the connecticut fire academy session 5.0 rope rescue

1 of 12 Revision: 052316

Session 5.0

Chapter 5 – Introduction to Technical Rope Rescue

Rescue Technician CORE

Rope Rescue Equipment & Operations

The Connecticut Fire Academy

Recruit Firefighter Program

Presentation Instructor Notes

```Slide

1

Connecticut Fire Academy – Recruit Program

Rope Rescue Equipment and Operations

Slide 2


EQUIPMENT

Slide 3


HARDWARE & SOFTWARE

Rescue Technician Core

Rigging, Anchoring, and Mechanical Advantage

Slide 4


NFPA 1983

Standard on fire service life

safety rope and system

components

All equipment used for rope rescue must

meet the requirements set forth in NFPA

1983

15:1 safety factor for ropes

10:1 safety factor for all other equipment


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Slide 5


Ratings

10:1 safety factor on all

software and hardware

All hardware should be

rated “G” for general use

Slide 6


Webbing

Used for-

• Anchoring

• Patient packaging

• Build harnesses

Webbing has a 10:1 safety factor

Used for many purposes

Harnesses, patient packaging,

anchoring

Slide 7


Tubular Webbing Strength

1” Continuous loop-

7,700lbs

1” Tubular with water

knot- 5,400lbs

1” Tubular (end to end)-

4,000 to 4,500lbs

Like the name implies, tubular webbing is

actually a tube that was pressed flat

Continuous loop slings are very common

for rescue due to their strength and ease of

use

A water bend reduces webbing strength by

40%-50%

These refer to the minimum breaking

strength. Actual working load is still

limited to a two person load.

Slide 8


Flat Webbing Strength

1” Flat webbing- 6,000lbs

1” Flat with water knot- 7,200lbs

Flat webbing is made in one continuous flat

piece

Anchor straps (next slide) are made with

flat webbing (2” usually)

Stronger than tubular, but heavier

•These refer to the minimum breaking

strength. Actual working load is still

limited to a two person load.


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Slide 9


Anchor Straps

2” flat webbing with

metal buckles

Working load measured from end to end,

which is seldom how the straps are used

Usually used in a “basket”

configuration

The Yates and CMC straps can be used in a

“choker” or “girth hitch” configuration

Slide 10


Prusiks

Used to hold or

attach ropes

Cordage should be 60-80% of

the main rope diameter

Typically 7-8mm in diameter

Typically used in pairs

Slip anywhere from 2,000lbs to

3,500lbs

Slide 11


Carabiners

“D” Modified “D”

Must meet NFPA 1983 rating for general

use (G)

May be steel or aluminum

10:1 Safety factor

Most steel carabiners are rated

from 10,000 – 12,000lbs

Aluminum are rated between 6,000

– 7,000lbs

“D” carabiners have a smaller gate opening

Modified “D” are larger at one end and

have a larger gate opening

These will fit over a ladder rung

Often used for Munter hitches or

attaching to baskets


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Slide 12


Carabiner Locks

Screw Gate

Auto Locking

Non-Locking

Non locking carabiners are not used for

high angle rescue but have a definite

purpose in ice / water rescue

The locking carabiners are either screw gate

or auto closing

Note the red paint on the screw type

carabiner indicating that it is in the

unlocked position

Carabiners should never be unlocked or

tightened when loaded

The screw gates should be oriented in a

downhill direction

If on level ground, the spine of the

carabiner should rest on the ground, not the

gate

Slide 13


Carabiner Loading

Carabiners must be

loaded along the spine

Regardless of the design, the carabiner

should only be loaded along, and in line

with the spine

Carabiners should NEVER be attached to

each other within a system (hard linking)

Slide 14


Rigging Plates

Loaded in any

directionAllows versatility

in anchoring

Can be loaded in any direction as long as its

in line with the plate


10:1 safety factor minimum

The Petzl (top left) is rated to

10,000lbs

Used for anchoring, rigging, attaching

stokes baskets, etc.


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Slide 15


Pulleys

Used for-

•C.O.D.

•Mechanical advantage

Prusik minding vs. non minding pulleys

The presence of a pulley does not make

mechanical advantage, the pulley must be

moving (travelling)

Larger pulleys create less friction than

smaller ones

4:1 rule for rope diameter to pulley size

2” pulley minimum for ½” rope

10:1 safety factor

Up to 25,000lbs minimum breaking

strength

Slide 16


Brake Bar Rack & 8 Plate

Used for rappelling

or lowering

There are a lot of personal preferences over

which device is better

These are the simplest, non mechanical

descenders used in rescue


Brake bar racks can be slightly more

complicated to rig for the novice user, but

they are more versatile.

The user can adjust the friction

while the rope is loaded with a

rescue

User has more control when used in

a lowering operation

8 Plates are very easy to rig, but the friction

is not adjustable

8 plates also cause a twisting in the

rope that can cause delays in

lowering

In a lowering operation, we

are usually limited to

approximately 25’ due to

this twisting

8 plates are limited in the distance a

user can rappel

Anything over 150’, the

rope’s weight pulls

downward on the device,

causing a braking effect

8 Plates can be loaded in any direction and

can be substituted for rigging plates


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Slide 17


Ascenders

Used for climbing rope and

attaching / building haul systems

Handled ascenders are used only for

climbing rope

1 person load only (300lbs)

