Volunteers Conduct Monthly Drill on Slope Evacuations
 
By Captain Matthew Thews
May 14, 2014
 

On Wednesday May 14th at 1900 hours the New Market Volunteers conducted their monthly company training drill. This month's topic was slope evacuations and building anchor points. The topic built off of the previous drill held on ropes and knots. RE153, E152, A159, C15-1, and D15 attended the drill with 17 volunteers. It was conducted near the Lake Linganore Dam at the intersection of Eaglehead Drive and Woodridge Road. The scenario presented to the crews was an injured subject at the bottom of a 30 degree slope. Crews had to perform multiple simultaneous tasks, including; setting up multiple anchors, building a haul and belay line, setting up and lowering a stokes basket, reaching and treating the patient, and hauling the patient and rescuers up the slope. The first evolution took about 45 minutes from start to finish. The scene was reset and the evolution conducted again with rotated crews. Some different anchor points were used and other alterations made. Again the subject was successfully rescued in about 45 minutes. All crews worked very well together to get some of the newer members acclimated to technical rescue operations. This type of drill builds very valuable experience in a skill that is very important but has a low frequency of occuarnace. The drill was wrapped up at 2145 hours. Thanks to all who attended.

 
Units: RE153 E152 A159 C15-1 D15