rescue rigging Archives

Directional Frame Raises and Edge Transition Management

Lance Piatt / Anchoring, Arizona Vortex, Artificial High Directional AHD, Blog, Twin Tension Rope System, Two Tensioned Rope Rescue Systems

Directional Frame Raises and Edge Transition Management Vertical rescue operations often focus on the raising system itself. Mechanical advantage, hauling efficiency, and load control frequently dominate the discussion. Yet many difficult raises are not defined by what happens below the edge. They are defined by what happens when the load reaches it. The edge transition […]

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Two Tensioned Rope Systems and Tensioned Track Line Transitions in Canyon Rescue

Lance Piatt / Blog, Elevated Anchor Systems, Litter Operations, Offset Track Line, Portable Anchors, Twin Tension Rope System

From Two-Tensioned Rope Systems to Tensioned Track Lines Managing Redundancy, Load Sharing, and System Transitions in Canyon Rescue Technical rescue operations rarely fail because rescuers cannot build a lowering system. They fail because rescuers lose control of force during transitions. This becomes especially apparent in canyon environments where a rescue may begin as a vertical

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Why Pulley Selection Matters More Than Most Rescue Teams Realize

Lance Piatt / Blog, Pulley Systems, Pulleys & Mechanical Advantage, Uncategorized

Why Pulley Selection Matters More Than Most Rescue Teams Realize Most rescue personnel learn pulleys through mechanical advantage systems. A 3:1 contains a certain number of pulleys. A 5:1 contains a few more. Eventually, the conversation moves toward hauling efficiency, progress capture, and system resets. While those discussions are important, they often leave one critical

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Why Growing Rescue Programs Use RLA CORE Squad

Lance Piatt / Blog, Designing Your Processes, How-To Concepts, Online Training Education, Personal Competencies, Principles of Learning, Professional Standards

Squad Is Where Rescue Training Stops Being Informal Most rescue organizations begin with motivated individuals. A few strong technicians train consistently, absorb outside instruction, attend conferences, build systems together, and gradually become the operational backbone of the team. Over time, these individuals start carrying increasing responsibility inside the organization. One person becomes the training officer.

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Why Rescue Departments Use RLA CORE Team for Operational Consistency

Lance Piatt / Blog, Designing Your Processes, FAQ-Frequently Asked Questions, How-To Concepts, Online Training Education, Personal Competencies

As Rescue Organizations Grow, Training Drift Multiplies Small crews can often maintain consistency through close operational proximity. Team members train together regularly, communicate frequently, and naturally reinforce each other’s understanding over time. Once organizations begin scaling beyond that size, the challenge changes completely. Different shifts begin developing different habits. Instructors emphasize different priorities. Operational terminology

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Why Small Rescue Crews Use RLA CORE for Technical Rescue Consistency

Lance Piatt / Blog, Designing Your Processes, How-To Concepts, Online Training Education, Personal Competencies, Team Competencies

Small Rescue Crews Operate Differently Than Large Departments Most small rescue teams do not have the luxury of large training divisions, dedicated instructional staff, or personnel assigned to a single operational discipline. Crew members often wear multiple hats. The same person handling anchors during one evolution may transition into edge operations, litter management, haul systems,

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Anchors and Anchor Systems in Rope Rescue

Lance Piatt / Anchoring, Anchors, Arizona Vortex, Artificial High Directional AHD, Blog, Elevated Anchor Systems, Portable Anchors

Sign Up for Free E-Book Anchors and Anchor Systems in Rope Rescue Every rope rescue system begins with one decision: what will hold the load? Before the haul systems, before the litter movement, before the edge transition, there is the anchor. It is the structural foundation that determines whether the entire operation functions smoothly or

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Litter Operations and Patient Evacuation in Technical Rescue

Lance Piatt / Blog, Designing Your Processes, Litter Operations, Mainline Systems and Operations, Mechanical Advantage, Pickoffs

Sign Up for Free E-Book Litter Operations and Patient Evacuation in Technical Rescue Technical rescue environments rarely fail because of a lack of gear. More often, they fail because teams underestimate movement, terrain transitions, communication breakdowns, or the physical demands of transporting a patient through difficult ground. Litter operations sit at the center of all

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Arizona Vortex Configuration Guide for Directional and Anchor Frame Rescue Systems

Lance Piatt / Anchoring, Anchors, Arizona Vortex, Artificial High Directional AHD, Blog, Designing Your Processes, FAQ-Frequently Asked Questions

The Arizona Vortex is often taught as a collection of individual configurations: tripod, A-frame, gin pole, sideways A-frame, and easel-leg variants. But in the field, those configurations are never selected in isolation. Terrain, edge conditions, anchor availability, hauling direction, team size, load path, and operational constraints all shape the decision. This project reframes the Vortex

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Teaching the Twin Tension Rope System in the Classroom

