John Day Airbase to host rappeller training
By Logan Bagett on Wednesday, April 27th, 2022 in Eastern/Southeast Oregon News More Top Stories
JOHN DAY – (Press Release from the Malheur National Forest)
The John Day Airbase will host the National Rappel Certification Training the week of May 2nd through May 7th. This is an annual refresher training intended for returning rappellers. Additional training sessions will be occurring in Missoula, Montana and Salmon, Idaho.
Approximately 60 rappellers and training cadre from Oregon and Idaho will attend the training in John Day. Returning rappellers’ sessions are held for recertification purposes; the session this year will involve a safety review, helicopter mockups and live rappels. The recertification training also provides refreshers for helicopter rappel spotters and pilots.
First-year rappellers will participate in the initial certification training being held in Salmon, Idaho later in the month. Each new rappeller must complete equipment review, ground and tower training, and finish with 8 error-free live rappels to be certified as a helicopter rappeller with the U.S. Forest Service. Live rappels are conducted at heights up to 300 feet above the ground. The National Rappel Certification Training is a performance-based training setting, which requires all rappellers to demonstrate full proficiency at each stage of the training. The objective is to ensure that all rappellers, rappel spotters, and rappel pilots receive the highest quality training experience possible. Rappelling provides a means for rapid deployment of personnel nationwide in locations with limited landing areas. U.S. Forest Service Rappellers may respond to wildland fire, medical or all-risk incidents. Follow U.S. Forest Service- Malheur National Forest on Facebook and @MalheurNF on Twitter
