SINGLE-SLIDE ROPE RESCUES
TRAINING NOTEBOOK
Ail photos by Ed Hall.
The ability to evaluate a successful rope rescue or personal escape technique often is taken for granted both at the individual and departmental level. Many departments purchase a system of ropes, harnesses, and descent devices; establish special rope units to ensure care and maintenance; take careful inventory of equipment and place it in select storage bags; and print bulletins as to proper use. Once placed in service, however, the equipment is seldom seen again. In the fire service rope is viewed as a tool that will be there when needed; little or or no consideration is given to practical, hands-on experience.
High-angle victim rescue, as well as rope-escape techniques, are precarious evolutions at best. Often these operations must be executed under less-than-ideal conditions. Rarely is the firefighter called on to effect a victim rescue without the complication of adverse circumstances. The firefighter’s adversaries are numerous: heat, smoke, wind, rain, and cold, to name a few. These encumbrances set the stage for potential failure or disaster. They must be anticipated and allowances for reduced performance expected. This can be accomplished only through a w ell-planned, continuous training program.
Yes, rope is a fire service tool. However, unlike most tools, the lack of hands-on experience with rope evolutions often places the firefighter, at the victim’s expense, in a hesistant position where his actions are uncertain and indecisive.
In recent years numerous successful rope rescues have been effected by the City of New York Fire Department. Of these, more than 25 were of such perilous circumstances that medals were awarded to the members involved. Past experience has exposed specific problems inherent in this type of high-angle rescue. Such problems would be difficult for the inexperienced rescuer to anticipate; some of the more common ones are discussed here.
The following considerations pertain to a rescuer making a single slide to perform a fire victim pickup. (The single slide is the most expedient form of rescue from a position above the victim. The* rope need only be tied to a substantial object or another firefighter and then deployed for descent. Although many departments require friction pulleys for lowering the rescuer as well as rescue knots for added security, these are not always feasible during situations of extreme urgency. The panicky victim requires expedience.) Execution is from a position above the point of rescue. Allowances must be made for the unpredictable behavior of a panicked victim and the proper positioning of the rope and firefighter making the rescue.
DEPLOYING THE ROPE
A common mistake made by inexperienced personnel is to deploy the rope to the left of the fire/victim window. In this position, a firefighter attempting a single-slide rescue would be using his right hand to control his rate of descent, in turn allowing the rope to hang toward the window and within reach of the panicky victim. (Reverse for a left-handed rescuer.) This places the firefighter in a vulnerable position. Human nature being what it is, the panicky victim, in an innate response to survive, often will inadvertently grab for the rope. If the rescuer has started his descent, any pull on the rope from below will lock him on the rope.
An adult victim can stretch outward from a window approximately four feet. To avoid the victim grabbing the rope, the rescuer would have to make his descent approximately five feet from the victim/window. This distance may prevent the victim from interfering with the rescuer’s descent, but it also negates the already limited effectiveness that the rescuer would have from the left side of the window.
A second problem involves the victim prematurely lunging for the rescuer. When the rope is deployed to the left side of the victim/window, the rescuer’s right hand (control/brake hand) is on the side facing the victim. If the victim prematurely jumps to the rescuer, the control/brake hand cannot be released to assist the victim. Unfortunately, there is little the rescuer can do from this angle to grab the victim. This victim, too, may lose his grip and fall.
The correct procedure for deployment of the rope for a single-slide rescue is to the right of the window. In this position the rope hangs well away from the victim, and the rescuer can control the rope by maneuvering it with his control/brake hand. Should the victim prematurely jump to the rescuer, the rescuer can release his guide hand (left hand) to assist the victim.
The rescuer’s first consideration on reaching the victim is to block the window. This simple maneuver is necessary to control a panicky, hysterical victim’s actions. It prevents the victim from precariously leaning out of the window or lunging for the rescuer and inadvertently slipping off the sill.
Situations have occurred where victims have fallen to their deaths despite the fact that safety was within inches in the form of a rescuer’s outstretched arm. Unfortunately, in many of these instances the victim prematurely exited the window and the rescuer was helpless to respond.
The rescuer may have to use a leg to push the victim back inside the window until he correctly positions himself for pickup. Victim panic is often the rescuer’s nemesis. At times fear must be dealt with quickly and forcefully; a successful rescue justifies such actions.
PICKING UP THE VICTIM
Once the rescuer is correctly positioned, the victim can be assisted into a safe position on the sill. The safest method for the pickup is to have the victim straddle the sill and the rescuer use a pickup strap to secure the victim to his harness. The pickup strap is made of 1 ¾-inch heavy-dutywebbing. It has a quick-adjust slide buckle and can be used on children as well as adults. Commercially sold, it has a tensile strength of more than 5,000 pounds.
Illustration by MIke McGauley.
The pickup strap prevents the accidental dropping of the victim. Once hooked onto the rescuer, the victim can be positioned with both feet hanging out the window and then lifted off the sill for descent. If a pickup strap is not used and the rescuer uses only his hands to hold the victim, then the rescuer’s position relative to the sill becomes critical to the operation’s success.
If the rescuer approaches the w indow too low, the majority of the victim’s body weight will be above the rescuer’s point of balance. This point is generally where the descending device and rope meet. The victim’s weight combined with the rescuer’s above the balance point causes both rescuer and victim to flip upside down.
In the process of developing window rescue techniques for the City of New York Fire Department, I have experienced the speed at which this loss of control takes place. It is virtually impossible to maintain a hold on the victim as you flip upside down.
The problem of offsetting one’s balance point can be prevented if the rescuer approaches the sill in a standing (slight knee-flexed) position. Assistance is given to correctly position the victim on the sill in a seated or squatting position. The victim is then instructed to grab onto the rescuer, preferably at the harness straps, while the rescuer uses one or both hands to hold the victim to him. This ensures the proper weight distribution of the victim below the rescuer’s waist and balance point. With the advent of the pickup strap, however, I discourage using free-hand pickups in elevated victim rescues.
There are many factors involved in standardizing rope-rescue techniques. Each roof or window evacuation presents a different set of problems. It is important that these operations be practiced as a unit. This accelerates proficiency and instills confidence in both the individual and the unit.