Teeth on the cam will damage the

rope

Cammed ascender (Gibbs) is used for

attaching a mechanical advantage system to

another rope

2 person load

Also used within a mechanical

advantage system (z-rig)

Cammed ascenders can de-sheath

the rope with as little as 2,000lbs of

force

Caution must be taken not

to shock load a system

containing a cammed

ascender

Slide 18


Swivels

Eliminate twisting

with the system

Rated for 2 person loads

10:1 safety factor


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Slide 19


Pick Off Straps

Looks similar to an

anchor strap but are

not interchangeable

Indicated by a “V”

shaped buckle

Rated for 1 person load

Used to attach a victim into a rescuers rope

system or harness

Adjustable length

“V” goes to the victim

Slide 20


Load Releasing Hitch

Used for-

•Passing knots

•Transferring loads

•Releasing belays

May be manufactured or site made

Webbing (6’ minimum) is called a

mariner’s hitch

Rope (8mm) can make a hokie hitch or a

radium

Manufactured LRH’s are not long enough

to pass knots

Whichever style is used, it must make a

“closed” system

Slide 21


Edge Protection

Ropes must be protected

from all rough edges

90% of rope failures

are edge failures


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Slide 22


Daisy Chain

Not for anchoring

Used for attaching a rescuer

into a system or litter

1 person load

Loops are spaced every 2” and create

attachment points for a rescuer

Ascending

Litter attendant

Pick off

Slide 23


Etrier

Used with an ascender as

a foot loop for climbing

1 person load

Not for use in anchoring

Attaches to handled ascenders for

ascending rope

Attaches to a short rope to create a “chum”

line for a stokes basket

Slide 24


HARNESSES

Rescue Technician Core

Rigging, Anchoring, and Mechanical Advantage

Slide 25


Class 1 Harness

Waist belt only

Unsafe for

rappelling

Typically called a ladder or positioning belt

No longer used for rescue or rappelling

300lb weight rating


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Slide 26


Class 2 Harness

Waist and leg

harness

Suitable for rappelling

but not inversion

Since rescuers may inadvertently invert,

most departments don’t use class 2

harnesses

Supports a 2 person load

A victim’s weight can be supported

by the buckle in front

Slide 27


Class 3 Harness

Highest level

of protection

Allows for inversion

•Can support a 2 person load

•A victim’s weight can be

supported by the buckle in front

•Protects a rescuer from falling out during

inversion

Slide 28


Webbing Harness

Used to attach a

victim belay

If loaded, this type of harness can have a

tourniquet effect of the victims legs

Belay ropes are attached to the victim using

this type of harness

Often made with a green (6’) and yellow

(5’) continuous loop sling


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Slide 29


ROPE RESCUE OPERATIONS

Slide 30


Rope Rescue Situations

• High angle environments

• Slope evacuation (low angle)

• Confined space rescue

• Trench rescue

• Water rescue

• Structural collapse

• Wildland SAR

Rope rescue is a discipline that can be used

at various types of rescue incidents

Slide 31


Types of Rope Rescue

High Angle

Over 60°

Slope Evacuation

(Low Angle)

In high angle rescue, the majority of the

rescuer and victim weight is supported by

ropes

Each rope usually limited to one

victim and one rescuer

In slope evacuation, the majority of the

rescuer and victim weight is on the ground

The rope systems are used to move

the loads up and down the hill

Few limitations on the number of

rescuers that may be supported by

the rope

Slide 32


SIZE UP AND HAZARDS

Rescue Technician


Session 5.0







Slide 33


Eliminate Fall Hazards

Falls are the most

common hazard

• Set up perimeters

• Secure edge personnel

• Eliminate trip hazards

Everybody working near the edge must be

secured to an anchor

Use a rope or fire line tape to mark an edge

not to be crossed unless members are

secured

Slide 34


Other Hazards

• Entanglement

• Pinch hazards

• Falling objects

• Weather

• Untrained responders

• Bystanders & victims

• Traffic

Ropes that are slack and then get tensioned

can cause entanglement and pinch points

Equipment can be sucked into pulleys /

ascenders

Loose debris can be disturbed and fall or

cause trips

Weather can add a slip hazard in a high

angle environment

Well intentioned bystanders or relatives of

the victim can get in the way and cause

added issues at an incident

Traffic must be controlled if we will be

working near roadways / railroads

Slide 35


Specific PPE

• Harness

• Rope gloves

• Rescue helmet

Class 3 harnesses should be worn by any

rescuer operating in a high angle

environment

Head protection must be worn by any

rescuer going over an edge

Structural helmets can fatigue

wearers

The extended brim can catch on

belay ropes and jar the wearers

head

Gloves should have a palm made from

leather

Structural gloves are no good for

rope rescue

Kevlar gloves can damage rescue

rope


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Slide 36


First Due Duties

Number of

victims

Access

Utilities

Traffic control

Available

resources

The duties of a first due company are

limited due to the nature of the incident.

Companies can

Recon the area

Prevent the victims from falling

further

Secure utilities if applicable

Find the best access areas

Call for additional help

Isolate the area from civilians

Slide 37


the connecticut fire academy session 5.0 rope rescue

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