Scenario 2 : cut section unstable , rescue anchors available
Where the partially failed section is unstable , the rescue operation must be undertaken with great care to avoid injury to the rescuers or further injury to the casualty .
In the image on the left , an arborist has felled out a leaning stem with a poorly cut , shallow hinge . Instead of the hinge working , the stem below the cut has delaminated , and the arborist is crushed against the tree . Both their main line and lanyard are bound tight and cannot be adjusted .
The challenge for rescuers will be that cutting the lanyard may allow the delamination to continue , causing the hung-up section to dislodge and fall .
In this case however , secure anchors can be established for the casualty on the stem above before they are cut free .
Scenario 3 : cut section unstable , rescue anchors unavailable
The most challenging lanyard compression rescue will be where there are no suitable anchor points above the casualty , and the casualty ’ s connections may be , at least in part , supporting the cut piece .
In this scenario , cutting free the lanyards may cause the partially failed stem to fully collapse , potentially putting both casualty and rescuer at risk .
Please see bottom up rescue on partially failed stem later in this chapter for further details on how to conduct this challenging rescue .
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