Basejumper.com - archive

Google translation


http://www.rbnett.no/...TER08/793005138/1085

The incident was a 180 with line twists. He landed on a small grass field at the very top of the talus unhurt.

We are in a "war" with the Police chief. He is using all terms of words about base jumpers as a one group, even there is only very few who deserves the description he is describing. Again that is no pillow for us as jumpers. We do have to stop "Not telling" because we do feel we have no right to tell, or try to hide the real facts, or just trying to be a jumping buddy. Sure it is fun when we get out of near accidents, and we do live a bit higher for while, or some get scared and think twice. Most of the jumpers I know get high, and salute themselves for their brave actions they again made it out of a bad situations. I have been there myselves, accepting some few doing big mistakes turning out good, and then give them a big smile, since it was "that" person.

Google translation of my answer published in the newspaper on friday. Not on the web page.

- Legal to jump from Kalskråtinden
BASE-jumper Paul Fortun react against the chief

- The chief's reaction after the rescue action on Kalskråtind this week, are exaggerated and wrong, says Paul Fortun.

Rauma: This is one of the åpolitimester Arnstein Nilssen in Nordmøre and Romsdal Police said to the Romsdals Budstikke Wednesday 1. July:
- Base hoppere is irresponsible, farmer himself and cares not about the rescue together companies that put lives at stake to save them, "said politimester. The comment came after a base jump had to be saved down by a helicopter after an emergency landing in mountainous terrain under the wall on Kalskråtind Tuesday 30. June.
The experienced base hopperen Paul Fortun, who is also the initiator and organizer of the World Base Race on Gridsetskolten in Innfjorden, react to police mesterens negative characteristics.
- Selfishness and self-cultivation are found in many arenas, not only among base hoppere. Base Jumping and mountain aviation is the extreme activities that most people can not identify themselves with, and that is why it is understandable that people react when they read about the dangerous rescue operations. How has it been with other activities that we currently consider as "healthy Norwegian activities", and that we are proud of. BASE environment must do something about attitudes to risk, and so do we. Base Hoppere who will visit the station, we are told that they can not automatically expect to be rescued if they get out of an accident, "says Paul Fortun.
He reacts against the police master word for a rescue action after a jump in an area that is regarded as one of Norway's safest, and which lies well outside the illegal zone in and the Troll Wall.
- It will not help if the media use the superintendent as talking over the heads of the jumpers, and not directly to the jumpers. He has not been with him all that is done with the attitudes and environment in which we inform about attitudes, and basic guidelines. When one looks at the long-standing attitude campaigns, which are conducted in the last 50 years aimed at Easter mountains (easter tourists) and the use of seat-belt (in cars), one can understand that there is still a long way back for a young mountain flying environment. When it is about the Police chief statements, it is important to understand that demanding rescue operations do not always have to be life threatening. Now the chief uses the term "rescue crews put lives at risk" time after time when the base jumpers is saved after accident or accidents, it creates the impression that it is always perilous to retrieve base jumpers, "says Paul Fortun.
- Exactly what the superintendent says that more and more people are dragged into enviroment and that many of them have little experience?
- We go not into the environment, but the new practitioners from other outdoor activities have begun with the base hopping the last few years. We must deal with. However, I encourage the superintendent and others to see also on the positive aspects of our activity. Møre og Romsdal is known for its diversity of activities on the mountain and the sea. It would be a shame not to exploit this diversity, when there are many serious practitioners who want to come here to use the wonderful nature we have. These are gifted people, who will have much to mean to the Romsdal as a tourist destination in the years ahead. The activity of local and visiting BASE practitioners has resulted in increased media coverage and good marketing of regionen.Eksempel is Imaxfilmen from Eikesdal, the number of films and film snippets created by amateurs and professionals, World BASE Race from Gridsetskolten and recently was the world famous "60 Minutes" in Romsdal to film base jumping. We talk about marketing that would have cost much inconceivable if we were paid for it, "says Paul Fortun.
- Is the base jumpers little 'crazy'?
- Yes we are a little crazy, and we live a little on the edge of the ordinary people think is reasonable and normal. I challenge the critics to be a little roomy. Base jumpers is no threat to society, and we wish of course not that rescue crews will put their lives in danger to save people who have failed under the exercise of extreme activities.

With well known used language they know work, they upsets the main readers about the risk we do putting the rescue people in to. Another main issue is about the cost of a rescue like this. Very often we bound up two helies for an rescue like this. The ambulance heli, which can not lift our people, and the army rescue heli.

All this together makes it a very hot issue! Try to understand it is not a job to make the base jumpers understand the importance about safety, but also a job to deal with the media, and try to inform the public what we do.

The job it selves is hard enough if not more high profiled jumpers do not come and contribute.

What do you guys want for the future? Where do you see this is going? Is it all about you, and how you think it will be with more jumpers arriving the scene? The problem is not the locals who conserve their illegal sites, it is when they travel to legal sites the problem starts. Nothing is more regulated than a illegal site with rules and restrictions!

