Mental Health Mission

 IS THIS A LEGAL BRIDGE TO JUMP OFF?

 

THE PERRINE BRIDGE BECAME THE EPICENTER FOR THE SPORT OF B.A.S.E. JUMPING BECAUSE OF IT'S LEGALITY TO MAKE JUMPS ANYTIME. SKYDIVERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD COME TO THE PERRINE TO TRAIN FOR B.A.S.E. 

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DID YOU JUST FIND A PARACHUTE & DECIDE TO TRY THIS? 

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YOU MUST HAVE 200 SKYDIVES AND A CLASS B LICENSE OR HIGHER WITH THE USPA (UNITED STATES PARACHUTE ASSOCIATION) TO BEGIN TRAINING IN B.A.S.E., ALL JUMPERS MUST BE TRAINED IN SKYDIVING FIRST. A JUMPER HERE AT THE BRIDGE IS EITHER A TRAINED SKYDIVER AND NOW LEARNING B.A.S.E., OR IS HIGHLY TRAINED IN BOTH ALREADY. TO GET A B.A.S.E. CERTIFICATION, A TRAINED JUMPER MUST HAVE ANOTHER TRAINED JUMPER WITNESS A JUMP FROM ALL OF THE OBJECTS. A JUMP OFF A BUILDING, ANTENNA, SPAN (BRIDGE), & EARTH (CLIFF) B.A.S.E. JUMPING IS MUCH MORE TECHNICAL THAN SKYDIVING, AND REQUIRES QUICKER REACTION TIMES & UNDER MORE INTENSE PRESSURE. MISTAKES ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE FATAL IN THIS SPORT. PARACHUTING IS A SERIOUS SKILL THAT TAKES TIME TO LEARN. YOU CANNOT GO BUY OR RENT A B.A.S.E. PARACHUTE AND JUST TRY A JUMP. YOU MUST TRAIN AND ACCESS A PARACHUTE THROUGH SERIOUS TRAINING. 

 

HOW MANY PARACHUTES DO YOU HAVE?

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IN SKYDIVING YOU HAVE 2 PARACHUTES, IN B.A.S.E. YOU HAVE 1 PARACHUTE. IN B.A.S.E. YOU DO NOT HAVE A CUTAWAY SYSTEM OR A RESERVE BECAUSE THERE IS NO TIME FOR A SECOND PARACHUTE. A B.A.S.E. PARACHUTIST MUST BE EXTREMELY FAMILIAR WITH HOW TO FIX A MALFUNCTION (A PARTIAL OR TOTAL FAILURE OF THE PARACHUTE) SINCE THERE IS ONLY ONE PARACHUTE.  INSTEAD OF MINUTES TO FIX A PARACHUTE FAILURE, YOU HAVE SECONDS. 

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IS IT DANGEROUS? 

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IT IS THE MOST DANGEROUS SPORT IN THE WORLD WITH THE MOST FATALITIES. SPAN (BRIDGE) IS THE MOST SAFE OBJECT BECAUSE THERE IS LESS LIKELIHOOD OF FLYING BACK IN TO THE OBJECT. BUILDINGS AND CLIFFS ARE THE MOST DANGEROUS, AND ANTENNAS ARE THE SECOND MOST SAFE, BUT ONE MUST BE CAREFUL OF THE GUIDE WIRES THAT HOLD UP THE ANTENNA. 

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WHERE DO YOU JUMP?

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JUMPERS JUMP OFF THE CENTER OF THE BRIDGE OVER THE WATER (BY WALKING OUT ON THE SIDEWALK TO THE CENTER) & FLYING TOWARD PILLAR FALLS. THE MAIN LANDING AREA IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TREES THAT SPLIT THE RIVER AND THE LAND. YOU CAN SEE CARPETS (ONE IS A BULLSEYE FOR ACCURACY PRACTICE) & A WINDSOCK IN THE MAIN LANDING AREA. THERE ARE OTHER MORE ADVANCED LANDING AREAS WHICH ARE ON THE BEACH (THE SECTION OF LAND ON THE RIVER EDGE THAT CAN LOOK AS THOUGH WE ARE LANDING IN THE TREES) WE LAND ON THE FOOTBRIDGE TO REALLY TEST YOUR ACCURACY SKILLS (THE REALLY SMALL LITTLE BRIDGE THAT YOU CAN SEE LOOKING DOWN AT THE MAIN LANDING AREA)

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WHICH DIRECTION DO YOU LAND? 

