ROPE RESCUE FOR FIRE FIGHTING, Ken Brennan, 1998
The ever-increasing demand for fire service personnel to perform operations on buildings, towers, bridges, below grade in confined spaces, in swift water, on rugged terrain, on ice and for personnel rescue has dramatically increased the need for training personnel in these various techniques.
Within every area of human endeavor there are differences of opinion as to how to get a given job done. In the discipline of rope rescue, particularly in the United States, there is a divergence of philosophies. Many times, regional influences play a large role in how specific techniques are done. The issue of what piece of hardware or software to use can create interesting discussions. Having several techniques and different types of equipment for a given situation is critical in the event something doesn't go as planned.
Still, every rescue team sets out with the same purpose in mind-to save a life. It's how they accomplish that feat that perhaps best distinguishes the individual approaches. To be safe, efficient, and successful are the governing parameters that apply to us all.
A wide variety of situations may require fire and rescue services to perform a rope rescue. Operations on tall buildings, towers, or bridges; below grade; in confined spaces, swift water, rugged terrain, and on ice all require the systematic use of lifesaving rope techniques. The ever-increasing demand for such services increases the possibility that firefighters may be injured while performing them. The best way to manage these increased risks is to train firefighters properly in rope rescue operations and to follow good safety practices.
This book will help you identify the various approaches necessary to enhance your rescue operations and meet the ever-growing needs of your community. It is a compilation of many thoughts, ideas, and practices put forth by various authorities. It tries to give the basics to the reader, covering both the tangible components of rope systems and the intangible concepts relating to them and is designed to provide you with a guide to establishing an effective and safe technical rescue operation relating to rope rescue.
Lt. Brennan begins with helping you identify the risks in the community or locality that you are operating in and then assess your organizational strengths and needs. The following chapters discuss the various components of rope rescue, including knots, anchor points, access, descent, packaging, mechanical advantage systems, and transportation systems.
Numerous illustrations enhance the learning process by showing various knots and systems mentioned in the book.
7" x 10", 289 pages, hundreds of B&W photos & illustrations, softcover BR9500 / $38.95