Do not take the legal sites freedom for granted! Respect what we have, and keep it like that.! Preserve, behave, and Respect!

You know, what I don't get is, why do they even bother rescuing people? If it's so dangerous, then just shut down all the rescue companies and be done with it and switch to some cat tree rescue company instead?

I mean, come on, rescues are dangerous and the people who apply for these kind of jobs know what they are getting into and if you don't want to do this, don't bitch and quit, if you do, shut up and keep rescuing people, it's your job.

Oh and about the big costs of the rescue, come on, Norway is a very rich country, a bit of rescues a year won't bankrupt it..

I agree up to a surten point! We have climbing rescuers who is volunteers, who do not get anything else than the feeling of helping people, and we have the army who do this as work. Both have family, friends, and a life they want to keep, and still be healthy. I can agree both might be in the group of people who want and need some action. Being a risk taker for fun, is totally different from having risk as a profession. There is so many things to consider, I dont want to start.

There is a fine line where to decide to not rescue somebody, and not! And the line is way over at hour side so far it have been in our part of country. There have been several near missen in Troll.

if we are still alive? What do you think your family/jumping friends would feel if you where inside the Troll Wall, and they would not go in and pick you up?

We as a group, can do something. We can show respect for the mountain, and those who is there to help you if we have an accident.,

The less respect we have, the easier it will be for those in charge to use big words in media to create dangerous operation terms at other places as well, until it became a truth. There is no reason there should be any rescues at karlskråtind. It is the safest cliff in Norway, but still if you dont track, are not in balance when you pull, you get 180, your will twist yourselves up, and if you pulled low, you will land up there.

Romsdalen have more places where there is more complicated to rescue jumpers than many other places around in Norway and world generally.

I can tell you one thing, I dont need to sit here and tell you guys about safety at all! I quit jumping 2 years ago. I run WBR, and we make hour own competition rules, which have nothing to do with BASE jumping in the area at all to do. At the same time, I know we will attract more jumpers to the area, and thats why I want to do my share of the jump to get the information out there, so the jumpers know what they can expect when they visit Romsdalen. There is also many other jumpers I would like to see got on the field as welll. Such as high profiled jumpers, who profile themselves, gear producers, jumpers who do fuck up should write an report, and bring the experience to next level.

There is no status limping around anymore
There is no status to be on the list

If you succeed a stupid jump, you are a hero
If you fail a stupid jump you are a zero!

Rescue is not necessary dangerous, but can be complicated. It take time to do it right. It nothing like the movie "Coast guard" with Kevin Costner ;-)

But when we are talking about flying in the Troll Wall, it is dangerous! Stay below the troll in a cabin one 24 hour, one week, you will understand.

Check if you can see this clip, and you will understand what kind of issues they go trough. Norwegian and english
English climber rescue in TW
http://www1.nrk.no/nett-tv/klipp/478144

Rescue in Kjerag
http://www1.nrk.no/nett-tv/klipp/473145

Interesting.. How often do these kind of rescues (with BASE jumpers) happen during the year (approximately)?

What can be done to avoid these rescues, to avoid problems in the first place? Maybe places like TW need some kind of BASE club (like Kjerag has), which would prepare jumpers for these complicated walls (briefing, guidance, instructions, advice etc...)? Off course this should be an underground club, because of the illegality of TW jumping, but maybe with more education on how to jump in these complicated places there would be less problems, less rescues and less attention from the media and the police?

But then again, who would run this club (if there was any at all), who would take the time to brief and instruct and lead the jumpers who are not experienced with these particular complicated big walls?

Just some thoughts..

Your question is: How can we make sure all cars drive in the correct line, at 60 miles in hour at the highway? Or at least keep the speed limits? All cars have every safety papers in order. Nobody drive after using drugs or alchohole. And all roads was in perfect conditions.

If so we would not see any accidents any more? or would we?

Yeah, guess you're right.

It's up to everyone to jump responsibly with according preparation..

The good thing about driving cars, you watch and learn from you are able to focus your eyes on moving things. You learn from tv, movies, news, sitting in the car, talking with friends, walking, bicycling, driving school, different driving safety programs, etc, etc,

BASE is up to you how you want to practice. Can you handle the responsibility that comes with the freedom?

We'll see when I start jumping...

that's where education and listening to others comes in play. if people learned patiently, developing skills in order, then they MIGHT be prepared for a jump.

that old, learn A, then B, etc. not skipping to J!

the thing is, people want instant gratification. the goal becomes dominant. thus many pick and choose to listen only to the information they want to hear. they do NOT like hearing something is inappropriate for them. they simply keep asking until they hear what they want.

the emotional rush can overwhelm rational decision making.

sad...

