Sep 10, 2010, 2:35 PM
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All Tandem Instructors
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Tandem Instructors, I am putting together a class this winter at Zhills on the weekends. So if you want to learn how to Jump with a gimp that may come to your DZ instead of turning them away. Learn what could go wrong during a freefall and how to handle it, with a trained gimp from Zhills who’s willing to help you out. Email me at ( pookieland@dropzone.com ) and also become a part of Team DumbAss while your here. Blue Skys to you
Someone handicapped. This particular poster is (I believe) a paraplegic, and has done a decent number of jumps and tandems. He's offering an insider's view.
Not that he can dictate safety, but he can give folks who are interested insight into some of the challenges from the passenger's point of view.
Sep 11, 2010, 5:02 PM
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Re: [pookieland] All Tandem Instructors
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I think I have a pretty good access to qualified tandem instructors that have experience with handicapped passengers. James Perez has over 200 jumps with Coral including 10-30 ways. Jim Wallace has over 200 jumps with para's, quads, and in between. They have both designed harnesses and special techniques for doing these kind of jumps. Jim, as an example, took a full quadriplegic that required a tracheotomy tube to breathe. They arranged to have a nurse in the airplane that unhooked his oxygen tube just before exit and hooked up a bailout bottle. After opening they landed next to another nurse who reconnected a main bottle. Since both are available every weekend at Perris I would like to think I have some of the best advice available. I also work for Jim!
Sep 11, 2010, 5:46 PM
Post #7 of 27
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Re: [jimjumper] All Tandem Instructors
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I think I have a pretty good access to qualified tandem instructors that have experience with handicapped passengers. James Perez has over 200 jumps with Coral including 10-30 ways. Jim Wallace has over 200 jumps with para's, quads, and in between. They have both designed harnesses and special techniques for doing these kind of jumps. Jim, as an example, took a full quadriplegic that required a tracheotomy tube to breathe. They arranged to have a nurse in the airplane that unhooked his oxygen tube just before exit and hooked up a bailout bottle. After opening they landed next to another nurse who reconnected a main bottle. Since both are available every weekend at Perris I would like to think I have some of the best advice available. I also work for Jim!
Hmmm so I guess that means you won't be going?.......
Sep 11, 2010, 6:10 PM
Post #8 of 27
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Re: [pookieland] All Tandem Instructors
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Make sure to invite Mike G. from ChuitingStar. He would know.
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Tandem Instructors, I am putting together a class this winter at Zhills on the weekends. So if you want to learn how to Jump with a gimp that may come to your DZ instead of turning them away. Learn what could go wrong during a freefall and how to handle it, with a trained gimp from Zhills who’s willing to help you out. Email me at ( pookieland@dropzone.com ) and also become a part of Team DumbAss while your here. Blue Skys to you
Sep 11, 2010, 6:19 PM
Post #9 of 27
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Re: [jimjumper] All Tandem Instructors
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jimjumper thats great man. I am not saying I am the Only one out here with a disability, so I don't know how to take your comment. What I am saying is that I am making myself available to instructors and lay people who would like to learn how to jump with a person like myself. So obviously this would not be for you since you have access to people who have jumped with disabled people. which is kool. I am a disabled person who can help a Newby that would like to learn first hand experience and not just go be hearsay. I know I can offer that kind of unique experience. I have been given so much from my Skydiving family that I see it's only fitting to give back what ever I can. So, I don't know if it was necessary to belittle what I would like to give to those who don't have access to people like myself. I want to thank you for commenting on something that needed no comment from you since you know it all. So, I will be sure to pass on the good word that ( jimjumper ) out of ( Perris ) has no need for no stink'en help from a SkyDiving Paraplegic
Sep 12, 2010, 4:53 PM
Post #10 of 27
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Re: [pookieland] All Tandem Instructors
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I apologize!! The way I wrote belittled you and your experience and I didn't mean it the way it was written! What I really meant to say was I hope that you are able to present information that isn't usually out there. I tried to create a medical questionaire when friends of mine, (my wife and I raise service dogs to work with the handicapped), wanted to jump and our service orginization lawyer took one look and said "Are you Kidding!?"As a practical matter it is fairly easy to take a handicapped person on a skydive, It's the legal and medical hoops that's the difficulty. We are not allowed to ask any medical information from a prospective student because it may violate his medical confidentiality. If we turn the student down he has the choice of obtaining a letter from their physician clearing him to jump or he can sue us under the Americans with Disabilities Act for not providing a public service. I guess what I'm trying to point out is that there is a lot more to doing handicapped students than just creating the equipment to do it. I would suggest though that you submit your course outline both online and to Parachutist for publication. I also think it would be a great symposium topic at the next PIA convention. Again I apologize for the way I wrote my response and hope you don't think too bad of me.
Sep 12, 2010, 8:52 PM
Post #11 of 27
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Re: [jimjumper] All Tandem Instructors
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It's kool, I am a Par and I have been working fulltime for the past 4 years at being the first and Only Black wheelchair SkyDiver. It's been a long road but I/We are almost there. I have accomplished everything about the Skydive except one thing and we have been working out that kink every weekend for the past year. I don't want to go into what that part is, but I have come futher then some of the few of us out there have. I am down to one instructor now during my free fall and my goal is for this coming winter to get down to No instructors, so I can jump with the team I have formed.I have been breaking and making the rules about people in wheelchairs and I won't stop till I'm done. I have over 40 jumps with 7 or 8 of them being aff, but 0ver 30 of them tandems. So, I have been put into a lot of different position and I think each instructor that wants to learn should have a chance to find what works best for them so they can feel safe with a disabled person straped to them, and I am whiling to help in anyway that I can. Here's a lil bite about me, which might give you some insite on how far I came. ( http://blueskiesmag.com/2010/03/29/pookie/ )
My name is Pookie and you will hear more about me soon....
Sep 12, 2010, 9:35 PM
Post #12 of 27
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Re: [pookieland] All Tandem Instructors
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I would love to attend, but Florida is rather far from BC. Have you considered videoing the session and making it available for those of us who are not able to attend?
Sep 13, 2010, 7:22 AM
Post #13 of 27
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Re: [jimjumper] All Tandem Instructors
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Jim, I don't mean to flame you but whoever is giving you your legal advice is woefully un or underinformed.
1. Medical Confidentiallity does not mean that the patient or student cannot share with the instructor, it means the instructor cannot share it further. IE I cant violate my own right to privacy
2. The American with Disabilities Act requires REASONABLE accomodation, there is NO WAY someone with a disability could sue you for not taking them on a skydive. They could potentially sue you if your facility is not wheelchair safe I suppose.
Sep 13, 2010, 7:48 AM
Post #14 of 27
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Re: [GoofyJump] All Tandem Instructors
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That is why we had to install wheelchair ramps and handicapped parking spaces. Unfortunately in California we have professional handicap experts that sue businesses for a living for not complying with ADA requirements. Last year they hit all of the hay and feed stores in the area. The paid them to settle and now they all have installed concrete handicapped parking spaces and compliant restroom facilities. They have literally sued over the height of grab bars and stall size. It's a legal jungle here. The choice usually ends up pay them or the lawyer.
Sep 20, 2010, 1:39 PM
Post #22 of 27
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Re: [airtwardo] All Tandem Instructors
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I was in the Muff Trailer having a Safty meeting with some of my Muff Brothers & Sisters. We're Doing Big Thangs here in Zhills and I'm feelin the Love from my friends....Shout out to my Left hand man Mark the E-normiss...Muff Muff AssHole
Have you considered videoing the session and making it available for those of us who are not able to attend? 
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