Equipment

For Either Fire Departments or Search and Rescue Teams… What is an Update vs a Revision?

I had a really nice chat with a SAR member who was tasked with making some changes with the team’s gear and “tactics”.  The team had been and was continuing to go through a lot of “ups and downs” with rosters and leadership.  He understood the task wasn’t so much as “making changes” as much …

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From Fundamentals to Expertise: Mastering Rope Rescues with Essential Gear

In the realm of rope rescue operations, proficiency is not just a goal; it’s a necessity that can make the difference between success and uncertainty. Imagine having the knowledge and skill set to navigate complex scenarios, armed with a toolkit of essential gear and systems that empower your actions. This journey to rope rescue mastery …

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10 Rope Rescue Equipment Categories Used in Advanced Rope Rescue Rigging Techniques

Earlier this week, I was asked to provide a quick list of talking points for a group of technicians who regularly gather for their own MasterMind group.  Obviously I was happy to oblige.  I suggested that he separate the question into two parts.. Rope Rescue Gear/Equipment Topics Rope Rescue Field Problem Topics Advanced rope rescue …

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A FRAME | QUAD BUNDLE HIGHLINE | Horizontal Rigging

Let’s look at the floating A-frame of our quad system right now. The floating A-frame is being guyed forward and backwards with the prusiks directly connected to the track line system. Okay. So this is our guying system front and back. This is pretty clean right here the way the guys put this together… a …

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A Frame | TWIN BUNDLE HIGHLINE | Horizontal Rigging

We’ve moved over to the floating A-frame, very much like the floating A-frame that we used for the single track line, but as we said, we’ve added the second track line here. It’s very important that these two track lines be tensioned the same. We would never mix products, for instance. We would never have …

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The Jigger… What is it? – A Rope Rescue Technician’s Best Friend

A jigger system is a mechanical advantage system that uses pulleys to increase the force applied to an object. It is typically used in rescue and rigging operations where multiple people are needed to apply force to an object, such as a stretcher or piece of equipment. The jigger system allows the load to be distributed evenly …

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Rope Rescue Gear and Everything Between! Part 1 – Let’s Get This Thing Started!

There are many factors to consider when selecting equipment for rope rescue operations, including operational pre planning, hazard analysis, staffing and training. The type of rescue operation will dictate the specific equipment needs, but there are some general guidelines that can be followed. The first step is to assess the hazards involved in the rescue …

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Rope Rescue Gear and Everything Between! Part 5 – Equipment Strength, Safety Factors & Load Ratios

Aside from being compatible with other components of the system, all equipment should be of sufficient strength to offer appropriate performance under whatever load might be applied, plus offer a sufficient factor of safety above and beyond that. While single body weight loads (one person) are often practices and aspect of litter work (as an …

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Rope Rescue Gear and Everything Between! Part 3 – Your Gear Selection Considerations

It doesn’t matter!… Always answer the first question first.  Then move to the second… and then, move to the third. What is the purpose? Why is it important? What is needed to fill #1 and #2? So for rope rescue, the last two blogs help with setting this up. I have long lost count of …

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Rope Rescue Gear and Everything Between! Part 2 – Creating Your Rope Rescue Equipment SOP

A systematic approach to rescue equipment selection, care and maintenance can help rescue teams be more effective in their work. By understanding the capabilities and limitations of different types of rescue equipment, rescue teams can choose the right tools for the job at hand. Additionally, proper care and maintenance of rescue equipment can prolong its …

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