Volunteers rock out at abseiling

State Emergency Service volunteers have taken part in a gruelling course, learning the ropes of abseiling and rescuing from heights over the weekend.

The volunteers, from both Tom Price and Karratha, learnt single rope techniques including abseiling and climbing back up the ropes. SES team leader Donna Walker said once the volunteers had completed the two-day course, they could be called out to a cliff rescue situation.

However, situations in the Pilbara’s national parks could differ quite dramatically to the training grounds.

Ms Walker said the tower at the SES building in Karratha was about 9 or 10 metres high, while at a park like Karijini, some cliffs could be about 100 metres.

“We’re really only giving them a taste of what it’s like,” she said.

Following practice at the Karratha building, the volunteers went out to hills near the visitor centre to trial anchoring ropes to rocks in a similar situation to what could be required in a rescue.

The next step for the volunteers will be to undertake a four-day course in vertical rescues and building systems and using ropes to send an escort over the edge of a cliff with a stretcher.

The next course for volunteers will be held in March.