 

THE WINDSOCK TELLS US WHICH DIRECTION TO LAND. IF THE WIND IS FLYING TOWARD THE BRIDGE, IT IS CALLED A HEADWIND AND WE LAND BY FLYING STRAIGHT IN TO THE LANDING AREA OVER THE FOOTBRIDGE. IF THE WINDSOCK IS FLYING AWAY FROM THE BRIDGE, IT IS CALLED A TAILWIND AND WE FLY DOWN THE TREE-LINE AND TURN RIGHT AND COME IN FOR A LANDING. TURNING IS MORE DIFFICULT FOR BEGINNERS, BUT YOU LAND WITH THE WIND IN YOUR FACE AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE. 

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HOW HIGH IS THE BRIDGE? 

 

THE BRIDGE IS 486 FEET HIGH BUT YOU GET 3 EXTRA FEET IF YOU JUMP FROM THE RAIL. THE RAIL SHAKES AS TRAFFIC MOVES PAST IT, SO WE MUST BE PREPARED FOR SOME SHAKING AS WE STAND ON THE LITTLE THIN RAIL THAT IS AS WIDE AS A GYMNASTICS BEAM. 

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HOW LONG DO YOU FALL?

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486 FEET IS SHORT AND ONLY ALLOWS A JUMPER TO FALL FOR 4 SECONDS MAXIMUM. BUT MOST JUMPERS DON'T TAKE THE FULL 4 SECONDS. 2 SECONDS FEELS LIKE 10 SECONDS. THE GROUND WILL RUSH TO YOUR FACE AS YOU FALL. BECAUSE THE BRIDGE IS NOT A MOVING OBJECT LIKE A PLANE, YOU WILL FEEL THE FALL MORE INTENSELY, WHICH IS CALLED SUB-TERMINAL FALLING. YOUR BODY STARTS AT 0 MPH AND GAINS SPEED EVERY SECOND YOU FALL, REACHING SPEEDS UP TO 80 MPH IF YOU TAKE THE FULL 4 SECONDS. 5 SECONDS OF FALLING WITH NO PARACHUTE WILL LEAD TO IMPACTING THE WATER WHICH IS CERTAIN DEATH. YOU CANNOT SURVIVE A 90 MPH FALL EVEN INTO WATER. THE WATER IS CONCRETE. 

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HOW DO YOU GET BACK UP?

 

WE CAN HIKE BACK UP THE SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN WHICH IS A PRETTY STRENUOUS HIKE, OR WE CAN WALK DOWN A TRAIL 30 MINUTES TOWARD CENTENNIAL WATERPARK AND GET A RIDE BACK TO THE BRIDGE. 

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IS THIS LIKE SKYDIVING? 

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FIRSTLY, NO IT IS NOT LIKE SKYDIVING. SKYDIVING IS JUMPING FROM A 100 MPH MOVING AIRPLANE (INSTANT TERMINAL FALLING) WHICH SKIPS THE FALLING SENSATION. B.A.S.E. JUMPING IS JUMPING FROM A FIXED OBJECT THAT IS NOT MOVING AND FEELS LIKE A ROLLERCOASTER, (SUB-TERMINAL FALLING)  A B.A.S.E. PARACHUTE IS MUCH DIFFERENT THAN A SKYDIVING PARACHUTE AND MUST BE PACKED DIFFERENTLY. JUMPERS LEARN TO PACK THE NEW TYPE OF PARACHUTE BEFORE MAKING ANY JUMPS. NO-0NE PACKS YOUR CHUTE FOR YOU. ONLY YOU CAN, SO WE PACK CAREFULLY. PACKING WRONG CAN CAUSE ERRORS THAT CAN BE FATAL. IF YOU SEE SOMEONE PACKING, IT IS NOT POLITE TO INTERRUPT THEM, WHEREAS WE ARE CONCENTRATING ON THE FOLDING, WHICH OUR SAFETY RELIES ON THE ACCURACY OF OUR PACK JOB. ALSO FALLING OFF A FIXED OBJECT LIKE A BUILDING BRIDGE OR CLIFF IS MUCH MORE INENSE BECAUSE YOU CAN FEEL YOURSELF FALLING AS YOU START FROM 0 AND PICK UP SPEED UNLIKE JUMPING FROM A MOVING PLANE IN WHICH YOU ARE ALREADY TRAVELING AT OVER 100 MPH AT THE TIME OF THE JUMP. FALLING FROM 0 IS MUCH MORE INTENSE. THINK OF ROLLERCOASTER WITHOUT ALL THE SAFETY DEVICES KEEPING YOU FROM FALLING AS YOU FEEL THE FALLING SENSATION. YOU ARE REALLY FALLING TO OUR DEATH IN THIS SPORT. 

