Ropes and Knots VI' Technical Rescue

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Ropes and KnotsVI. Technical Rescue

• Christopher Entrekin
• McLendon-Chisholm FD
• Rockwall County, TX

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References

• TEEX Manual
• NFPA 1983, Standard on Fire Service Life Safety
  Rope and System Components
• Essentials of Fire Fighting and Fire Department
  Operations, 5th Edition.
• Pub. Brady 2008

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Ropes in Action
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Technical Rescue

• Ropes are often used to access and extricate
  individuals.
• Many hardware components are used as well

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Hardware Components

• Carabiner is the most common component
• Connects rope to another rope
• Connects rope to harness
• Connects to any other piece of equipment

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Hardware Components

• Harness a piece of rescue or safety equipment
  worn by a person or animal
• Used to secure the person to a rope or solid
  object
• Three different types of harnesses
• Class 1 Belt Harness keeps firefighter in
  place
• Class 2 Seat Harness supports firefighter
• Class 3 Chest Harness most secure type
• Clean and inspect regularly

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Approved Ropes Course

• An approved rope course is required to stay
  proficient
• Courses cover tech skills needed to raise and
  lower people
• Cover skills to remove someone from a rock,
  ledge, or confined space
• Cover equipment needed for safe rescues

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Rescues

• Rescuers often have to lower themselves using a
  system of anchors, webbing, ropes, carabiners,
  and other devices

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Rescues

• Once victim is reached, they have to be
  stabilized
• Once stabilized, detirmine how to get them to
  safety.
• Many times victim will be lowered or raised
• Extreme cases are possible such as using a basket
  and helicopter

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Rescues

• Types and numbers of ropes vary per situation
• Primary rope there will always be a primary
  rope bearing the weight of the rescuer
• Belay line backup safety line
• Additional lines used to raise and lower
  victim, tools, other equipment and supplies

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Confined Space Rescue

• Collapsed trench rescues are complicated and
  require more skills
• Shoring
• General term used to describe any of a variety of
  means by which unstable structures or parts of a
  structure can be stabilized.
• Air quality monitoring
• Confined space operations
• Rope rescue

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Confined Space Rescue

• Confined Space Rescues
• Ropes used to remove victims
• Stokes basket or long board typically used
  instead of harness
• Harness and ropes may be used in deep trenches

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Confined Space Rescue

• Confined space rescues take place in many
  locations
• Tanks
• Silos
• Underground electrical vaults
• Storm drains
• Caves
• Similar structures

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Confined Space Rescue

• Often very difficult to extricate
• Poor ventilation
• Limited entry and exit areas
• Limited area to work
• Ropes often used to remove injured or unconscious
  persons

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Confined Space Rescue

• Can be very complex
• Types of structures
• Distances rescuers have to travel
• Limited working area
• Other potential hazards
• Relay stations are often used to transfer between
  rescue teams

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Water Rescue

• Simplest situation involves throwing a rope to
  victim and reeling them to shore
• Can become very complicated by stretching a rope
  across the waterway
• Rope will go diagonal across the waterway
• Always start up stream and go to the victim
• Requires a backup rescue team
• Boats can be tethered to the rope and manuevered
  to the victim

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Water Rescue
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Summary

• Be able to recognize a carabiner, harness, rope,
  figure 8, webbing, and other equipment
• Brief overview of confined space rescues
• Brief overview of water rescues