LamorindaCommunity Emergency Response Team

Rescue Ropes, Anchors and Knots

Semper Salus!

Safety is Always the Number One Priority!

CERT Disclaimer This 2 hour presentation will NOT qualify you

to perform Technical Rope Rescue! Do not put a life in jeopardy by exceeding

your training. We are here to present a series of knots,

anchors and other material to familiarize you with the proper tools for LOW ANGLE emergency use.

Practice the knots as often as possible on household chores.

Rope Rescue Definitions Low angle rope rescue refers to an

environment in which the "on-rope" rescuers are predominately supported by the rescuers themselves (feet on the ground) and not the rope rescue system.

High angle rope rescue refers to an environment in which the "on-rope" rescuers are predominantly supported by the rope rescue system.

Safety FactorsRopes, webbing, carabiners and other

hardware have tensile strengths (minimum breaking strength or MBS) rated in pounds or kN. 1 kN = 220 pounds.

Safety Factors are used to limit the chance failure. NFPA Life Safety – 15:1 NFPA Utility – 7:1 Mountain Climbing – 10:1

Strength Loss Caused by Knots

Rope Types - UtilityA Utility Rope is one that is used for

hauling supplies or securing objects.A Utility Rope must NEVER be used to

support the weight of a person.

Rope Types - UtilityUtility Rope materials:

Rope Types – Life SafetyA Life Safety Rope is normally a Static

Kernmantle nylon rope. ½ inch, MBS 9,000 lbs.

Safety Factor 15:1 Working strength 600 lbs.

Static kernmantle (low stretch) Used to support personnel Parallel fiber core prevents stretch

Dynamic kernmantle (high stretch) Shock-load absorbing ability Mountain climbing line Twisted or Laid core allows stretch

Static ropes are typically manufactured in one color and have a contrasting color as a tracer. Dynamic ropes come in three to four colors.

Rope Types – Life SafetyKernmantle is constructed with

High-strength continuous fiber inner core (kern) Braided outer sheath (mantle) Kern is the load bearing element (about 70%)

protected by the mantle

Webbing Used for

Tying anchors Lashing victims into a

litter Tying personal harness

Most common 1 inch, spiral weave,

tubular, nylon MBS 4,000 lbs.

WebbingSold in cut lengths that conform to

color code standard followed by most rescue teams throughout North and South America: Green 1.5M 5 Ft Yellow 3.5M 12 Ft Blue 4.5M 15 Ft Orange / Red 6 M 20 Ft Black 7.5+M 25 - 30 Ft

To remember the colors in order: Get Your Boots On

Webbing Flat Webbing

Single layer of fabric Hard to tie into knots MBS 3,000 lbs. for 1” Mainly used for straps and harnesses

Tubular Webbing 2 types:

Spiral Weave (Shuttle Loom) Edge Stitched (Needle Loom)

Easy to tie into knots MBS 4,000 lbs. for 1”

Rope and Webbing Care Inspect before and after use Inspect for-

Visual damage Loose Mantle Kinks

Store away from sunlight, heat and chemicals

Wash and air dry

Rope Use and Limits Do not submit Life Safety Rope to shock

loads Do not step on rope, you will grind in dirt Use edge protection on all ropes crossing

sharp edges and on dirt slopes Keep a written log on all Life Safety Rope Damaged or worn Life Safety Rope can be

decommissioned into Utility Rope with appropriate markings.

AnchorsAn anchor is used to support the

complete weight of the victim and the rescuers with all equipment

An anchor must be “bomb-proof”Anchors may be natural or manmade

Trees Rocks – “BFR”, a “very large rock” Trucks Buildings

AnchorsSelect anchors that are in line with the

pull of the systemConsider that the direction of the pull

may change with the movement of the load

Do not use trailer hitches or tow hooks as anchor points. Use main frames or axles for stable points of attachment.

AnchorsPicket systems require more resources

and timeMulti-point anchors can distribute shock

load better and offer redundancy if a single anchor fails

Redundant anchor points should be as strong as the main anchor point

Back-up anchors must have little slack in case of shock loading

AnchorsAngle between the legs should not

exceed 90°Load-distributing anchor systems share

the load and provide readjustment if a point fails

AnchorsWrap 3 Pull 2 with webbingLoad is off knot and

web is doubled for strength

AnchorsLoad Sharing with Webbing Load divided

among 3 anchor points

AnchorsTensionless Hitch

Minimum 3 wraps, more if surface is smooth Anchor at least 8x diameter of rope Aligns with direction of pull Same strength as rope because no load on knot

AnchorsPicket Anchor System

A single picket driven 2 feet into firm soil has a safe working load of approximately 700 lb.

A 1-1-1 combination picket or three pickets in line and lashed together will hold about 1,800 lb.

Load

Load

Load

O ne, O ne, P icket w ith Spanish W indlass

O ne, O ne, O ne, P icket w ith Spanish W indlass

15 degree anglefrom vertical

36“

Load

Load

Load

O ne, O ne, P icket w ith Spanish W indlass

O ne, O ne, O ne, P icket w ith Spanish W indlass

15 degree anglefrom vertical

36“

AnchorsTriangle Picket Anchor System

Names of rope partsA rope has many parts, each with a

nameTo avoid confusion, here are the part

names

Names of line parts

Bight - a bend in the rope that does not cross back across itself.

