Alpine Rescue System

1. Alpine Rescue System

2. Alpine Rescue System - Reasoning • The normal technical evacuation system is heavy and bulky • For many alpine missions, much of the normal technical evacuation system is left behind • Desire to decrease the weight and bulk of a technical system so that people would want to take it into the field • The alpine rescue system should be as light, compact and multi-purpose as possible while still meeting normal safety standards

3. Alpine Rescue System - Search • A search for a lightweight alpine rescue system resulted in the parallel plaquette system (PPS) • The PPS is not new to CMRU, but we have not seriously looked it over • The PPS is very light, compact and uses gear that is probably on your harness • The PPS has been tested and passes the BCDTM test

4. Alpine Rescue System - PPS

5. Alpine Rescue System – Get The Gear! • As a part of the search for an alpine rescue system, a search was done to find the lightest gear available • New styles of gear have been outlined to replace almost everything found in the technical evacuation station • The weight for the alpine rescue system is still in flux, but it is easily 50% less than the technical evacuation system, and could be 75% less

6. Alpine Rescue System – Exploration • The PPS was played with by members of the working group • The PPS was originally outlined in 2009 and new gear has made modifications possible • The working group has explored the use of the Scarab and various aramid fiber friction hitches • This lead to a modification of the PPS to add the Scarab

7. Alpine Rescue System – Scarab

8. Alpine Rescue System – VT Prusik • One knot caught people’s attention, the Valdotain Tresse friction hitch, or VT prusik • This hitch, created using aramid fiber sheath and nylon core cord, passed the BCDTM test • It is a mash up of the dog and tails and a prusik hitch • It can be released under load • The aramid fiber protects the host rope from damage

9. Alpine Rescue System – VT Prusik

10. Alpine Rescue System – VT Prusik • This use of the VT prusik as a part of the PPS is fairly unique to CMRU • It has not been tested in this particular configuration • CMRU has played with it enough to know that we want to continue testing it

11. Alpine Rescue System – Validation • When considering a new rescue system, there are some common criteria used to evaluate the system • Critical Point Analysis - Will one component failing cause the entire system to fail? The belay is considered the back up for the entire main. • Whistle Test – What happens to the system if everyone lets go at once?

12. Alpine Rescue System – Validation • White Board Analysis – What is the force on each component based on the way it is used • Everything must be rated to 20kN • Knots reduce rope and webbing strength • Use empirical testing if available • Consider angles and force multipliers • Consider static, slow pull and dynamic loads

13. White Board Analysis - PPS

14. White Board Analysis – Scarab

15. White Board Analysis – VT Prusik

16. Alpine Rescue System – What’s Next • Goals for the rest of the day • Become comfortable rigging the PPS and how to use the Scarab and VT prusik • Raise, convert to a down, down, convert to a raise, raise, repeat as much as needed • If there is time, how would you pass a knot with the PPS • Could you do a pick off with the PPS? How about an offset or guide line? How would adding a litter change things? • Provide feedback to Todd and Jerry using the survey forms • HAVE FUN!