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WHAT TIME DO YOU JUMP? 

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WE JUMP AT ALL TIMES OF THE DAY IF THE WINDS AREN'T TOO HIGH. YOU CAN TELL IF THE WINDS ARE TOO HIGH BY WATCHING THE FLAG AT THE VISTOR'S CENTER AREA & THE WINDSOCK IN THE LANDING AREA. MOST JUMPERS WON'T JUMP IN HIGH WINDS. WE JUMP AT NIGHT EVERYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD TO AVOID BEING CAUGHT. WE JUMP IN THE NIGHT IN TWIN FALLS TOO. IT'S FUN. 

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DO YOU LAND IN THE WATER? 

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WE DO NOT PREFER TO LAND IN THE WATER. THE WATER CAN BE A DANGER. THE PARACHUTE IS A LOT OF MATERIAL AND LINES THAT CAN PULL US UNDER. WE SOMETIMES JUMP IN TO THE WATER ON PURPOSE WITH ROUND PARACHUTES WITH NO CONTROLS TO COOL OFF. CONTROLLING A PARACHUTE IS A SKILL AND CAN RESULT IN BAD LANDINGS THAT CAN INJUR AND BE FATAL. PARACHUTING IS A SERIOUS SKILL THAT TAKES TIME TO LEARN. NO-ONE CAN JUST GO BUY OR RENT A B.A.S.E. PARACHUTE AND JUST TRY A JUMP. YOU MUST TRAIN AND ACCESS A PARACHUTE THROUGH SERIOUS TRAINING. 

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WHERE IS THE BEST PLACE TO WATCH?

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THE BEST PLACE TO WATCH IS ONE THE SIDE OF THE WALL JUST UNDER THE SIDE OF THE BRIDGE THAT IS CLOSEST TO SHOSHONE FALLS. JUMPS CAN BE SEEN THERE. IT IS NOT POLITE TO FOLLOW A JUMPER TO HIS EXIT POINT OR TO GET TOO CLOSE TO A JUMPER UNLESS INVITED. A JUMPER COULD BE TRAINING AND THE FEAR CAN BE ELEVATED WITH RANDOM NEW PEOPLE CLOSE BY. SOME JUMPERS WANT TO JUMP WITH LITTLE DISTRACTIONS TO FOCUS AND CONCENTRATE. 

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HOW DO YOU DEPLOY THE PARACHUTE? 

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THERE ARE 5 WAYS TO DEPLOY A B.A.S.E. PARACHUTE; 

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PCA (PILOT CHUTE ASSISTANCE): SOMEONE STANDS BEHIND YOU & AS YOU JUMP, THEY POP YOUR PINS AND EXTRACT YOU PARACHUTE FOR YOU. YOU DON'T FALL FOR LONG AT ALL AND YOU OPEN HIGH AND HAVE MORE FLIGHT TIME. 

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STATIC LINE: YOU ATTACH YOUR BRIDLE (THE CORD ATTACHED TO THE PINS THAT OPEN THE BACKPACK) TO THE OBJECT (THE BRIDGE) WITH A BREAK CORD & AS YOU JUMP THE TENSION EXTRACTS THE PARACHUTE BY POPPING THE PINS AFTER YOU JUMP. (TANDEM BASE JUMPS USE THIS METHOD AND SO DOES THE MILITARY)

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HANDHELD: YOU HOLD THE PILOT CHUTE IN YOUR HAND AND AFTER YOU JUMP WHEN YOU'RE READY TO DEPLOY, YOU THROW THE PILOT CHUTE TO THE SIDE ALLOWING THE WIND TO INFLATE THE PILOT CHUTE (LITTLE ROUND DISK) WHICH THEN PULLS THE BRIDLE AND POPS THE PINS AND OPENS THE PACKED PARACHUTE WHICH SHOULD OPEN STRAIGHT & FLY YOU AWAY FROM THE OBJECT (ON HEADING) 

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STOWED: YOU STOW (STUFF THE PILOT CHUTE IN TO A LITTLE POCKET) AND REACH BACK AND PULL IT OUT WHEN YOU ARE READY TO DEPLOY. THIS METHOD YOU CAN FALL WITHOUT ANYTHING IN YOUR HANDS AND YOU CAN DO ARIELS (FLIPS AND TWISTS) BE TRAINED TO PULL THE PILOT CHUTE AT THE CORRECT TIME. 

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UNPACKED JUMPS: YOU SEE US WITH OUR PARACHUTE ALL OUT AND NOT PACKED IN OUR BACKPACK. WE ARE JUMPING UNPACKED WHICH IS A FASTER METHOD OF DEPLOYMENT AND ALLOWS MORE FLYING TIME. WE CAN DO STUNTS WITH IT UNPACKED THAT ARE ALSO TECHNICAL.