You have drivers who became Formula one/Nascar drivers for their talents, instincts and guts, but also because they understand the limits and rules, have patient and time to reach their goals by climbing the latter, on the other hand you have drivers who never should have been out on the road at all in the first place, who do not understand that themselves.

In base as long you have the guts, and are brave/stupid enough, it is your right to do what ever you want. Thats where the freedom and responsibility lays for everyone who want to start to jump.

Some jumpers will be good at jumping antennas, but never be any good mountain flyers, and visa versa, and some jumpers have talent what ever they do.

http://smp.no/...HETER/128110131/1002

The prohibition may be repealed as well. It is still to no avail, "says Nilssen - and think of the eight who now have lost their lives after Parachutist in the Troll Wall - Norway's highest vertical mountain wall at nearly 1,000 meters.

7. July 1984 jumped American Carl Boenish from Stabben on top of the Troll Wall. It will be his last. 43-year-old hit the mountain wall and killed.
Enka jumped
This scares apparently no one, not Widow Jean Boenish that a few days later jumps from the same place to honor her deceased husband.

Her jump was good. It did not for years after a 19-year-old Swedish and a 32-year-old find. Both lost their lives after the jump downward in the Troll wall with the parachute on his back.
Prohibition
And when a businessman from Australia the following year also killed the same place, the authorities had received NOK and Justice download prohibition of fall comes hopping in Troll wall.

Then politimester Ivar A. Oftedahl set himself up prohibition sign at the top of the steep mountain wall.

But the jumps continued, and accidents were more.

A 22-year-old from Australia, died in 1999, a 29-year-old man from Sweden suffered the same fate after a jump in 2003.

In 2006, killed a 30-year-old man from Australia, while a 34-year-old boy from Norway died after a jump in the Troll Wall in 2008.

Politimester Arnstein Nilssen wait for the next Emergency Room from the valley:

- The prohibition against parachuting has no effect. We do not have the capacity to monitor the mountain. And it made at least one thousand illegal jumps a year in the Troll Wall. Base Jumping become increasingly prevalent, and thus will be more inexperienced hoppere. So I more fatal accidents in the time ahead, "said the superintendent.
Fines
- Some have you managed to get in?

- Yes, we have been fined a few, and involved the parachute. But it means nothing, and that scares no one. So the ban has no purpose, says Nilssen.

- Can the ban have the opposite effect: to extract even more hoppere to Troll wall?

- No, I do not know. Those who jump here say they do it because it is something special time to jump in the Troll Wall.
Egoister
The superintendent in Nordmøre and Romsdal has long been clear on what he thinks about businessman environment:

- They are egoists who do not think about those who are sent up to rescue them. It's going to encounter situations where I must decide that we can not go in with a helicopter to get people, whether they are alive or dead, because it is too dangerous for rescue crews. There I see the dark, "says Nilssen.

- Have you even met the base hoppere?

- Yes, I have. One of them said to me that it was not dangerous to jump. A month later he was dead, "says Arnstein Nilssen, politimester in Nordmøre and Romsdal.
> swap

I spoke to the Police chief today, and we had a good conversation, where we agreed to have a meeting with the media present. He do not dislike base jumpers, but had expressed his feelings about the egoistic jumpers who do jump in the illegal zone in Troll wall without thinking about those who is going to rescue them, or those who have to make the decision of a no go rescue!

He have a big responsibility the day he is going to say yes or no! The rescue personnel can only give advice about the situation, but it is the Police chiefs responsibility to give green light.

Good luck for that meeting

All the best for the meeting. Just remember with the media present that they sell stories by making things sensational.

They may act (or even be genuinely) friendly when you're face to face, but that won't stop them leaving you in shreds on the editing room floor. It might make it hard for you to really discuss the heavy, but important, issues in the necessary depth if you've also got to worry about what sound bites will get played on the 6 oclock news. They love to make BASE jumpers seem like suicidal lunatics to the masses.

I found this out the not-so-fun way when a few of our crew thought we might be able to do something constructive with the media at home and it blew up in our faces quite nicely.

Maybe you can get some of the session recorded to show that BASE jumpers and police are working together and then kick them out for the serious stuff.

Maybe you can get some of the session recorded
to show that BASE jumpers and police are working
together then kick them out for the serious stuff.

Sounds like a good idea.

Good luck 434!

This is the local media, and those are not aiming for us to look like lunatics, but want it to look like we have conflict with the police especially when the Troll Wall is illegal.

We will film everything so we have it all recorded.

Another thing we have to admit our lack of respect of the law.

The last ten years The troll have been "raped" and more and more jumpers do not care how to behave, neither respect the Wall it selves.

Hey, have you had that meeting? How'd it go? Did you get to see what the media ended up putting together?

Not yet, and now it is WBR coming up. No time since I lost one week due to being drugged up in hospital due to a new prolapse. Take care of your backs folks. My L4 and L5 is just crushed. (Not only cause of jumping)

Ouch, that doesn't sound fun. Hope it doesn't put you out for too long.