03/30/2026
TRAINING: ADVANCED TECHNICAL ROPE RESCUES / KINGMAN AREA
This past weekend (March 27–29), the Mohave County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue team partnered with UniSource Energy Services for specialized technical rope rescue training led by Texas Rope Rescue.
After a classroom session covering the hidden dangers of open holes and old mine workings — including air monitoring and how movement can stir up hazardous layers — the teams headed into the field for realistic scenarios.
UniSource Energy Services provided fresh, wide boreholes (up to 8 feet across and 27 feet deep) recently drilled for power poles. These holes sit completely open with no shoring, leaving raw dirt and rock walls that can crumble or sluff inward without warning. Rescuers practiced using tools crews already carry on site to quickly retrieve someone who might fall in. Training in the actual environment made the risks far more real than any lecture.
The teams then moved to an abandoned mine with old underground workings. A guided tour highlighted often-overlooked hazards like rotting timbers, unstable rock, and decaying passages. Discussion included how walking can disturb bad air pockets, why you must look down as carefully as up, and how “safe-looking” spots can turn dangerous fast.
By the end of the weekend, rescuers gained confidence spotting these risks up close and developed a healthy respect for open holes, old mines, and sketchy underground terrain. They reviewed practical techniques, gear, and habits that keep rescuers alive.
Every rescue is unique, so staying proficient in these technical scenarios is critical. Excellent work by all — outstanding collaboration between Mohave County SAR, UniSource Energy Services, and Texas Rope Rescue!