Terms in this set (56)

What are the two general classifications of rope?

Life Safety Rope and Utility Rope

What is life safety rope?

Designed exclusively for rescue and other emergency operations, meets requirements of NFPA
1983

What is utility rope?

Used for anything except rescues, can hoist equipment, cordon off an area, or secure objects

What is escape rope?

Sub-Class of life safety rope designed for single use in emergency situations to support the
weight of one person only

What is water rescue rope?

Sub-Class of life safety rope designed to float during water/ice rescues

What type of construction must be used for life safety rope?

Block creel construction which means a continuous filament of virgin fiber runs the entire length of
the rope's core, with no knots or splices

What criteria must life safety rope meet?

No Abrasions/Visible Damage

Not been exposed to heat/direct flame

Not subjected to any impact loads

Not exposed to any liquids/solids/gases of chemicals that can deteriorate rope

Passed inspection by qualified personnel

What is an impact load?

Dynamic and sudden load placed on rope, typically during a fall
What must be kept for every life safety line? What must it include?
A rope log that includes the manufacturer's instruction, purchase date, maintenance, inspections,
and previous impact loads

What rope materials can be used for what types of rope?

Synthetic - Life Safety or Utility
Natural - Utility Only

What are some factors of synthetic fiber rope?

Longer life span
Very strong and lightweight
Easy to maintain
Resistance to water, mildew, mold, rotting, shrinkage, and effects of UV

What are some factors of natural rope?

Resistant to sunlight
Does not melt when exposed to heat
Holds a knot firmly
Prone to mildew and mold, deteriorates when exposed to chemicals and burns when in contact
with embers/flame

What are the types of rope construction?

Kernmantle (Life Safety)
Laid (Utility)
Braided (Utility)
Braid on Braid (Utility)
What are the features of kernmantle rope?
Protective shield (mantle) which supports 25% of weight over load bearing core strands (kern)
which supports 75% of weight
What is dynamic rope?
Rope designed to stretch under load reducing shock of impact after a fall
Not used in rescue/hoisting applications

What is static rope?

Rope designed not to stretch under load, used for most rope-rescue operations, made from
synthetics
Must not stretch more than 10% of length when under 10% of breaking weight

What are the features of Laid rope?

Rope constructed by twisting several groups of individual strands together, either synthetic or
natural
Used exclusively for utility due to the fact that exterior strands are exposed and subject to
damage when they support large portion of weight bearing

What are the features of braided rope?

Uniform intertwining strands of rope in a diagonally overlapping pattern
Load-bearing fibers are vulnerable due to being on the exterior, used as utility rope, either
synthetic or natural

What are the features of braid-on-braid rope?

Braided core enclosed in a braided herringbone patterned sheath, can be confused with
kernmantle, but only used for utility

50% of weight is beared by the outer sheath

What are general factors you look for during inspection of rope?
Inspect visually and by hand looking for shards of glass, metal shavings, wood splinters, and any
other foreign objects that can damage fibers

How is Kernmantle rope inspected?

-Damage may not be obvious, so while applying slight tension, feel for lumps, depressions, or soft
spots. Also look for irregularities in shape/weave, foul smells, discoloration, roughness,
abrasions, or excessive fuzziness.
-If any are found or any doubts in rope's integrity, remove from service

How is Laid rope inspected?

-Must be untwisted so all sides can be inspected
-Look for soft/crusty/stiff/brittle spots, excessive stretching, cuts/nicks/abrasions, chemical
damage, dirt/grease, and/or other obvious flaws

What are signs of damage in laid rope?

Briddle/Ruptured fibers, powdering between strands, dark red/brown spots, salt incrustation,
swollen areas, rust spots, accumulation of greasy materials

How is braided rope inspected?

-Visually inspect for exterior damage
-Feel for mushy spots

How is Braid-on-Braid rope inspected?

-Visually inspect for heat sears, nicks, and cuts
-Feel for lumps and for the sheath sliding

How do you care for rope?

-Avoid abrasions/unnecessary wear
-Avoid sharp angles/bends
-Protect Ends
-Avoid Sustained Loads
-Avoid Rust
-Prevent contact with chemicals
-Reverse end of the rope periodically
-Do not walk on rope

What are the three methods for washing Synthetic rope?

-Washing by hand - Scrub with a bristle brush in a utility sink filled with warm water and detergent
-Rope-Washing device - Commercial device that attaches to a garden hose and spray multi-
directional water to remove surface stains
-Washing Machine - As long as there is no center agitator and it is placed in a mesh bag, use
coolest setting and a small amount of mild detergent

What must be done immediately following washing a rope?

