flag pole climber has a massive M.I

[rescuedylan]

Ok so this guy didnt have this happen, but watching a guy I believe that was doing a job just like this in Texas made me think. How would the rescuer get this guy down saying he had a M.I up there and was unable to get himself down? The man was getting a flag unstuck on a 80ft flag pole on top of a high rise hotel. Not an every day rescue, and not something that would be thought of to drill on.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B02bzOMI_GA

not the same video that I was speaking of but gets the idea of what I mean.

[mikeyboy411]

My 1st thought was by air..... I'm sure a "Rescue Nut" is gonna eat me up on that, but that's how I'd deal with it.....

[rescuedylan]

My 1st thought was by air

I thought that too, my only question or concern would be what would happen if the down draft of the bird caused the flag to wrap the rescuers line while being lowered or picking?

[ProgressiveRescue]

Nice post!
I'm curious if the flagpole has pegs in it to climb. If that's the case perhaps you lead climb up the opposite side of the pole with a lowering line and on pegs above him rig a directional pulley, attach the guy to the lowering line which is of course run through that pulley and from the ground conduct the lowering operation. I'm not sure what those pegs are rated for but in this case if he can stand on them he can hang from them. In the example video you posted it does look like he's using pegs to ascend.
If there's no pegs on the pole, I'm curious to know how he ascended up a metal pole.
Again...Great post, can't wait to read the ideas.
Stay Safe,
Mike Donahue

[rescuedylan]

Here is a knot/wrap/hitch........ Ok im not sure what to lable this as but it works great for securing to smooth poles and be loaded. I have never ascended a pole with it but im sure it wouldnt be to bad. loosens after being loaded with no problem at all. The tale end of it will become longer as you climb thou due to the pole diameter becoming smaller. Im sure if you lock a patin into it would make climbing easy..... maybe.... ok im going to have to try this!!

[jdcalamia]

Dylan is this hitch something you developed yourself, or did you find it somewhere? I'd be interested to see how to tie it and how it performs when loaded. If it works, sure seems like an option, bit I'd have to see some data on it before I'd employ it.

[rescuedylan]

I was shown it by some old guy at the beach that was working on a ship (who would have thought...) To be honest I dont know where he had got it from, but he has used it to anchor himself to masts while working at height. He called it the Death Grip hitch. I did look it up on Google and found it. I did not find any testing info on it thou. I did my own testing on it (non offcial), I dropped a 100 lbs log 15ft onto it. Worked just fine. Again that was just for s#!%s and giggles.

[FiremanLyman]

Option #1; Jet Pack

If you have the ability to call for an aircraft that has rescue capabilities, and a crew willing to do it, awesome. We have Starflight here that will do air ops, not sure if they would do this scenario.

How is the guy in the video ascending? Kind of like a lumberjack with a belt and special footwear?

Drill attachment points as you go up?

That hitch shown might be neat. On duty tomorrow, might play with that and the station's flag pole (Sundays are usually SLOW). Guess you would need two of them attached to you, the other with a foot loop, use like ascending with prusiks.

All else fails? Pull the rope hanging from the guy, he'll come down.

[jdcalamia]

This is not the first time we've heard about the jet pack Lyman!

[FiremanLyman]

This is not the first time we've heard about the jet pack Lyman!

I know, but it keeps getting cut in the line item budget.

[rescuedylan]

After giving it some thought.

Flag poles are made to get smaller as they get higher. A simple double wrap of three straps on the pole will hold and move with no problem. Webbing for a top wrap ( over head ) and the bottom wrap (for foot loops). To keep your connections on your harness clean use a use a lanyard as your middle connection point ( preferably to side D connetion points on the harness). Due to the pole getting smaller on the way up when you apply pressure to the straps they wont slip downward. Advance your way up like you would using prussic cord for ascending. Once you are in place you have to come down but coming down the way you came up would be forever and there are better things to be done then taking all the time for that.

Coming down on a belay and still being able to get your over head anchor back. Arborist have had this issue solved for awhile now so I will take from there approch. They have a strap with a ring on each end. One large one small. Wrap the pole keeping the small ring end on the inside of the wraps. Run your belay in the rings and your on your way down. Once on the ground tie two over hand knots in the end of the line that will pass thru the lagre ring first. This will do two things for you. 1st it will catch the small ring and not pass thru it pulling the strap without applying preasure to it keeping it there. 2nd, if for some reason the first knot does make it thru the small ring, the second knot will catch and bring it all down. * Dont stand under ( you know if I dont say it someone will stand under and get hit.....) Here is a link to the top anchor wrap I was talking about.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=3GmHWp8aCus

[mikeyboy411]

I thought that too, my only question or concern would be what would happen if the down draft of the bird caused the flag to wrap the rescuers line while being lowered or picking?

Once he's in the Rescue Harness from the Helicopter, seperate what is keeping him attached to his line for ascending. As far as lowering, we'd just hoist him up into the Helo and land him at the Helipad next to the Hospital while our Flightmedic assessed and treated him.

[ProgressiveRescue]

I came across this video while searching for footage of a "flag pole" or pole rescue. It's not a flag pole but it's a must watch video of what not to do.
Enjoy,
Mike

ttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3-aA1...eature=related

[ProgressiveRescue]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3-aA1Gl2Yg

This link should work. Give it a watch.
MIke

[rescuedylan]

Ya that one is classic. Words that should never be said in any rescue at hieght " come on, hurry up!!" well that and "com-on-Gube"..... classic

Brings a good training point thou, if you are learning how to do a rescue with spikes, you might want to have a face shield also. sliding your face down a spilinterd pole will not feel so well