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Rope Rescue Training

ABOUT ROPES THAT RESCUE

 

Who We Are

Ropes That Rescue is a comprehensive rope rigging school and rope access consulting firm based in mountainous northern Arizona with workshops around the US, UK, Canada, Japan, New Zealand and Australia. 

 

How We Teach

Much of the classroom didactic is devoted to this inquiry, which we believe arms the student with answers to questions their team members will certainly ask. In this context, RTR Instructors remain open to new ideas but will conduct the class in a manner that will focus program direction. RTR workshops are in-depth and hands-on, emphasizing a "train-the-trainer’ approach and are designed to foster serious inquiry into the field of rope rescue and rigging with emphasis on testing and scrutiny of procedures in use around the country. Students are encouraged to exchange ideas in a friendly, flexible, non-provocative setting.

 

Additional Workshops

RTR additionally offer workshops on rope access, fall protection and rescue procedure for electric power delivery transmission lines.  The schools innovative techniques were featured during the 2000 History Channel “Suicide Missions” special 'HIGH VOLTAGE' where linemen were rescued from energized 500kv lines using rigging skill and ropes. Watch the video: https://youtu.be/rkfmhvT2jmM?si=J8UVM6hAvYm6FLjp

 

Specialized Equipment

Specialized equipment, while interesting and sometimes timesaving, will be looked upon as peripheral, whereas basic skills knowledge will remain central to the workshop's objectives. RTR believes that basic skills allow the rescuer to problem-solve and improvise in difficult situations which is key to the development of any rescue instructor. 

 

Staff

JAYNE THORNE, President - Administration & Registration

REED THORNE, Vice President - Senior Instructor USA

  • About Reed Thorne

    Reed Thorne Vice President RopesthatRescueReed Thorne has been involved in the teaching of techniques relative to the 'vertical realm' since the early 1970's. In Southern California, his first activities dealing with rope were with the Sierra Club Angeles Chapter (Orange County Group) where Reed became a Hundred Peak, Rock Climbing and Mountaineering Section leader through training with the Sierra Club's Leadership Section. He eventually moved into rope rescue instruction under nationally-recognized US National Park SAR ranger, Butch Farabee, at the Grand Canyon in Arizona between the years of 1981 and 1986. Butch is credited with having shaped Reed's early years as a rope instructor.

    In 1989, Reed was also instrumental in the preliminary testing of belay techniques alongside John Dill of Yosemite SAR and Arnör Larson of the British Columbia Council of Technical Rescue in BC, Canada. These tests still remain some of the most extensive ever attempted by a volunteer team of lay-researchers, the results of which were published in Response Magazine in the highly acclaimed 1990 article "Are You Really On Belay?" by John Dill. Many of Reed's hand-drawn illustrations accompanied this article.

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  • About Jayne Thorne

    Jayne Thorne President RopesthatRescueJayne Thorne is the president of Ropes That Rescue Limited in Northern Arizona. She has a number of administrative duties at the company and is still involved with a long career in nursing. After several years working in critical care and radiology, she finally "retired" to a job at the hospital which she just loves: Cardiac Rehabilitation or Cardiac Rehab which is only a part time job for Jayne who must juggle responsibilities with RTR. 

    Jayne has accompanied Reed on several of his training excursions around the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the UK. Jayne loves to travel to France and is currently learning the language. 

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INSTRUCTORS

Senior Instructor Australia

Len Batley

 

Lead & Assistant Instructors USA

Steve Crandall

Michael DeCraene

Mike Green

Dave Van Holstyn

Matt Karas

Del Miller

Keith Thorne

 

Lead & Assistant Instructors Australia

Joel Graham

 

VIEW FULL INSTRUCTORS & STAFF PAGE

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