Lance Piatt / Blog, Two Tensioned Rope Rescue Systems

The Twin Tension Rope System — TTRS — represents one of the most significant shifts in rescue rigging philosophy in recent decades. For a long time, the standard approach meant one tensioned mainline doing the work while a second rope sat in a slack belay configuration, ready to catch a failure but contributing nothing to

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Rigging a 5:1 MA Off a Tripod for Confined Space Rescue

Lance Piatt / Anchoring, Anchors, Confined Space Rescue, Designing Your Processes, Portable Anchors, Principles of Learning, Technical Learning

Rigging a 5:1 MA Off a Tripod for Confined Space Rescue A complete operational breakdown for raising a 200 lb load 30 feet — with limited anchor geometry and edge protection requirements. A 5:1 mechanical advantage system off a tripod is one of the most reliable configurations for vertical confined space extraction — but only

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Mechanical Advantage and Anchor Systems in Rope Rescue

Lance Piatt / Anchoring, Anchors, Blog, Mainline Systems and Operations, Mechanical Advantage

In rope rescue, mechanical advantage and anchor systems are never separate subjects. Every haul system depends on an anchor, and every anchor must be capable of resisting the forces a mechanical advantage system creates. That relationship is often misunderstood. Rescuers may focus on the efficiency of a 3:1 or 5:1 system, yet overlook how redirects,

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Elevated Anchor Systems in Technical Rescue

Lance Piatt / Anchoring, Anchors, Blog, Elevated Anchor Systems

Understanding Artificial High Directionals as Structural Systems Artificial High Directionals, often referred to as elevated anchor systems, are sometimes treated as specialized accessories used only when terrain or structure presents a difficult edge. In practice, they are much more significant. These systems function as structural components that influence geometry, manage force vectors, improve movement efficiency,

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Anchor Force Distribution in Technical Rescue Rigging

Lance Piatt / Anchoring, Anchors, Blog, Principles of Learning

Anchor Force Distribution in Technical Rescue Rigging Understanding anchor force distribution in technical rescue is the difference between a technician who follows rules and one who understands why those rules exist. This tool makes that understanding tangible — not through charts or formulas alone, but through live, interactive geometry that responds to your input and

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3-Point Anchor Systems in Rope Rescue

Lance Piatt / Anchoring, Anchors, Blog, Designing Your Processes

Anchors Are the Foundation of Every System In rope rescue, every system begins—and ultimately depends—on the anchor. Whether you are lowering, raising, or managing a directional line, the integrity of the entire operation is tied to how well the anchor system is built. A failure at the anchor is not a component failure—it is a

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Highline Operations Roles, Movement, and System Control

Lance Piatt / Blog, Designing Your Processes, Dynamic Directional, Highline Rigging, Horizontal Rigging

A highline system does not succeed because it is built correctly—it succeeds because it is operated correctly. Most system failures occur during movement, not during setup. The structure may be sound, but without coordinated operation, control is lost, and forces become unpredictable. Highline operations are defined by three elements: Clear roles Controlled movement Coordinated input

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Highline Configurations in Rope Rescue When and How to Use Each System

Lance Piatt / Blog, Designing Your Processes, Highline Rigging

Highline systems are not built from a single template. The configuration selected must match the terrain, the objective, and the level of control required. The mistake is not choosing the wrong gear—it is choosing the wrong system structure. Each configuration changes how force moves, how the load behaves, and how the team must operate. Understanding

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Highline System Components Explained for Rope Rescue Operations

Lance Piatt / Blog, Designing Your Processes, Highline Rigging

A highline system is only as strong and predictable as the components that build it. While the overall system moves a load across a span, each individual element has a defined role that must remain clear and uncompromised. Understanding these components is not about memorizing parts—it is about understanding how each element contributes to control,

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Artificial High Directionals When They Are Needed and How They Support Rescue Operations

Lance Piatt / Arizona Vortex, Artificial High Directional AHD, Blog, General Rigging, Mainline Systems and Operations, Twin Tension Rope System

Introduction Artificial High Directionals (AHDs) represent a decisive shift from basic anchor-based rigging into controlled, engineered system behavior. Teams that are competent in raise and lower operations often reach a point where efficiency, safety, and control begin to degrade—not because of poor technique, but because of environmental limitations. Edges, terrain transitions, and structural barriers introduce

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two tension twin tension lower single operator back tension safety

CMC Clutch Twin Tension Two Tension Lower

Lance Piatt / Belaying, Blog, CMC Clutch by Harken Industrial, Twin Tension Rope System Clutch

The CMC Clutch Twin Tension Two Tension Lower has become a defining standard in modern rope rescue systems. By integrating the Clutch into a Twin Tension Rope System (TTRS), rescuers can achieve smoother control, balanced load distribution, and built-in redundancy. Whether lowering or raising, the Clutch ensures safe transitions, adaptability across rescue environments, and confidence

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rescue rigging