Members and collaborators of the Light-Community of Fraternity, in Aurora, located in Paysandu, Uruguay, had the opportunity receive training in safety in working with climbing heights, directed by Ricardo Baumgartner, a missionary of the Fraternidade – International Humanitarian Federation FIHF, with experience in the subject.
The participants in this training received, at first, a theoretical instruction on the use of equipment and safety techniques, and then had hands-on training with the equipment that would be used in the practical application part, making use of all the material available in the Community.
Paulo Pogrebinschi, a resident of the Light-Communities, comments, “It was not simply a training on safety in climbing heights. Ricardo, with all his knowledge and technical experience, demonstrated, in a simple and effective manner, how to safely carry out daily tasks in the community, while using the tools that are available. He brought to practice “the love that prevents”.
The theme of the course included several topics, including the recognition of safety equipment and its proper use, how to make several kinds of knots and rope anchorings, and the construction and use of life lines to work in places of great heights. The precautions that must be used during projects on roofs, trees and towers were also important topics touched on during the practice.
After the group received adequate information, they put into practice information learned with the materials needed for the pruning of an eucalyptus tree located in Redemption 2, in the Community, which had large branches at risk of falling in the area. As a result, the participants in the training learned how to climb and stay in a high position by safely using ropes and using resources at the time of an emergency or as needed.
“The importance of this training is to raise awareness on safety, because if precautions are taken, accidents do not occur. According to several studies, working with great heights is the second most dangerous job in the world and, if especially the youths are trained from an early age with this consciousness of safety, many accidents can be prevented”, says Ricardo, based on his experience.
The training was a complement to the course on first-aid and on action in emergency situations carried out at the beginning of the year in the Community by firefighters, allowing added experience to the group and making more aware of the precautions necessary both in practical everyday situations, and in catastrophes that require immediate action.
