TCIA NEWSLETTER

JUNE 2016

 

Dear TCIA Members,

 

Yes two newsletters in a month! Stuff is happening.

 

 

NEW ASSESSMENT FEES AND INSURANCE

 

Yes we have finally managed to get insurance. This enables us to undertake a range of activities that should improve service and outcomes. The TCIA can also be more flexible with its calendar of training and assessments.

 

The Executive has carefully worked out a sustainable budget. We believe that with a little belt tightening and a couple of projects we can reduce training and assessment costs be insured and self-reliant. The first assessment was conducted under the new lower costing regime on the 22^nd of June. See our website for new fees.

 

WELCOME AND CONGRATULATIONS

 

Jake Holness passed BAI in May.

John Dalco passed ICG in April,

Samara Stingle passed ICG in April.

Zanja Blossom passed ICG in April.

Cameron Lynch passed ICG in April,

Anna Packer passed ICG in April,

Craig Christian passed ICG in February,

Jackie Cook passed ICG in February.

Isaac Lethborg passed ICG in February.

 

 

WEBSITE UPDATE

 

This has been rebuilt and several new and content elements have been developed. In particular the Mission Statement and Objectives of the Association have been changed. This represents the slight change in focus now that we are self insured and self reliant. This is work in progress but it is worth a quick look…

 

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Will be held at the South Hobart Pub on Wednesday 13^th July at 7pm.

 

MEMBERSHIP DETAILS

 

Communication with members has been difficult. We have invested in a bulk emailing system to reach you all with news, technical information and upcoming events. However, some members have not given us their email details or filled in the expression of interest when they did training or assessment. Please let anyone who is a member know to give their contact stuff to Tciasecretary@gmail.com . It is also possible we have made errors or omissions so let us know.

 

In addition, please check you have paid your membership dues. The sustainability of the TCIA is contingent on these memberships and quite a few are unpaid. There are many (37) that fall due in July. Fees are likely to be going up a bit after July (to $100 for two years so get in now).

TCIA CLIMBING AND SELF – RESCUE SKILLS COURSES

 

The first of our TCIA climbing skills courses will be on the 11 and 12 of June. Some places have already been filled and there will be limited space so if you are interested get in now. This is also open to non-members at a slightly higher cost as a recruitment/community project. Remember this is skills training for climbers, not assessment training, nor a beginners weekend.

 

We believe that offering general and rescue skills training to members at $90 a day is very reasonable – but we need some numbers.

 

On behalf of the TCIA Garry, Stu and Bill will be delivering:

 

 

 

TCIA CLIMBING SKILLS WEEKEND

 

THIS IS THE FIRST OF THE LOW COST CLIMBING SKILLS WEEKENDS FOR MEMBERS OF THE TCIA. NON- MEMBERS MAY ALSO ACCESS THIS TRAINING.

 

Instructors: G Phillips, Stu Scott, Bill Baxter

 

Date 11/12 June at White Water Wall

Cost $90 per day for TCIA members

$140 per day for non-members (Please note that TCIA Membership is $65 for two years – see TCIA website).

 

Bookings contact TCIA on tciasecretary@gmail.com

Or Stu Scott 0408122394

 

 

DAY 1

ESSENTIAL ROPE SKILLS FOR CLIMBERS

 

This day is designed for new trad climbers wishing to enhance skills, as well as BAI and TRA instructors and sport/gym climbers wishing to get into TRAD.

 

This is not a beginner’s day and students are expected to have a reasonable knowledge of knots and more basic techniques.

 

PRE REQUISITES

 

• Students are required to be “fluent” with the following knots:

1. Figure 8
2. Clove hitch

• Munter hitch

1. Alpine butterfly
2. Prussik hitch, autoblock.
3. Bowline with stopper knot

• Tape knot
• Double Fishermans

 

Equipment required:

• Bring all your climbing gear.
• Cordalette constructed of 6mm spectra or 7mm nylon in loop constructed from 6m of rope.
• Four screw gates of which two should be pear biners with round profile, preferably not ribbed.
• Two Prussik loops of 6mm nylon that, when tied, are 40cm long.
• An ATC Guide, Petzl Reverso a DMM Pivot.

 

 

 

Course content:

 

 

• Know your ropes. One, two, fat or thin? A discussion of merits and application.
• What is best for each situation.
• Gear placement basics.
• Creating SRENE anchors
• Cordalettes
• Equallettes
• Rope management on the crag. How not to end up in a mess or your rope stuck below you.
• Belaying

1. Single rope
2. Double rope
3. Gri gri
4. ATC
5. Guide mode
6. Italian Hitch
7. Lowering on guide mode safely
8. Tie off the belay
9. Descending safely on a single thin rope with redirect.

