DANGER IS MY BUSINESS: CLIFF RESCUE SQUAD

[music] [bell] >> A brave man cheats death rescuing people from the cliffs of Australia. Few places in the world have a more rugged coastline than the cliff heads that guard Sydney, Australia. These rocky bluffs and the waters beneath them seem to challenge people. And this kind of challenge gets people into trouble. >> [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] >> That swimmer is temporarily safe. And a rescue team is setting up equipment to bring him to the top of the cliff. Here to tell us the story of the brave man who leads this volunteer team of rescuers is Mr. Adventure himself, Colonel John D. Craig. Beautiful and rugged, isn't it? They have a lot of scenery like this in New South Wales. Here off of Sydney Heads, there are cliffs 200, 300 ft high. You know, sometimes people fall off these cliffs. And venture some children try to climb them. They get stuck about halfway up. Occasionally, a tired swimmer gets trapped at the foot on the rocks. When that happens, someone yells for help. And then an amazing group of men go into action. They're known as the Sydney Police Rescue Squad. Their leader is Sergeant Harry Wear. Their job is to rescue people from death off these cliffs. Right now, Sergeant Wear is down there trying to save a life. Let's go meet him. Bosun's chair, right? Ladies and gentlemen, meet Australia's most honored member of the Cliff Rescue Squad, Sergeant Harry Wear. Harry, what are the major problems on a rescue like this? Our problem is to get them up as quick as we possibly can without any accidents and make sure that I don't lose any of my good team. In other words, you can't make any mistakes. >> Definitely not. Is there danger those being trapped on the rocks getting panicky? Yes, at times they get very panicky. And our job is to get them up as quick as we possibly can, and there's no bigger pardon. How many rescues a year do you average? We average about 60 a year. When did the rescue squad start, Harry? Back in '42, uh the Commissioner of Police requested me to form a rescue squad because they were getting so many accidents around the cliffs of Sydney. And to handle this problem, we formed a special squad. Now, it's built up that I train 150 men a year. And also, I have also three instructors, Senior Constable Tyson is my mate. >> Okay, Harry, chairs ready. Excuse me, I'll see you later when I come up. Ladies and gentlemen, over 50 people are walking around alive and happy in Sydney today because of this man and the squad's courage and skill on the cliffs. Those men are dangling 300 ft in the air. One slip now and they'd drop to their death. >> [music] [music] >> Today the weather is kind. No gale winds to lash them against the cliffs as sometimes happens. Harry never uses power machinery to pull a rope. So, everything is done by hand. And these are willing, eager hands that have helped Harry make many rescues. Harry directs the operation with arm signals and a whistle. One guide rope keeps the ladder from spinning, very important in bad weather. It's a long way up, but with a crew like this, Harry always expects to make >> [bell] [music] >> How do these men become so efficient? Well, here is where it starts, at the police training center. These men greeting Harry are regular policemen, but with a special kind of courage. They all have volunteered for dangerous duty. Now, it's up to Sergeant Wear to see if they can qualify. To date, Harry has trained 150 men in cliff rescue techniques. He himself is on call 24 hours a day. When an emergency arises, he calls the men from their [music] various stations around the city to assist him. Rigging the portable crane is the first step in cliff rescue work. It's an upright pole braced on all sides [music] so it can't slip even in a high wind, with an arm that swings out over the cliff edge. >> [music] [music] [bell] >> The bosun's chair is Harry's favorite piece of rescue equipment, and the rescuer is strapped in [music] so he cannot fall out even if he loses his footing. The descent rope is fed through a series of pulleys to provide easy control. Harry takes almost as much risk instructing these trainees as he does in an actual rescue. About the only difference is being able to pick days when there's less hazard from the elements and daylight hours to work in. >> [music] [music] >> Harry calls this crab walking. But crossing one leg over another is a danger to be avoided. It can spill you. This demonstration also emphasizes the need for that strap to keep from slipping out of the chair if you should fall. >> [music] >> In many a bad storm off these Australian cliffs, fishing boats get into trouble and ask [music] for help. Then the Sydney Police Rescue Squad lowers a ladder like this to pick up survivors who wash in among the rocks. The ladder serves as a stretcher, and handling it with an injured or exhausted person [music] aboard is a tricky business in heavy surf. Holding tension on the line keeps it from swinging against the cliff, and also aids the men in maintaining a good footing to keep themselves from being washed away. When a survivor is strapped on the stretcher, keeping tension on that line also prevents the stretcher from being swept out of their hands and smashed on the rocks. A fall on those slippery, wet rocks could break a bone or crack a skull. So, the trainees must never let go of that stretcher. As the