Area firefighters participated in a low angle rope rescue training class held July 22 at Painted Rock in Moraga. The class included personnel from the Moraga-Orinda Fire District and was conducted by Northern California Rescue Training, whose instructors are certified by State Fire Training, a division of the Office of the State Fire Marshal.
Attendees gave examples of the need for a low angle rope rescue. The procedure can be used when a car crashes over a ridge, such as along Grizzly Peak, or when someone falls into a shallow ravine, or in many cases where it is unsafe or impractical for rescue personnel to climb down a hillside unattended to aid a victim.
Firefighters practiced various components of the rescue operation, including treating and moving the victim, descending and ascending techniques, and group fall protection.