Search Rope

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Permalink Reply by Asst. Chief Loftis on September 10, 2007 at 12:11am

I have used a couple of different brands the RIT brand with the knots and rings. I felt was a good concept, but we had trouble with tangles, etc. I found the best search rope was 9mm kevlar blend that we found. We ended up using it with our RIT Bags. We connected it to the RIT bag with captive-eye carabiners so if we had to extend it for whatever reason, or leave it because of shortage we could. We had 200' in our RIT bag. It is lightweight so it didn't add any drag. Tim Sendelbach has a couple of good programs that deals with search lines, so I am uploading them for you.

Attachments:

• search_line_survival_training.pdf, 545 KB
• ritsearchoperations.doc, 585 KB

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Permalink Reply by Daniel Brinkley on September 10, 2007 at 1:45pm

We use the RIT kevlar Search Rope with the rings and Knot every 10'

We've had good success with this in training considering its the first time we've trained and officially used search rope of any kind.

we also have 50' personal serch rope (actually tubular kevlar webbing) with each main line (100')

We do have problems managing the personal rope once used to branch off the main line.

Stay safe

Lt. Dan

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Permalink Reply by Reggie Anglin on June 28, 2009 at 4:19pm

would like to try this method, I will see if the guys would like to do this for training.

thanks be safe

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Permalink Reply by David Owens on September 18, 2007 at 11:54am

We have both the rope with rings and the 200' out of the RIT bag. The rope deployed from the RIT bag tends to work better and is easier because you don't have to carry a second bag.

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Permalink Reply by J Brooks on September 19, 2007 at 8:57am

I like the kevlar for search ropes dues to the high heat and abrasion resistence. I hate the price. I got rope for my department called Glo-flex by Sterling. It is a regular kernamantle rope with a reflective tracer. At least you have a chance of locating it if you lose it in the dark. If we trash it, we will replace it.

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Permalink Reply by Randy Macey on September 20, 2007 at 4:31pm

We only have one station that has rope as they deal with high angle rescue. Each truck carries water rescue rope, but have really never looked into search rope. We have always set it up that you go in with a hose line and don't leave the hose. This might be something to look into, as well we train on how to figure out the direction of the hose line by the markings felt on the hose connections. Even search and rescue always goes in with a charged hose.

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Permalink Reply by Daniel Brinkley on September 21, 2007 at 9:50pm

I'm talking mainly large area stuff. Some other applications such as complex office type layouts may apply as well.

Rope does 2 things. Helps you get out, and marks what area of the building has been searched.

Firefight is going on seprateley.

Not sure there is eneough resources to have 2 or 3 people handle the hose, and 2-3 people effectively search.

Also once your through the first search rope you would attach another and keep going (usually someone outside is tracking air management). Its not feasible to add more hose in this situation.

Relatively new technique, got a big push after Worcester.

We use a rope for RIT, but a few of us are looking to expand to other situations. (another example would be the Houston MAYDAY)

Some folks are tying knots as directionals, and depth, but a new idea is to tie as you go in approximate lenghts. Its easier to tell whats been searched by where the knots end.

Just looking for some info.

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Permalink Reply by Charley Cahsen on September 27, 2009 at 6:08pm

Here in Kansas City MO we lost a good friend and Battalion Chief John Tvedten on Dec. 18th of 99. We weren't prepared for that type of fire and it took one of ours. After the memorial service a few of us got together and over the course of the next 10 years, ( we still improve on it as we teach it), have simmered it down to a fairly simple and effective large area search we use exclusively for RIT. This is it in a nut shell. Team consists of four members. Two pairs. First pair make up the A-team and is the company officer , "lead-in" , as he will have the thermal imaging camera and will have to make decisions ,like is this a viable search. Next is the " mule" he gets this name because he hauls the rope bag ( 300" of 9mm kernmantle) and a rescue scba bottle with an imbilicle hose to quick fill a down firefighters bottle. These two enter the structure tethered together and the mule is attached to the rope. they are requested to acknowledge a status update every 3 min. If at 12 minutes no victim is found then the team is recalled and another team with fresh air take over ( At this point only two people are in the hazardous area doing the search) When a victim is found the A team sizes up what they might need and the B team can bring it in with them. The B team are attached to the rope seperately and follow the rope to the a teams location to help extricate the victim.
This works really well but I don't to give too much info because it can be dangerous. The past four years we've been going around the state of Missouri teaching this technique to departments from St. Louis to Rolla, Springfield,. For more info shoot a memo back.
Charley

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Permalink Reply by Don Smith on December 15, 2007 at 8:20am

I don't think a hose is an option in a rescue situation. It's far too slow and cumbersome.

From what I've seen, if you don't have large open areas, you don't really need a rope. Our RIT packs have them, but I don't know when we would use them in our first due.

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Permalink Reply by Clarence Roller on May 18, 2008 at 2:00pm

At my Dept. we each have 100' of rope and a carabiner hooked to our pants and put in our right side pocket we hook to the porch and go in only 1oo' it has worked twice in finding a lost ff, it also is a way to find your way back out.

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Permalink Reply by Rob on January 23, 2009 at 2:00am

My engine is the only one of the 4 that I know of that carries rope. We have 2 bags with 100' of non-life safety rope with a carribener in the end. We generally do not go anywhere without a hose, but if we do this is what we would use. I personally carry 50' of 10mm PMI with a NFPA G rated carribener on the end so this fat kid and his crew can get the heck out of dodge when it hits the fan.

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