Loop - a bend in the rope that DOES cross itself.

Elbow – the crossing of the rope

Standing end – the long end, not the knotted end.

Standing part – the middle of the rope.

Working end – the end where the knot is tied

StoppersA knot that stops a rope from exiting a

pulleyA knot that stops a primary knot from

loosening by securing the working end

StoppersOverhand KnotUsed to back up other knots

StoppersDouble Overhand Stopper KnotReliable, moderately large stopper

Stoppers

Figure Eight Stopper KnotUsed to stop rope travel

through a deviceBasis of the Figure Eight

family of knots

LoopsNon slipping loopsSlipping loopsAttachment pointsAnchor knots

LoopsFigure Eight Loop Can be attached to an

object with a carabiner Non slipping loop

LoopsFigure Eight Follow Through Tied around an object Non slipping loop

LoopsFigure Eight on a Bight Can be attached to an object with a carabiner Non slipping loop

Loops

Forms two individual loops

Creates more bearing surface for the load

More efficient than the normal figure eight loop

Double Loop Figure Eight

Loops

Forms loop in the middle of a rope Takes strain in one direction only Strain from other direction collapses loop

Directional Figure Eight Loop

Loops

Designed to be pulled in any of 3 directions

Can be tied mid-line No back ups

needed

Alpine Butterfly

One Side of the Butterfly forms an X or Cross

The Other Side has Two Parallel Ropes

Loops

Non-slipping loop MUST be backed up Lower efficiency

than figure 8 family

Bowline

Loops

Non-slipping loop Double loops

Bowline on a Bight

Loops

Slipping loop Used to secure wrists or ankles of victim

Handcuff Loop

HitchesA knot that ties around an objectThe object may be the standing end of

the rope

Hitches

Basic knot Used in multiples,

i.e. 2 half-hitches or 3 half-hitches

Half Hitch

Hitches

Can be tied with webbing also

Clove Hitch

Hitches

Basis of the Prusik Hitch

Not to be used with webbing in anchor point because it can cut itself

Girth Hitch or Lark’s Foot

HitchesTensionless Hitch

Minimum 3 wraps, more if surface is smooth Anchor at least 8x diameter of rope Aligns with direction of pull Same strength as rope because no load on knot

Hitches

Triple wrap in tandem for rescue loads

Should slip before failure

Prusik Hitch

Hitches

Use to secure the top of a stake for driving

Marlinspike Hitch

Hitches

Use to attach, then tension rope Can be doubled up

Trucker’s Hitch

BendsFor Joining Two Ropes

Bends

Can be used as back up knot

Fisherman’s Bend

Bends

Suited for ropes of equal diameters

Commonly used to tie Prusik Loops

Requires no back up knot

Parallel Ropes

Double Fisherman’s Bend

BendsFigure Eight Bend Suited for ropes of equal diameters

BendsSheet or Becket Bend Join ropes of unequal diameters When tied the bight goes in the larger rope

Utility Knots

A binding knot, not a joining bend

Used to keep objects together

Not to be used with synthetic ropes

Not a load bearing knot

Very low efficiency Lose over half of rope strength

Square Knot or Reef Knot

Utility Knots

Result of improperly tied Reef (Square) Knot

Bitter ends on opposite sides

It is said that sailors would secure their belongings in a ditty bag using the thief knot, often with the ends hidden. If another sailor went through the bag, the odds were high the thief would tie the bag back using the more common reef knot, revealing the tampering, hence the name.

Thieve’s Knot

Square

Thieves

Utility Knots

Result of improperly tied Reef Knot

Loops are over/under Bitter ends on same

side Comes loose easily Can jam and be hard

to untie

Granny Knot

Utility Knots

An overhand follow through

Mainly used for webbing

Primary use is creating loops of webbing

Water Knot

Prusik Loops

Use 8mm kernmantle rope on ½” rescue rope

Tie with pair of Double or Triple Fisherman’s Knots

Short is 60” Long is 72” Use different colors

for long and short

Knots off set from apex

Fist Width Between Prusiks

Triple Wrapped

“ One to pull, two to haul ”

Prusik Loops

Practice A Rescue Team that

handles rope only once a year can not be proficient in knot tying.

Practice Practice Practice Practice

Semper Salus!

Other ResourcesAnimated Knots by GrogTM available as Windows or Mac Desktop App or Mobile App on iPhone and Android platforms. http://www.animatedknots.com/

Office of the State Fire Marshal. Low Angle Rope Rescue Operational Instructor and Student Manual. Sacramento, CA: State Fire Training, 2007. Accessed 21 Feb 2014. http://osfm.fire.ca.gov/training/pdf/LARRO.StManual.pdf

CreditsOriginal presentation created by Sherry Balon for Rural/Metro Corporation, Division of Training. Made available in the public domain at: http://divisionoftraining.com/Training%20Material/Presentations/Rescue%20Knots.ppt

Additional material from N.C. Rope Rescue Tech presentation, California Low Angle Rope Rescue Operational Manual and many others

Adapted and enhanced for Lamorinda CERT by Duncan Seibert