Masterclass in Small Party Assisted Rescue (SPAR 3)
Course Description:
Small party assisted rescues are performed by those with a person when they become injured in the back country, and are carried out with minimal equipment and personnel. The SPAR 3 class is a culmination of learning how to perform more with less, and doing so in a realistic environment. The first day will be a review of the SPAR skills presented in SPAR 1 and 2, fine tuning them, then attendees will practice performing rescues with minimal equipment with peer and instructor feedback. Emphasis will be placed on decision making and efficient rigging given patient medical conditions. The class will run from Friday evening to Sunday evening, so can be attended without missing much, if any, work.
Prerequisite Skills:
Attendees should be able to rappel, ascend, perform changeovers, cross knots, deviations, and rebelays prior to attending the class. In addition they should have mastery of course content from SPAR 1 and SPAR 2 classes. For a detailed list of these skills contact the instructor. Potential students are encouraged to take the SPAR 1 and SPAR 2 courses before taking the master class.
Equipment Needed:
Personal harness, ascending system, descending system, gloves, helmet, and a SPAR kit, appropriate clothing for the location and weather. If you wish to use your own rope, you are welcome to do so, we encourage everyone to use their own equipment to practice with what they would be using in a real rescue.
Tentative Schedule (for a word copy of this schedule, click here)
Note: These times are estimates. Times are flexible, but are provided to give you a sense of how fast the course will be moving, and approximately when different material will be taught.
Friday (pm)
6-7 Course introduction, logistics, SPAR philosophy, and introductions
7-8 Rigging physics review, anchors review, contingency rigging review, Münter review
8-10 Personal equipment inspection (helmet, harness, gloves, etc.), entrance skills test
Saturday
8-8:15 Daily logistics, safety briefing, review of Friday’s material and questions
8:15-9 Hybrid counterbalance systems
9-10 Getting the most out of your counterbalances (convert one to the other, stacking them)
10-11 Traveling brake lowers
11-12 Review of material from any class
12-1 Lunch
1-5 Afternoon scenarios, with quality debriefings
5-6 Dinner
6-9 Night scenarios, with quality debriefings
Sunday
8-8:15 Daily logistics, safety briefing, personnel check in (how is everyone doing?)
8:15-9 Review of Friday and Saturday’s material and questions
9-10:30 Alternative anchor practice in the field
10:30-12 Morning scenarios, with quality debriefings
12-1 Lunch
1-2 Medical tips and tricks
2-5 Advanced pickoffs, uncooperative or unconscious patients, single rope
5-6 Camp cleanup, debriefing, course feedback
Small party assisted rescues are performed by those with a person when they become injured in the back country, and are carried out with minimal equipment and personnel. The SPAR 3 class is a culmination of learning how to perform more with less, and doing so in a realistic environment. The first day will be a review of the SPAR skills presented in SPAR 1 and 2, fine tuning them, then attendees will practice performing rescues with minimal equipment with peer and instructor feedback. Emphasis will be placed on decision making and efficient rigging given patient medical conditions. The class will run from Friday evening to Sunday evening, so can be attended without missing much, if any, work.
Prerequisite Skills:
Attendees should be able to rappel, ascend, perform changeovers, cross knots, deviations, and rebelays prior to attending the class. In addition they should have mastery of course content from SPAR 1 and SPAR 2 classes. For a detailed list of these skills contact the instructor. Potential students are encouraged to take the SPAR 1 and SPAR 2 courses before taking the master class.
Equipment Needed:
Personal harness, ascending system, descending system, gloves, helmet, and a SPAR kit, appropriate clothing for the location and weather. If you wish to use your own rope, you are welcome to do so, we encourage everyone to use their own equipment to practice with what they would be using in a real rescue.
Tentative Schedule (for a word copy of this schedule, click here)
Note: These times are estimates. Times are flexible, but are provided to give you a sense of how fast the course will be moving, and approximately when different material will be taught.
Friday (pm)
6-7 Course introduction, logistics, SPAR philosophy, and introductions
7-8 Rigging physics review, anchors review, contingency rigging review, Münter review
8-10 Personal equipment inspection (helmet, harness, gloves, etc.), entrance skills test
Saturday
8-8:15 Daily logistics, safety briefing, review of Friday’s material and questions
8:15-9 Hybrid counterbalance systems
9-10 Getting the most out of your counterbalances (convert one to the other, stacking them)
10-11 Traveling brake lowers
11-12 Review of material from any class
12-1 Lunch
1-5 Afternoon scenarios, with quality debriefings
5-6 Dinner
6-9 Night scenarios, with quality debriefings
Sunday
8-8:15 Daily logistics, safety briefing, personnel check in (how is everyone doing?)
8:15-9 Review of Friday and Saturday’s material and questions
9-10:30 Alternative anchor practice in the field
10:30-12 Morning scenarios, with quality debriefings
12-1 Lunch
1-2 Medical tips and tricks
2-5 Advanced pickoffs, uncooperative or unconscious patients, single rope
5-6 Camp cleanup, debriefing, course feedback