE RESCUE
CLIFFHANGERS
The Technical Rope Rescue (TRR) Team is a technical specialty team in El Dorado Search and Rescue that is trained to access and extract individuals from hazardous locations, often involving the vertical or near-vertical terrain that is characteristic of El Dorado County's steep slopes, cliffs, canyons, bridges, and towers. The TRR Team also supports inserting and extracting EDSAR's other team members, such as Ground and Swift Water in areas with difficult accessibility.
EDSAR's TRR Team Members undergo extensive training and continuous practice to master a range of skills that include:
Knot Tying and Rigging: Proficiency in various knots, hitches, anchors, and the elements to construct secure raising and lowering systems for patient packaging and extraction.
Patient Packaging: Techniques for safely securing and stabilizing injured individuals in the vertical realm to rescue litters or other transport devices.
Rescue Equipment Operation: Utilizing a wide range of specialized equipment, including ropes, pulleys, carabiners, and rescue litters.
Load Management: Understanding the physics of building anchors and mechanical advantage systems and calculating weight distribution, tension, and potential hazards to ensure a secure and efficient rope operation.
Rope Work: Advanced rope and clean rigging techniques for ascending, descending, and traversing steep slopes and cliffs while hauling loads.
Problem Solving and Safety: Troubleshooting, critical thinking, problem solving, and adaptability abilities to size-up and formulate solutions for rescuer, subject, rescue system, and scene safety.
First Aid and Medical Care: Providing immediate medical attention to injured individuals in remote and hazardous environments.
Mastering high angle rope work and rescue techniques
Rigorous vertical rescue training and teamwork is essential for safe and efficient rescues in El Dorado County's terrain
Not everyone is interested in “going over the edge”. Some enjoy the art of rigging, while others like "hanging on rope". The TRR Team cross-trains in all critical elements and members are encouraged to find and develop their specific areas of interest in:
Rappelling to descending steep cliffs or vertical structures.
Belaying to secures the rappeller during descent.
Hauling and managing the ropes and mechanical advantage systems, ensuring smooth operation and safety.
Anchor Building to constructs secure anchor points for the rope systems.
Spotting to provide visual guidance and safety oversight for rappellers.
Managing Logistics and all the meticulous details involved in handling equipment and supplies and ensuring everything is ready for the operation.
Maintaining Radio Communications contact with other team members and agencies to provide updates and coordinate efforts.
Effective technical rope rescue hinges on the use of specialized gear and equipment. The TRR Team maintains a comprehensive inventory of top-tier rescue gear to ensure optimal performance and safety during critical rescue operations.
Maneuvering a gear-filled litter down a steep slope requires synchronization and control
Team safety depends on meticulous rope management and precise execution
Preparing to execute a controlled descent with a patient litter utilizing specialized rigging
Your donation is a lifeline.
By supporting our Technical Rope Rescue Team, you are directly enabling us to reach those in dire need. Our TRR Team's specialized skills and advanced equipment allow us to access and rescue individuals from perilous situations where traditional methods are impractical or impossible.