TECHNICAL
RESCUE AWARENESS
Section 4-1
Rope
Standards
NFPA 1983 Fire Service Life Safety
Rope and System Components
This standard is to provide minimum performance
requirements and a reasonable degree of safety for new life safety rope and new
system components used to support fire service personnel, and civilians during
rescue, firefighting, and other emergency operations, or during training
evolutions.
NFPA 1670 Operations and Training/or
Technical Rescue Incidents
This standard identifies and establishes levels
of functional capability for safely and effectively conducting operations at
technical rescue incidents.
NFPA 1006 Rescue Technician
Professional Qualifications
This standard establishes the minimum job
performance requirements necessary for fire service and other emergency response
personnel who perform technical rescue operations.
Rope Rescue
Rope rescue is the providing of aid to those in
danger of injury or death in an environment where the use of rope and related
equipment is necessary to perform the rescue safely and successfully.
Types of Rope Rescue
Rope rescue can be divided into two categories,
high angle rescue and slope evacuation. High angle rescue, also known as
Vertical rescue, is defined as a rescue where the rescuer and/or victim have all
their weight supported by rope. Slope evacuations, also called low angle
evacuations, are rescues where the weight of the rescuers is on the ground and
the victims weight are on the litter tenders or rescuers.
Uses for Rope Rescue
Rope rescue can come in to play with a wide
variety of rescues. Rope rescue is the basic foundation for most disciplines of
rescues. Rope rescue is used in:
Hazards Associated with Rope Rescue
There are numerous hazards associated with rope
rescue operations. All members operating at a rope rescue operations must know
the hazards and how to avoid them. The most common hazard at a rope rescue
operation is falling. Most rope rescue operations involve elevations, and with
elevation, whether it is a roof, a water tower, or anything in between, there is
always a chance of falling. Any responder with a chance of falling must, per AHJ
policy, be secured.
Other hazards associated with rope rescue include:
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Trip hazards
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Uneven or wet ground
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Entanglement or pinching hazards ( i.e. hands caught in rope equipment)
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Falling objects (i.e. equipment, rocks, building components)
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Utilities
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Atmospheric hazards
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Weather
-
Untrained responders ( misuse and abuse of
equipment)
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Hostile by-standers/victims
-
Hazards specific to the location of the rescue
In all disciplines of "technical rescue", if you count the numbers of deaths
or serious injuries that occurred after "rescuers arrived on scene", there are
many more rescuers hurt or killed then victims.
It is the responsibility of the AHJ to pre-plan your response area to
identify the location and hazards of potential rope rescue incidents and prepare
for them through training and response procedures/guidelines.
First-Due Company Operations
It has been said that the first 5 minutes of an
operation determine the next 5 hours. That can never be overstated in rope
rescue. First-due companies operating at the awareness level, are not considered
"rescuers", they have many very important tasks to complete to ensure the
overall success of the operation. These duties include:
Size-up
Your size-up should be continuous. Size-up should start with pre-incident
planning. Size-up then continues with information received with the initial
alarm and information given enroute. Once on the scene, the size-up should
remain continuous as conditions change. Size-up should include, but not limited
to, the initial findings on the scene including the following:
- 1. Scope, magnitude, and nature of the incident. 2. Location of the incident.
- 3. Risk versus benefit analysis (rescue versus
recovery) 4. Access to the scene
- 5. Environmental factors
- 6. Available / necessary resources.
- 7. Ability to contact victim ( can this be
performed without endangering rescuers or victims)
Secure the general scene around the incident.
1. This area will include an area within 300 ft. ( or more, per incident
command)
2. Make the area safe for rescuers
a) Control/limit traffic and sources of vibration in the area, This may
include shutting down vehicles and equipment.
b) Control/limit access to area by unnecessary
personnel. c) Identify the hazards and remove or reduce their impact.
Notify a qualified rescue team to perform the rescue. These teams should be
identified by AHJ or department SOP / SOG.
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