kickoff

All posts tagged kickoff

It seems that despite the lack of American popularity, the technique of the “Kickoff Pickoff” is pretty widely used throughout the rest of the world. Take the video below, sent to us by Will Paces from NIPSTA, as an example. It’s the latest in a line of this “unique” style of rescue that we have presented here. Looks like a fun drill to practice at work! I don’t think I’d want to be the victim though.

 

Judging by the results of the technique, it would appear that speed and power are a vital part of making the “Kickoff Pickoff” technique work properly. Witness what happens when you pussyfoot around with the technique (I’m not sure why I can’t get the video to embed, but it is definitely worth watching):

 

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_Wsy_EF_JY

 

Not quite as high speed, but certainly just as interesting is this awesome pickoff grab of a guy who was caught midair and wrestled back over the railing. Quick acting by all parties involved!

 

 

 

 

Take a look at the video sent to us by Larry Mullin of Fairfax County FD. The video shows a technique used when attempting to rescue a suicidal person who is about to jump off of a bridge. Apparently this is for when somebody like, I don’t know, a trained psychologist is unavailable and the jumper is patient enough to wait idly by as you set up two rope rescue systems. I’d love to know what you do after you have them. Raise them back up? Lower everybody into the water? Who knows?

I’ve never had to do this type of “rescue”, but I don’t want to be hanging on to a person who wants to die for an extended period of time with no other means of attaching to them. If you’d like to know why, take a look at the second video. Which will also serve as a good pitch for some type of auto locking descender.

 

 

The lady in this video ought to try out for some Mixed Martial Arts events.  She’s nearly successful in taking on three rescuers while she is on the ledge of her apartment building, apparently deciding whether or not to commit suicide. As for the rescuers: You can see the importance of wearing a chinstrap tightly, one rescuer’s helmet was ripped off by the victim. Also note the rescuer that is able to assess the victim for possible injuries by palpating the kidney area for any pain upon palpation…with his fist.

Seriously though, this would be a difficult task for anybody. That victim was not gonna get in any type of harness and was the definition of combative. Good job by the rescue team to send over more than one rescuer at once. I don’t know that I would have thought to do that, but it clearly helped.

I can’t find a way to embed the video, but it is definitely worth clicking on the link. Thanks to Collin Moon of Elevated Safety for pointing this one out to us.

The link was broken before. Fixed now.

http://flashovertv.firerescue1.com/media/3838-Firefighters-make-rope-rescue-of-combative-woman/

rkd4

I’m going to go out on a ledge here and say that they might. You can see the technique in action in the two videos below. This first video shows a more subtle version of the “Kickoff Pickoff ” that may or may not have been made up on the spot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLZzqNlpazU&feature=player_embedded

This next video clearly shows that this team has practiced this more aggressive version of the Kickoff Pickoff. Note that he was completely comfortable on a short, very fast rappel and the coordination of his partner dropping all of his excess rope as he jumps. Clearly they’ve trained on this enough to know that it will work. Because, if you get it wrong, it’s going to be a LONG day on the typewriter trying to explain this one away.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gn7SWTj9TIU