Operation Fulford Fall

For our annual weekend wilderness training, the team gathered on the edge of Holy Cross Wilderness to run some training simulations.

The training scenario on the first day was locating a fisherman reported missing in the mountains.  The team set up an incident command post at the campground and deployed two hasty teams.  One team was sent to check the local main trails and the perimeter of the lake while the other team walked the cliff edge overlooking the creek below to see if anything would spark their interest.  Not finding anything significant, Hasty 1 hiked the stream of the creek going up while Hasty 2 went downstream, negotiating cliff edge in an attempt to locate the subject.

The terrain was absolutely beautiful and very much overgrown, making any search attempt difficult at best.

Team gathers at the initial planning point to brief before deploying.

Hasty 2 made the find with the subject being creek side, about 100 feet down a ravine.  He was unconscious from a rock fall with bruising at the temple.  While the subject was being treated, all fielded members regrouped at the top of the cliff and rigged a litter for rescue.  A litter was lowered and the subject was brought up successfully.

Left: O-38 and O-40 make a successful find of the unconscious, hypothermic subject.
Center: O-1 joins O-40 to treat and prepare the subject for transport.
Right: O-35 rappels down with a litter and gear for the subject.

Left: Litter is rigged for rescue. White mainline has the litter (orange rope) and patient safety (orange webbing) clipped into it. The green line will be connected to the litter separately as the belay line.
Center: O-38 checks the lines before the litter is pulled up.
Right: O-1 will serve as litter attendant to help get the subject past any obstacles.