How to conduct a rescuer-based pick-off of an unsupported victim, by Tom Pendley

Source: This article was adapted from The Essential Technical Rescue Field Operations Guide, 4th Edition, by Tom Pendley of Desert Rescue Research in Glendale, Arizona. Copyright © 2011. All Rights Reserved. Excerpted with Expressed Written Permission.

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Tom Pendley is a native of Arizona and grew up on the family apple orchard in Oak Creek Canyon, just north of Sedona. The apple orchard was known as Slide Rock Fruit and Vegetables.

Slide rock was a popular tourist attraction that was a busy scene every summer with lots of swimmers and hikers enjoying the red rocks and water. Almost every week the local fire department was called to ‘carry out’ a minor injury and, on occasion, there was a high angle rescue operation right in his back yard.

In 1985, his family sold the homestead to the Trust for Public lands and it became Slide Rock State Park. The family moved to Phoenix, and in 1987 he joined the Central Arizona Mountain Rescue Association (CAMRA).

Tom spent 14 years as an active member of CAMRA. Very interested in rescue, he progressed through the ranks. He was promoted to Operations Leader in 1993 and was elected as Team Commander for five years.

His time with CAMRA was very rewarding. Maricopa County is one of the largest counties in the country and he had many interesting rescue missions over the years. In his time with CAMRA, he served as swift water coordinator, alpine coordinator, mine rescue coordinator, and training officer. He received the Posseman of the Year award in 1993.

In 1990 he joined the Peoria Arizona Fire Department. His experience with mountain rescue gave him an opportunity in technical rescue. His department was forming a technical rescue team in 1991 and he was able to attend instructor school for the Arizona State Fire Marshal Office (ASFMO) in 1992. He really enjoyed teaching and taught many rescue courses for ASFMO through the 1990′s.

Tom became a paramedic in 1991 and served as a firefighter paramedic on a busy city engine company for many years. In 1996, he founded Desert Rescue Research.

In 2007, he was promoted to Battalion Chief with the Peoria Fire Department. With 140 sworn members, the department has two technical rescue companies and an advanced hazmat company. Tom has served as the special operations manager for Peoria since 2007.