instructor, Harry is right in there with them without benefit of a line to hang on to. >> Sergeant Harry Wear personally supervises every phase of the training. He knows the dangers well. There was no one to teach him. The crucial test for every rookie is that first time out on the bosun's chair. Many of them are mighty glad that Harry Wear is up above supervising their descent. >> [music] >> Below, Senior Constable Tyson instructs the man on how to control himself during swing ascent against the cliff, like in a high wind. >> [music] >> It's easy when he can push off the rocks with his feet, but sometimes there are holes in those cliffs. Look at Harry Wear standing right on that sloping edge without a rope or anything. This man knows no fear. The rescue belt is needed for a special kind of rescue, the suicidal maniac bent on destroying himself. Standing on a ledge, he may brood for hours contemplating that final leap. Time enough for the cliff rescue squad to get there and try to save his life. Harry, without a belt or safety line, will portray the would-be suicide. >> [music] [music] >> For the rescuer, the biggest and strongest man in the crew is selected. If he can grab the victim and hold him, he may save his life. Harry claims a good rescue man will talk easily, gently, trying to discourage the jump, and all the while move closer and closer. He has only one chance to make that grab. He'd better not miss. Now. >> [music] [music] >> There's no end to the risk that Harry takes in training these men to save others. The cliffs at Sublime Point, about 40 miles from Sydney, are particularly treacherous. There is loose rock and sand on the edge and a 600-ft drop below. That wire fence is there for a good reason, a reason foolish tourists sometimes ignore. >> [bell] >> We'll see how Harry Wear handles this emergency. All emergency cliff rescue calls come direct to Sergeant Harry Wear at police headquarters. >> [bell] >> As usual, they don't know whether or not the man is still alive, so it becomes an emergency run. >> [music] [music] [music] >> The plan of rescue is up to Harry. The electric megaphone will aid in calling up his instructions. Here's where their training shows up. Each man knows his job and performs like a machine. >> [music] >> When a man's life is at stake, there is a tendency to hurry the descent. This is dangerous, and Harry knows it. >> [music] >> The tree has broken his fall. A closer look at the situation, and Harry sees he's going to need the help of Constable Tyson. So far in these rescue attempts, no one on the squad has been injured except Harry. But Constable Tyson knows in this harrowing work, you're always gambling with height, jagged rocks, and possible failure of the equipment or crew. But this is the work they have chosen, and eventually Tyson may lead the squad when Harry retires. >> [music] [music] [bell] [music] >> To get the man out of the tree and not drop him further down the cliff is their problem. He's still alive, but unconscious, so it's a tough job to get that harness on securely. >> [bell] [music] [music] >> It's up to Tyson now to guide them down to a level spot where the man can be given first aid. >> [music] >> The victim has a broken leg, shock. The rescuers know how to cope with these. There may be internal injuries. For this, they'll have to hurry him to a hospital. Before Harry Wear started cliff rescue work in 1942, he was a high rigger on the Sydney Harbour Bridge. In fact, it was riding the girders, somewhat like this, that brought forth the idea that people could be saved from Sydney's cliffs in much the same way. It seems he was born to live dangling in space, for in spite of the hazards, he's happiest when doing a service like this. >> [music] >> Small venturesome boys are the same all over the world. And here, near Sydney, youngsters have those fascinating cliffs to explore. >> [music] [music] [music] [music] >> No rescue could be more urgent to Harry than saving a child. He's not badly hurt, only bruised and scared, but he better not move. That's a narrow ledge. >> [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] >> Harry reassures him. They'll get him up all right. This is where experience counts. Walking almost straight out like this to keep the boy in the clear. There's a mighty lucky boy and a happy grateful father. This is reward enough for Harry Wear and the Sydney Police Rescue Squad. Harry Wear never knows what manner of emergency he may encounter. A suicide, a murder, a stupid fraternity hazing, or an unfortunate accident. >> [music] [music] [music] [music] >> Harry and his crew hold little hope. It's a 1,000-ft drop here at the gap where many suicides have taken place. >> [music] [music] >> This is one of the worst and most dangerous descends Harry has ever made. Harry looks for a sign of movement, but the form below is still. It's depressing when you're too late. >> [bell] [music] >> It's one thing to face hazards when there's hope, but this was a cruel prank. >> [music] >> Harry needlessly risked his life. He can truly say, "Danger is my business." All Australia is justifiably proud of Sergeant Harry Wear and the Sydney Police Rescue Squad. We salute them and thank them for their cooperation and the courtesy they have extended to us in making this picture. I hope you'll join me again when I bring you another unusual adventure on Danger Is My Business. >> [music] [music] [bell] [music]