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Report & Photos by Sgt Karl Byrne
O
An assisted rescue down the the m
of the mast
n 6th November An Cosantóir
took a trip to McKee Bks
where the CIS School was conducting training for an on-going Riggers course. From what I saw on the
day, a fear of heights is not something
you would want on this course as you
climb to the top of a 200ft mast.
At such heights, safety is a must
and is never compromised. There are
procedures to cover every eventuality
and these don't change regardless of
the height at which the riggers are operating. As any rigging instructor will
tell you: 'If you can carry out a rescue
at 6ft, you can do it at 100ft'.
Many members of the Defence
Forces would be unaware
of the practice of rigging
as it is solely carried out
by members of the CIS
Corps, specifically by
Comm Ops staff, in order
to provide and maintain
HF, VHF and microwave
communications throughout the Defence Forces.
There are approximately
Sgt Paul Browne ascends the 200ft Mast
40 active riggers in the
organisation at this time
carrying out essential work not only at home but on overseas missions as well.
They are also called upon to assist in various rescues throughout the country.
The eight students on the current course have spent 10 weeks learning all
about the equipment they use and the safety procedures involved in using
it. The main gear that's used are the rigging harness, fall-arrest protection
systems, descenders and ascenders, pole ropes, pulley systems, rescue ropes,
working ropes, protective helmets, goggles, and hi-vis protective clothing and
gloves, just to name but a few.
The next stage is learning how to build a lattice mast, building it up in 8-ft
sections, up to 95ft in height. Something that helps instil great confidence in
the skills and equipment they will need to progress.
I met with Sgt Paul Browne who talked to us about the order of the day.
A student assists the rescue from
the ground
The plan of action was to practice two types of rescues down the centre of
An Cosantóir February 2014 www.dfmagazine.ie
