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Rock climbers (technical) what would you use for cliff rescue?

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sweetheart Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-17-04 07:53 AM
Original message
Rock climbers (technical) what would you use for cliff rescue?
I recently had a dog fall from an ocean cliff, fortunately one of
the smallest ones... about 12 meters straight down. The cliff
is above the ocean with rocks below, and i managed to get to the
doggie by tying an 11mm rope around a rock and taking down a
doggie-life jacket, which i strapped on to broken dog, and managed
to lift her with some one handed rock climbing. She is healing
now, but this has inspired me to realize that my gear is inadequate
for a more serious rescue. Had she fallen of a more serious cliff,
or had my spouse fallen with the doggie as well, i would have been
in serious doo doo.

I've just gotten a second pitch of rope, and a proper climbing
harness for the "rescuer" and as well, some 48" anchor screws that
will allow me to set a solid tie-point at the top of any cliffs
where a rescue might be necessary. (the cliff tops are soft grass
peet)

Sorry for the long intro, but it leads to the question. If you were
to outfit a rescue-kit for rescuing a human being, a sheep or a dog
who has fallen and broken a leg, and no "rescuers" are around for
hours away, what would you have in the kit? In my current kit, i
got:
2 screw gate carabiners,
2 pitches 11mm rope,
1 leg/waist climbing harness
1 pully
1 self jamming swing pully
1 knife

The cliffs can be wet, and i'm hoping to be prepared to rescue
over a 30 meter (100foot) straight drop, lifting another back up.
In bad weather as well. As well, the rock is granite.

Have you any suggestions? Any recommendations... thank you,
and my healing doggie with a broken leg, thanks you in advance.
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COSFlyer Donating Member (15 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-17-04 08:04 AM
Response to Original message
1. There are several
Books that you can read to get that info on rescue techniques....but since you have to ask i suspect that you lack training...try to get some training witha rescue crew, tell them your situation and they can make suggestions.
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sweetheart Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-17-04 03:25 PM
Response to Reply #1
2. have you a specific recommendation?
My only training is in free climbing, and certainly it seems even
easier with ropes! :-) However, this is going "down" cliffs and
rescuing. On web searches i find many books on climbing, knots,
mountain rescue, and i could fill a library... but i only want
the basic technques of sea-cliff rescue, because if i have to do it,
training would be nice, but may never happen... however the rescue
has already happened twice... once with a sheep and more recently
with a dog.

One thing that struck me immediately was harnessing the animal to
lift it with a rope. With the sheep i used a loop around the belly
and i'm sure it was not comfortable at all... however i see no
animal harnesses in rock climbing... of course! Who would technical
climb with a dog... but in rescue, the very thing is needed.

Fortunately the floatation life-vest for the dog, allowed me to
hold her like a suitcase in this most recent foible.

So do you know a good sea-cliff rescue book? Or a series of
rock climbing books that would suffice?

Thanks.


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