I guess I should weigh in those photos, since I was an instructor at both sessions shown. This may sound defensive to some, but that is not my intention...just to clarify what is going on. We always see things that are improvable when AR training, and that is part of the process...critique, review, feedback, analysis, and suggestions to help us all figure out how to do it better. In the first photo, the rescuer attached to the rear upper D because that was available on the type of harness worn by the "victim". The rescuer is wearing one, too. These are made by Descent Control, and lots of FS climbers are comfortable using them (and lots think they are lousy, like me). The fact remains, the rescuer meets the situation as presented to him. If another type of harness is on the victim, you'd rig for that. Sure the victims' feet are on both sides of the limb, but seconds after the shot was taken, the rescuer swung him over to clear that obstacle. The rescuer is coming down with the victim. After clearing the branch he reversed both of them to be facing the tree, used his feet and legs to keep the victim away from the bole, and lowered them both together with a six bar rappel rack.
In the second photo the rescue is taking place off of a ladder because that was the climbing technique used to ascend in the first place. The work being performed by the climbers being trained was all from the ladder...installing artificial nesting cavities for red-cockaded woodpeckers, an endangered species in the SE states. The ladder was already in place, and was clearly the fastest way up to rescue. These are Swedish stacking ladders, built just for tree work. Each 3 meter section is chained around the tree and sleeves into the next section above it. The rescuer has mounted the rescue-8 with a double pass, and is controlling friction with just his hand...but there is a ton of friction with the double pass, that's why he rigged it that way...he had to feed it, not hold it back. The biner is somewhat tri-loaded. In fact, I suggested, in review mode, that the biner to the chest harness would do a better job of supporting the climber's upper body if clipped directly to the descender. I was not concerned about the loading, but perhaps I should have been...what do others think?
In both cases, and in all our AR training, the rescuer is backed up by a ground belayer. In all cases an instructor is in position to observe EXACTLY how the rigging is set up, usually in the tree, as in the first photo (above the action, out of view) or from the ground for the ladder rescue, which was 2 ladder sections up (20 feet) and I was using binoculars. I hear your concerns about live victims, and we work hard to mitigate the risks. We feel that the experience of being a victim informs each climbers' efforts as rescuer (everybody trades off turns). You work harder at protecting the victim when it's for real. And in the nearly 30 years that Region 6 of the Forest service has been following a training and certification program, with literally thousands of AR trainings, we have maintained a perfect record for safe excercises. Tom, I would argue that we are professionals at this, and have made this choice from an informed position.
82, that photo was a purpose-test of the cut resistance of a vinyl and webbing buck strap, because we had been told that they outperformed our required cable core lanyards in standing up to a saw. Turned out they were pretty resistant, at least as good as the cable. You really had to bear down and keep cutting at high speed to get through it, just like the cable core. We still require the cable core anyway.
Our work is indeed forestry, not arboriculture. We operate with very different objectives from you and your peers. And the work I specifically do is almost entirely in conifer species with strong epinastic control in their physiology...so what works for me is designed for that condition. I cannot tell you how much I have learned from you arbos, some of which has really made me a better old growth/big tree climber. Once in a great while I think my experience can add to the discussion, and nothing gives me more pleasure that to contribute, hopefully to give something back.
