The following are examples of possible Aerial Rescue event scenarios:
Example #1 –
Weather conditions – 95° F (35° C) sunny / high humidity
Situation- You notice that the climber is not moving in the tree.
Climber condition- The climber is conscious, breathing hard, and his face is red. He is also having trouble communicating.

Example #2 –
Weather conditions – 59° F (15° C) Cloudy and wet
Situation- A climber has slipped and fallen while moving through the tree. He has taken a violent swing fall hitting the main trunk
Climber condition- The climber is conscious but is holding his left arm. He is in pain and is unable to descend from the tree.
Example #3 –
Weather conditions –70° F (21° C) Sunny
Situation- A climber is working in a takedown situation, and has cut the back of his left leg with a chainsaw.
Climber condition- The climber is unable to stop the bleeding while in the tree.

I think what’s important to understand when considering the scenarios is the condition the climber is in. When we look to the scoring of the event, a climber is awarded the most points in the way that they assess and handle the casualty (section 4.3.2). That’s 13 big ones. So, for instance, if the casualty is bleeding heavily and unable to stop it, and you don’t treat the wound in the tree, you could be leaving big points on the board. The same is true in an instance of dehydration and simply providing the casualty with a drink before coming to the ground. Support an injured arm, provide a new climbing system to one that has been compensated, etc. When you understand the casualty’s condition, you can also better relay that information to EMS once they arrive on site. Of course, these scenarios are only suggested situations, and there will be modifications and twists at all the chapter levels. That’s what makes getting to different chapter competitions exciting. My point here is that if you want to score big, you should be equipped to tend to the casualty in the tree in a confident and well versed manner. It will lead to a better score, and also a more realistic understanding of this situation and how to react should it ever arise on a worksite.

The stress level will always be high. Because this event, like the others, is timed, I believe that it causes a healthy sense of urgency that is good to experience. We’ll never be able to exactly simulate the reality of an injured climber aloft. But, in a competition scenario that is timed, the climber feels rushed and excited, and it provides an opportunity for the rescuer to try and remain calm, climb smooth, and bring the casualty down safely, all while managing stress efficiently.

This event is an opportunity to demonstrate a sense of confidence in a challenging situation, and also a thorough understanding of many different systems in action. You may even have to take control of a high traffic environment. Different parts of the whole to consider are: EMS access to the site, the injured climber’s anchor, their rope, their carabiners; the access line and anchoring it to the tree, a running chainsaw(?), high voltage electrical lines(?). How many times do we hear, “don’t become a second victim!”. Which was exactly the situation at the Charlotte TCC last year (2016): two injured climbers that needed to be brought down.  The possibilities really are endless.

What doesn’t change is the need for that casualty to be rescued from a potentially life threatening situation. Realistically, you better be prepared to do that.