1. Placer County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Mountain Rescue Team
Belay Subject While on Rappel
5/4/2019

2. Objectives Teach MRT Team Standard Ensure Safety is First
Three Step Learning Process
Present the concept
Demonstration the concept
Hands on learning
5/4/2019

3. Safety Use Applicable PPE Always have a Safety Check
Know and Use Proper Commands
Acknowledge commands
Anyone can Call Stop and Rock
When in Doubt - Ask
5/4/2019

4. Equipment Self Belay Device Rappel Device Additional Friction Device
Rescucender
5/4/2019

5. Communication At the Edge At the Subject, slightly above the subject
“On Belay” (”Belay On”)
“Rappelling” (”Rappel On”)
At the Subject, slightly above the subject
“At Subject”
Talk to subject to calm him down
Tell him what you are going to do; Keep talking to him.
“Lowering Subject”
At the Bottom
“Off Rappel” (Rappel Off”)
“Off Belay” (Belay Off”)
5/4/2019

6. Rigging – Tie In
Make sure that you have at least 20’ of extra rope on the ground
Add safety carabiner (shown in red)
5/4/2019

7. Technique Safety Check Rappel – Control Speed and Mind Self Belay
At the subject, slightly above the subject
Tie off your descending device
Pull up the end of the rope, tie Figure 8 on a bight
Clip the end of rope (Figure 8 on a bight) to the subject’s seat harness
Set subject anchor by using rescucender
Attached the safety carabiner around the main line and to the friction device
Feed subject’s rope through Figure 8 and attach the Figure 8 to the rescucender with carabiner
Ask subject to mind his/her self belay
“Lowering Subject” - Lower subject to ground.
Untie descender and rappel down
At Bottom
Remove main line from rappel device
“Off Rappel”
Remove self belay
“Off Belay”
5/4/2019

8. Video/Demonstration
TBD
5/4/2019