Firefighters practice rigging rescue techniques

Firefighters at the Black Butte Ranch Rural Fire Protection District received specialized training on Monday, July 25, on how to repel from heights and how to conduct safe rope rescue operations.

Mike Gibbs, owner of Rigging for Rescue located in southwestern Colorado, agreed to present the condensed course while spending a week visiting his parents at Black Butte Ranch. His mother, LouAnn Gibbs, serves on the fire district Board of Directors and suggested to the fire district that the training could be arranged if they desired to offer it.

The basic rope rescue class began with a three-hour classroom session on safety and rope systems. It ended with practice of rappelling and rescue techniques from the 35-foot training tower located at the fire station. Some 16 district firefighters were scheduled for the training.

While this training was done using a structure, the same methods can be used to move rescuers and injured persons from steep cliffs, high power poles and other high objects, according to Tim Demers, fire district training officer and paramedic captain.

“The principle is the same no matter what we are facing,” Demers explained. “We actually move people across metal roofs on residences that are common here using this method.

“We do present this type of training in-house, but not at the level that Mike brings to the course,” Demers added.

Gibbs opened the clinic with a PowerPoint presentation on his organization, covered safety procedures and introduced trainees to the rigging system.

“I condensed the seven-day clinic that we offer throughout the nation and overseas,” Gibbs said. “The group here is fairly inexperienced with time on rope, so this is an opportunity for them to get introduced to rope rescue.”

Gibbs grew up in the Eugene area and spent a lot of vacation time in Central Oregon. Rigging for Rescue was formed in British Columbia in 1986. Gibbs acquired the company in 2002 and runs it now from Ouray, Colorado in the Four Corners area.

Midway through the training, a district crew was dispatched to an auto accident on Highway 22. A car had gone over a steep bank that required the responding crew to use the rigging technique.