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fruce

Several of you asked me to post this...

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Several of you asked that I re-post this message here (it was under Safety and Training) so that more of you would read it.
My message was in response to another skydivers difficulty in understanding how a fellow jumper fell out of her harness because her chest strap was undone and what could we do to prevent it from ever happening again.


…”If we all believe that we are, indeed , one large family, then we have a collective responsibility to all of those that we love and care about (ok, so maybe some of them you have to try real hard) to insure that they are safe. By safe, it simply means looking around you; look around you before you get on the plane, look around you while in the boarding area and look around you on the ride up.
Look around at all of those people who, like you, share a love of life and passion for a sport that we call skydiving.
Most of all, look to make sure that they are safe. “

I hope this thought helps....... peace

fruce
http://www.fruce.com

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Thanks jumpergirl.
I can’t tell you how many times I have done a gear check on someone; tucking risers back into the sides, putting riser flaps back into the tab, pushing pilot chutes back into the pouch etc.
Well one time it happened to me…… I had well over 800 jumps at the time and was doing a back to back load, so I was hurrying to get onto the plane. I ran over to the plane with my rig on one shoulder, stopped at the stair and well, jumped into my rig!. I thought that I had routed the chest strap correctly……… wrong!.
In my hurry, I placed the chest strap through the metal in front of the clip so that there was no tension holding the strap in. It could easily have slipped out. Lucky for me, my camera man, realizing that I had rushed, gave me a quick look and pointed out my error to me………. Possibly saving my life.
The point is, it can happen to any of us at any level.

fruce
http://www.fruce.com

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I had one of those last week. I was in a hurry to make the first load of the day. I reminded myself to still check my gear, which I did. I got a gear check before I got on the plane.
Right as we're about to take off the guy across me goes "Got altitude?" I look down at my alti and DOH! I forgot to calibrate it. I was reading about -100 feet. It's amazing the difference a storm front (or lack of one) makes.
Funny thing is I busted the guy next to me trying to secretly calibrate his alti in his helmet after he overheard our exchange.
Same flight I asked a guy for a pin check.. which he did. Right before my jump run, one of my instructors (I still consider them instructors, even though I'm not a student anymore) noticed the reserve flap wasn't closed right & fixed it.
I've heard enough of chest straps not being fastened that I always check mine multiple times on the ground and in the plane.
Lesson: Be paranoid about your gear. Get checks early & often! ;)
I've also started looking around more in the plane as well.
------------
Blue Skies!
Zennie

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Fruce,
I've been there myself. It's definitely an enlightening and scary experience. I'll never forget it again though. One of the videographers at my DZ caught me do a similar thing with the chest strap and gave me a heads up in the plane. Now I don't jump without checking that and all handles at least 3 times prior to jump run. It happens to everyone and you're completely right. We have to look out for each other, there's no room for error in this game.
-T1
C-30757

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Well, ummm, ya see in your case, it’s more of a unique challenge. Since your chest strap has those spikes and metal studs all over it, most guys just stare not knowing what to do with you…….. They don’t want to get injured in case those twins force the strap outward.
But the Frucinator knows how………….. he,he,he

fruce
http://www.fruce.com

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I like your style...chicks who skydive kick ass!!! I would buy you a beer right now, but I guess I am just going to have to send out a 'cheers' to you. Have a good weekend!
p.s. I could still teach you a thing or two...
"I'll jump anything!"

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