When the shit goes down, please remember the 1st rule of a rescuer

[hop]

Rule #1 of being a rescuer: DO NOT PUT YOURSELF AT RISK.

In light of the report on Ttips regarding the tragedy in Mammoth today, and the news of what seems to have happened with Chad and Doug in La Grave I thought it was important to remind everyone of this most important rule.

I'm not trying to be cold and unsympathetic, and I do think that Doug's and Walter's efforts to save their friends are nothing short of heroic, but it does appear that forgetting this important rule may have led up to the events that cost Doug and Walter their lives.

Play safe out there everyone.

[snoboy]

Yourself
Yourself
Your partner
Bystanders

Person who needs help... In that order.

[seanyob]

agreed.... Not a callous statement, but a smart one. This is what is taught in ALL rescue courses/schools/programs.

[johnnya]

Very, very good call. Allthough i would think it would be one of the toughest decisions to ever make. Play safe

[bio-smear]

...it would be one of the toughest decisions to ever make.

Especially if the one in danger is a loved one like your girlfriend, wife, brother, etc. Remember you can't save anyone if you're dead too.

[enlosandes]

Hop, you speak the truth, "Is the scene safe?"
I guess we all have to remember to ask that is the shiz hits the fan.

[skifishbum]

wise words bump

[ulty_guy]

yup. good call hop. an unfortunately, you have mention coombs in this one too .

[mn_teleswede]

...in front of a computer it is easy to make that call in hindsight, but when one is dealing with loved ones and best friends, you better have a trusted friend along that can help make the decision for you (or be a jerk ) because I for one would not think about my own safety to the extent that I probably should if I see a loved one in need of help. Not trying to start a war of philosophy's- just sharing my .02.

In hindsight- pretty good run on sentence

[P_McPoser]

Example from my days in Tucson:
Dog jumps in above falls, guy jumps in after dog, dog gets out on own, guy goes over falls and dies.

It's easy to say you would do something a certain way, but insticts are a motherfucker.

[natty dread]

The dog story reminds me that in my 10 years as a firefighter, twice I have been on house fires where people have gone in after their dogs and both the dogs and their owners have died.
An important reminder that I've had drilled into my head since I took my first emt class in high school. Thanks for the reminder hop. In the heat of the moment, this is an often-forgotten rule.

[TeleAl]

Your point is well made. Bump.

[fiddler]

Yes, in the heat of the moment you may make a bad decision. That is where training training training and practice practice practice come in. You must have automatic responses that keep you safe, after all you don't want someone else to have to rescue both the original victim and you.

[train07]

I'm glad this came up cause i know someone who got lost in the woods in a similar spot where I too was wandering around a few years earlier....took me much longer to get back though, but didn't much matter cause my wandering occured earlier in the day with plenty of time before darkness...
so this guy (a big fkn guy ...you know who you are) strayed out of bounds, as did the other three of us, but he went further...far from us and it was near closing time.....one guy in our small party wanted to go look for him and I insisted we stay high on our return quest to get back to the trail and get the fuck back to the lodge.... and then, report the big guy being lost if necessary. Having four people lost in the dark was not high on my list but I did have annoying doubts about my decision as we plodded our way back, finally finding the trail and back to the lodge. I really agonized over that decision thinking this guy could be spending the nite in the woods and we did nothing....i'm glad this particular thread lends some validity to my decision.
That was a good time.... wasn't it big guy

oh yeah ...he made it out by using his cell phone and his wits

[Yeti]

Monday bump for wise words.

[skiing-in-jackson]

Example from my days in Tucson:
Dog jumps in above falls, guy jumps in after dog, dog gets out on own, guy goes over falls and dies.

It's easy to say you would do something a certain way, but insticts are a motherfucker.

Pseudo-thread hijack...

A few years ago a guy jumped into one of the hot pools in Yellowstone- trying to rescue his dog- this has happened a few times in the last decade, i this instance, I'm pretty sure the dog lived and the guy died. Gut reaction ruled in this case. It rules in many case

I've not been in an intense rescue situation, and wouldn't want to be- I't is very hard to pass judgement or say I'd do it like this...

I'd like to act in a particular fashion...that's all I can hope for