• Closing the system
• “Silly” or “buddy” checks
• Setting up for descents on a crag.
• Setting up top ropes (basic).
• Assessing the climb for grade and risk.
• Assessing the cliff.

 

 

DAY 2

Advanced Rope Skills and Self-Rescue.

 

This day is intended for SPG instructors as well as trad climbers who desire to learn self-rescue techniques. This is about dealing with routine, as well as serious problems, in the vertical domain.

 

1. The emphasis will be on using/ improvising with the gear your have with you at the time – not taking heaps of extra stuff or complex devices.
2. Keeping it as fast, light and as simple as possible.
3. Correct decision-making when things go wrong.

 

 

PREREQUISITES

 

• Completed rope skills essentials day one /or
• A fair amount of outdoor climbing experience

 

 

Some of the techniques learned are quite complex and will require practice. Self-rescue is, hopefully, seldom used but is an essential yet perishable skill.

Instruction will be “building block” rather than a “recipe” in style. This should develop individual skill sets that can be assembled to form a repertoire of possible solutions to a range of problems – rather than learning a recipe that may lack versatility and practicality.

 

• Using the ICE principle to manage rescue response
• The impact of TFFS (Time frame for survival) on decision making.
• Setting up for rescue contingency in your belay setup (and keeping it fast and simple).
• Escaping the belay
• Rescue knots
• Load releasing knots
• Building a virtual ledge
• Managing an unconscious patient
• Second rescue
• Leader rescue

 

 

Regards The Executive

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TCIA NEWS LETTER MAY 2016-05-16

 

The TCIA has had a challenging year due to funding and insurance being withdrawn. We are now entering a final period of (considerable) positive and vital change. In this difficult period the Executive has necessarily made decisions to assure the continuation of the Association. These will be put to the membership for ratification at the next AGM.

 

In summary:

 

The relationship with TAFE has fundamentally changed. For several years TCIA training and assessment was conducted under the auspices of TAFE. In this way we were able to employ instructors and have insurance for training and assessment. Due to a review, TAFE increased its costs for training and assessment to the point that no one would be able to afford it ($1700 for BAI for assessment). The TCIA made a submission, through TAFE, for a Federal grant to subsidise these elements. We were assured several months ago it would be/had been approved. In the interim Garry and Stu provided the service using their own business insurance.

 

Despite assurances, the funding has not been forthcoming. We are now in a position that we must stand on our own two feet. The key issue is viable insurance. Without it the TCIA will cease to exist.

 

Whilst the TCIA will continue to work in partnership with TAFE in providing training and assessment for their students, we must be able to provide services for our own members at a reasonable cost.

 

The Executive investigated all possible avenues for funding and alternative methods to insure. This has been problematic due an accident involving instruction in Queensland and a multi million-dollar law suit. As a consequence, most insurers were simply unwilling to insure. However, the Executive eventually obtained a reasonable quote and has insured the TCIA. This will enable the following to occur:

 

• For training and assessment to recommence;
• For a calendar of events to be prepared for each year that involves three

weekends of training and assessment – or more as demand dictates. These will be held in spring, summer and autumn;

• For a standard set of fees to be prepared that will be affordable and comparable with mainland organisations.
• For a broad range of trainers and assessors to be insured and compensated;
• ICG courses to be held on demand.
• Low cost self-rescue training courses to be provided to members.
• Low cost climbing skills courses to be provided to members.

 

Obviously insurance is a cost and our fees must be sustainable. The Executive has prepared a list of fees that we think are reasonable and compare favourably with Mainland providers. These fees are sufficient to assure the viability of the Association into the future.

 

Membership fees will rise to $100 for two years on July 1. This is considerably less than some comparable bodies and is the first rise in many years.

 

To keep costs down we need to have certain student/instructor ratios. Therefore we encourage members to use the fixed date weekends discussed above or costs will be higher. If this is achieved the fees are as follows:

 

Training 1 Session/Day (e.g. BAI or TRA) $245

 

Assessment:

BAI $485 (two units)

TRA $730 (three units inclusive of BAI)

SPG $975 (4 units inclusive of BAI and TRA)

MPG $1955 (inclusive of BAI, TRA, SPG)

 

Essentially a half day assessment unit or 1 day training session costs $245.

 

You will notice the website has changed to reflect these matters. If you have any questions please contact the Secretary ( tciasecretary@gmail.com ).

 

Regards

The Executive