42 FALL • 2011
Waterfalls
(Cont’d from page 41) unfortunately, some rescuers — feel complacent about being on a waterfall or performing a rescue in conditions such as these. Very recently, we were faced with the recovery of a fall victim in a smaller stream that had a waterfall approximately 200 feet high, in below average stream flow due to below normal rainfall at the time of the rescue. However, it is the unusual site conditions of this particular set of falls that prompted me to prepare this article. We were faced with a vertical waterfall.The stream flow left the top edge of the rock
www.carolinafirejournal.com stream bed, plummeting vertically 100 feet through the air to a narrowing crevasse approximately one half of the way down the waterfall. From there, all of the stream flow entered this narrowing crevasse, which, at its outlet into a very small, deep pool, averaged only five feet wide.The total drop was approximately 200 feet. The waterfall was bowlshaped around the vertical drop with both sides of the falls vertical and very, very slick.The rescuers were barely able to attain any footing anywhere on this pristine, undisturbed set of falls.There was no way to ascend the crevasse due to rock
shape, formation and slickness of the rock faces.The only suitable access was down from the top, under all of the descending water. All rescue gear, ropes, clothing and radios were completely wet. It was hard to hear anything other than the water crashing down all around us. Truly, this has to have been one of, if not the most, inhospitable, difficult places I have ever been in during a 38 year career.The recovery ended up taking over five hours. But, there were valuable lessons refreshed which, as they relate to training, I wish to pass on to you or, at the very least, reiterate to you as rescuers. The first of these is this: ex-
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Carolina Fire Rescue EMS Journal pect the unexpected! All of us have — or will one day if you are into high angle rescues — rappelled off of a vertical or under-cut edge. Most likely, this was in a dry setting, or at least not a saturated, wet setting. Practice this skill often, to the point you feel very comfortable in performing this skill. And do this with full gear and your backpack on, like you will need to do in a real situation off of a waterfall.To go off of an undercut edge with extremely slick rocks and seven cubic feet/sec flow coming down on you is .... shall I say .... quite an experience. All I can say about this is: you had better have your stuff wired tight for this one! ALL of your skills and training will keep you safe IF you remember them; rappel with your control hand firmly on the rappel rope and in the right position, and use smooth rappel motions, no matter how wet the rope and your gear gets. And when you cannot see anything around you but the cascading water, keep your wits.You are in control on
the rope.The skins you learned on dry rappels will serve you well in water rappels. Just use them, perform them smoothly, and trust them. Second lesson: have the best high level rope and rescue hardware money can buy, and trust your equipment ... ALL of it. Besides your training, knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience, your equipment will keep you safe if you use it correctly.You must trust yourself and your gear.You must be able to know that the last time the rope and gear was used, that it was properly cleaned, inspected and stored. As I have told many departments in training, the next person whose life may hang on that gear may be YOU. What kind of shape do you want this equipment to be in then? Third lesson: spend the money it takes to have highly water resistant radios.You never know when you will be in a situation where water, even from a heavy storm, may become a factor in your rescues.
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Steep shelved waterfall face where a victim can lodge, accessible only from the top.
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