ing around and being mistaken for an ‘all clear’ flag.”
tocol should be in place for ensuring equipment gets charged regularly. The Summit also sends staff out with extra radios on the more difficult-to-access canopy tours to circumvent issues with battery life. Creating, informing, and training staff on a backup plan is key, especially if they are going to struggle or be unable to access other forms of support. When visibility is low, Leedom equips her staff with radios to use instead of flags. While cell phones can be extremely helpful, in remote situations, depending on the provider and the location, ser- vice may be nonexistent. Staff may also be expected to leave their cell phones
behind or may choose to leave them to avoid losing or damaging the device. So, it’s important not to rely on personal cell phones as your only backup.
BACKUP PLANS
TALK ABOUT IT
While we certainly cannot plan for every potential calamity, we also need to rec- ognize that things do go sideways. This is where having an understood “Plan B” for your staff comes in handy. The best way to prevent an issue is to identify conditions that may cause the problem in the first place. Technology is a wonderful thing right up until we rely on it fully and it ceases to function. If your technology re- quires charging, for example, a pro-
Minimizing mistakes means examining and learning from past incidents and near-misses. Both Brubaker and Leedom have had experiences with midair collisions at previous employers, and both were disappointed when previous managers did not address the incident with the entire staff. “There were definitely repercussions for the person responsible, but it wasn’t enough of a culture shift for the rest of staff,” Brubaker says. Leedom was similarly disappointed when, after a guest was sent without a “zip clear,” nearly resulting in disaster, leadership at the operation spoke to the sending guide and then swept it under the rug. Both agree the only way to prevent incidents like these from happen- ing again is to inform staff and have conversations around the importance of following protocols. At the US NWC, Leedom says that when a near-miss occurs, a field report is filled out to keep track and build accountability into the systems for all staff. “If you make a mistake, we’re going to talk about it because someone else might make the same mistake,” she says.
COMMON GOAL
We all want to keep people safe—that’s a common thread throughout our industry. Zip line operation communi- cations is an area of grave importance, and understanding that should spur us to improve our protocols and practices. The world of zip lines is vast and varied. Strategies that work for others may not be ideal for your operations, and vice versa. Always be sure to do your homework and consult the appropri- ate authorities before making drastic changes to your protocols.
A guide waits for confirmation the line is clear before sending the next zipper at Kerfoot Canopy Tour, Minn.
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