-It must be dried, preferably over a drying rack or suspended in a hose tower
-Never expose to heat source or dryer, and keep out of direct sunlight

How do you clean natural fiber ropes?

-Brush/wipe, do not use water, if it is wet dry it thoroughly

What are the features of a rope log?

-Life safety rope must be permanently identified when purchased and labeled with a unique
identifier
-Log must include uses, maintenance, inspections in order to aid in determining when rope
should be removed from service

How should rope be stored?

-Should be stored in a clean, dry, and unheated are with freely circulating air
-Protected from weather and stored out of direct sunlight away from chemicals, fumes, and
vapors (i.e. in a different compartment than gas powered tools)
-Best way to store is in a designed bag identified with the type and size of rope and unit assigned
with the log attached to the outside

What is webbing?
-Device used for creating anchors/lashings, or for packaging patients and rescuers, constructed
of same material as life safety rope, as it must be NFPA compliant

What is flat webbing?

Single layer of material, similar to an automobile seatbelt, stiffer and more difficult to tie

What is tubular webbing?

-Most common for rescue applications
-Either edge stitched (sewing flat webbing over on it self) or spiral weave aka shuttle loom
construction, tube is weaved as a unit

What are the uses for webbing?

Support firefighter during rescue operations
- Rescue Harness
- Ladder Belt

Construction of an Anchor System

Package/Secure victims
Fasten rescue components together
What are the three classes of life safety rescue harnesses?
Class I (Seat Harness) - fastens around waist/thighs and is intended for emergency escape with
load up to 300lbs

Class II (Seat Harness) - fastens around waist/thighs and is intended for emergency escape with
loads up to 600lbs

Class III (Full Body) - fastens around waist/thighs/shoulders, rated for 600lbs

What are the uses for utility webbing?

-Securing hose rolls/bundles
-Raising/Lowering Tools/Equipment
-Part of search line system
-Securing Doors/Hatches open
-Carrying equipment (Hose, SCBA bottles)
-Pulling an unconscious/incapacitated person
-Securing a vehicle roof after it has been pealed
-Securing a door in place while it is being opened with spreaders during extrication

What are knots?

Way of joining ropes and/or webbing, attaching them to people/objects, or forming loops

What are the three parts of a rope when tying knots?

-Working End - used to tie knot/hitch

-Running Part - free end used for hoisting/pulling

-Standing Part - section between working end and running part

What is an overhand safety knot?

Supplemental knot tied to prevent primary knot from failing, prevents running end from slipping
back through primary knot

What is a hitch?
Temporary knot that falls apart if object held by rope is removed

What is a bight?
Simple bend in a rope

What is a bowline?
Knot used to form a loop

What is a Half Hitch?

Knot combined with others to stabilize objects
What is a clove hitch?
Two half hitches tied to attach rope to an object (i.e. pole, post, hose)

What is the handcuff knot?

Used to secure victim's hands/feet during rescue

Aka Rescue Knot

What is the figure 8 knots?

-Can be used as a stopper to prevent rope from passing through a rescue pulley and is the basis
for multiple knots

What is a Figure 8 Bend?

-Aka Flemish bend

-Used to tie ropes of equal diameters together

What is a Figure 8 on a Bight?

Used to tie a closed loop

What is a Figure 8 Follow Through?

Used to secure objects with a Figure 8 on a Bight

What is a Becket Bend?

Aka Sheet Bend

Used to join two ropes of unequal diameters

What is a water knot?

Used to join two pieces of webbing

What are the 5 main uses of rope/webbing at an emergency incident?

Rescue Operations (Must be Life Safety Rope)
- Rappelling
- Lifting Victims/Rescuers
- Removing victims from ice/swift water

Hoisting Tools/Equipment
- Cannot hoist SCBA bottles

Barrier to indicate control zone

Search line

Stabilizing Objects

What is a tag line?

Line used by firefighters on the ground to prevent hoisted object from striking structure or
anything else

What are the two main pieces of rope hardware?

Carabiner - snap link to connect rope to other mechanical gear

Pulley - creates mechanical advantage through a change in direction

What are the safety guidelines for rope use?

 Ensure proper balance and firm standing on ground

Use hand over hand method

Use edge roller/padding to prevent damaging rope over walls/edges

Use a pulley for heavy objects

Work in teams at height

Ensure hoisting area is clear

Avoid hoisting near electrical hazards

Secure nozzles of charged hoselines

Use a tag line

Avoid hoisting if safer to carry tools/equipment