The document discusses rope rescue equipment and procedures. It outlines three levels of rope rescue - awareness, operations, and technician - as defined by NFPA 1670. It describes life safety rope and webbing standards, proper inspection and care techniques, types of harnesses and hardware including carabiners and pulleys, and descending/ascending devices like figure 8s and ascenders. The document provides information on rope construction, types of knots, and general safety considerations for rope rescue.

1. Rope Rescue
NS Mayport Fire and Emergency
Services

2. References
IFSTA Rescue, Chapter 4, 6th
Edition, 1996
NFPA 1670, Operations and Training for Technical Rescue Incidents, 1999
edition.
NFPA 1983, Fire Service Life Safety Rope And System Components, 1995
edition
Considerations for Rope Rescue, Kenneth N. Laidlaw, 1999, (internet)
Ropes and Knots, United States Search and Rescue Task Force, undated
(internet)

3. NFPA 1670
 Outlines requirements for Technical
Rescue Incidents
 Identifies the operating levels of rescue.
 Awareness
 Operations
 Technician

4. Awareness Level
 Minimum requirement
 Ability to:
 Do size up
 Identify resources
 Implement emergency response and ICS
 Use PPE
 Recognize Hazards of Rope Rescue

5. Operations Level
 Awareness Level
 Implement:
 Rope based mechanical advantage
systems
 Edge Protection
 Single and Multiple point Anchoring
Systems

6. Operations Level cont...
 Use Belay Systems
 Construct lowering and raising systems
 Tie Knots
 Assure Safety
 Package patient
 Maintain ropes and equipment
 Ascend and Descend a fixed rope

7. Technician Level
 Operations Level
 Know Procedures for:
 Load distributing anchor systems
 High-line rope system
 Use in High-angle environment
 Pass Knots Through System
 Use litter Attendants in High -angle rescue

8. Rope
 Two types of rope used in the fire service
 Utility rope
 Life Safety Rope

9. Utility Rope
 No fire standard applies
 Hoisting and securing objects only
 NOT TO BE USED FOR RESCUE OF VICTIMS

10. Life Safety Rope
 NFPA 1983
 Two classes
 One person
 300 LBS
 4500LBF
 1 1/8” - 1 1/2”

11. Life Safety Rope
 Two Person
 600 LBS
 9000 LBF
 1 1/2” - 2 1/4”

12. Life Safety Rope
 Only type to be used for RESCUE
 Should Not be used for UTILITY ROPE

13. Rope Construction
 Laid-
 Twisted or laid bundle of strands around
each other
 Can stretch
 Can spiral it untwisted under load.

14. Laid Rope

15. Rope Construction
 Solid Braid-
 No Core
 Unacceptable as Rescue Rope
 Used only for Utility rope

16. Rope Construction
 Kernmantle-
 High strength inner core (kern)
 Outer sheath (mantle)
 Kern is the load bearing element

17. Kernmantle
 Dynamic Kernmantle
 Load absorbing ability
 Twisted or Laid inner core allows some
stretch

18. Kernmantle
 Static Kernmantle
 Little stretch
 High abrasion resistance
 Excellent Rescue Rope

19. Kernmantle
 Almost all rescue rope made of DuPont
Nylon
 Block and Creel construction means-
 No Knots in fibers, and
 Never been used fibers

20. Kernmantle

21. Rope Care and Inspection
 Inspect before and after use
 Inspect for-
 Visual damage
 Loose Mantle
 Kinks
 Store away from sunlight, heat and
chemicals
 Wash and air dry

22. Rope Do’s and Don’ts
 Use the rope for it’s intended purpose
 Always use edge protection
 Proper rappelling techniques
 No
 Fast rappels
 Bounding
 Swinging

23. Rope Do’s and Don’ts
 Never step on a rope
 and, Again,
 Never use a rope for anything other then it’s
intended purpose

24. Webbing
 Used to construct anchor points
 1-2” sizes
 1” most common has a breaking strength of
4000 LBS
 If use for body contact must have 6000 LBS
breaking strength

25. Flat webbing
 Single layer of fabric
 Hard to tie knots in
 Mainly used for straps and harnesses

26. Tubular Webbing
 Easy to tie knots
 Edge stitched
 Spiral weave
 All webbing should be inspected as rope
 Wash in cold water and air dry

27. Harnesses
 Class I
 Around waist and thighs
 One person escape only

28. Class I

29. Harnesses
 Class II
 Fastened as Class I
 Load differences can be determined by
label
 Used for rappelling and victim pick-off

30. Class II

31. Harnesses
 Class III
 Fastened around waist, thighs and
shoulders
 Shoulder harness either integrated or
assembled
 Best in Confined Space but also for High-
angle rescue

32. Class III

33. Harnesses
 Improvised
 Rescue Knot
 Swiss seat
 Swiss seat with shoulder harness

34. Belts
 Not for rescue
 Only locking in ladders, high work, etc..

35. Hardware
 Carabiners
 “D” shaped best for rescue
 Always use locking gate
 Load vertically at spine
 ** IF A CARABINER IS DROPPED FROM WAIST
HIEGHT OR HIGHER, TAKE IT OUT OF SERVICE

36. Carabiners
Aluminum Carabiners
Steel Carabiners

37. Hardware
 Rescue ring
 Used with multidirectional loads
 Anchor Plates
 Braking devices also used as anchor points

38. Hardware
Rigging Plate
Rescue Ring

39. Ascenders
 Allows climbing of fixed ropes
 Will not stop a fall
 Use as intended
 Two types
 Cam (Gibbs)
 Handle

40. Ascenders
Gibbs Ascender

41. Descending devices
 Rappelling devices
 Figure 8’s
 Rappel racks

42. Figure 8
Various Styles of
Figure 8’s

43. Descenders
Descender
Bar Rack

44. Pulleys
 For hoisting and Mechanical Advantage
Systems
 Raising and lowering
 Single or double sheaves
 Edge Rollers
 Hose Rollers

45. Pulleys

46. Edge Rollers
Pulley Edge
Roller
Rack Edge Roller