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WHAT IS THAT LITTLE ROUND THING THAT COMES OUT BEHIND YOU AS YOUR FALLING?

PULLING OUT A PILOT CHUTE IS CALLED PITCHING & IT EXTRACTS THE PARACHUTE BY POPPING THE PINS & OPENING THE CONTAINER (BACKPACK) 

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CAN YOU DO YOU DO FLIPS?

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ARIELS ARE VERY ADVANCED SKILLS AND REQUIRE GYMNASTICS TRAINING AND SERIOUS BODY AWARENESS AND GOOD PITCH TIMING. MOST JUMPERS DO NOT PERFORM ARIELS UNTIL MANY MANY REGULAR JUMPS ARE MADE AND GYMNASTICS AND BODY AWARENESS WITH PITCH TIMING PRACTICE. PULLING OUT THE PILOT CHUTE AT THE WRONG TIME DURING AN ARIEL CAN CAUSE BRIDLE WRAP WHICH CAN BE A FATAL MISTAKE.  

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WHY IS IT SO DANGEROUS?

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OBJECT STRIKES AND BAD LANDINGS ARE THE PRIMARY REASONS FOR FATALITIES IN OUR SPORT. IF YOU DON'T PACK THE PARACHUTE WITH SOLID SYMMETRY, IT CAN OPEN OFF HEADING (NOT STRAIGHT) AND IT WILL FLY YOU BACK IN TO THE BUILDING OR CLIFF, CAUSING YOU TO STRIKE THE OBJECT WHICH IS OFTEN FATAL. MALFUNCTIONS OF THE PARACHUTE (PARTIAL OR TOTAL FAILURE OF THE PARACHUTE TO FLY AS INTENDED) CAN COME FROM PACKING ERRORS AND OR INCORRECT BODY POSITIONS DURING FALLING, & FROM WINDS & OTHER FACTORS CAUSING INJURY OR DEATH. 

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HOW DO YOU LAND?

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LANDING A PARACHUTE IS TECHNICAL AND LANDING IS WHERE MANY INJURIES AND SOME FATALITIES OCCUR. IT TAKES EXTRA SKILL TO LAND A PARACHUTE NEAR TREES, BOULDERS, & IN WINDY CANYONS NEAR ALL KINDS OF HAZARDS. WE HAVE CONTROLS THAT TURN THE PARACHUTE. WHEN WE ARE READY TO LAND, WE USE CONTROL LINES LIKE CAR BREAKS TO SLOW DOWN THE PARACHUTE AT THE RIGHT TIME SO WE CAN LAND. LANDING IS TECHNICAL AND A LOT CAN GO WRONG ON THE LANDING IF WE DON'T TIME THINGS RIGHT. THE ACTUAL ACT OF LANDING IS CALLED A FLARE. A FLARE PULLS DOWN THE BACK OF THE CANOPY CAUSING IT TO DEFLATE AND COLLAPSE WHICH AT THE RIGHT TIME WILL ALLOW FOR A LANDING. 

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DO YOU WINGSUIT?

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B.A.S.E. JUMPING BECOMES MORE DIFFICULT WHEN YOU JUMP OFF OF HIGH CLIFFS WHERE YOU FALL LONGER. YOU CAN REACH SPEEDS UP TO TERMINAL VELOCITY WHICH ALLOWS YOU TO FLY YOUR BODY FORWARD WHICH IS CALLED TRACKING. IT INCREASES LIKELIHOOD OF OPENING WITH LINE TWISTS AND OTHER MALFUNCTIONS. AFTER YEARS OF TRACKING OFF OF CLIFFS AND OUT OF AIRPLANES, YOU CAN WEAR A WINGSUIT AND FLY OFF OF CLIFFS REACHING SPEEDS UP TO 200 MPH. IT TAKES YEARS AND YEARS TO LEARN THE VERY TECHNICAL SPORT OF WINGSUITING. THE CLOSER YOU FLY TO TERRAIN THE MORE RISK YOU HAVE OF OBJECT STRIKE. THIS IS CALLED PROXIMITY FLYING & IT IS HIGHLY DANGEROUS AND DEADLY. MOST FATALTIES OCCUR HERE. WINGSUITING IS FOR THE MOST ADVANCED B.A.S.E. JUMPER AND REQUIRES YEARS IN THE DISCIPLINE. IT IS A HYBRID SPORT OF SKYDIVING & B.A.S.E. JUMPING.