Rope Rescue Training

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Many types of accidents and incidents firefighters respond to involve using ropes to rescue victims. Technical rescue, which includes both low angle and high angle rope rescue, is considered high risk, low frequency.

"It's very, very hazardous to firefighters so the more training they can do obviously, the better," explains Capt. Jim Pearson, Technical Rescue Coordinator and Senior Training & Safety Officer with the San Bernardino County Fire Department.

During the high angle rope rescue simulation, firefighters worked on a dam with a victim trapped on a concrete landing below them with a vertical drop of about 30 feet. A vortex device and ropes are set up.

It takes numerous members of the Urban Search and Rescue Team to effect the rescue.

"We'll have at least seven to nine people on an incident like this," said Capt. Cheryl Roberts of the Rancho Cucamonga Fire Protection District.

Low angle rope rescue is the technique most commonly used. Although the hillside looks steep, it's still considered low angle. 

"This is what we use anytime we get a vehicle over the side, we get mountain bikers that ride off the trail and into down in the bottom of a canyon," said Capt. Tim Stewart of the Chino Valley Independent Fire District. 

There is a vortex device and two RPM systems hooked to each anchor point. The anchor point is a vehicle.

"We like to set the anchor points up away from the slope and give us some room to set up our haul systems," said Stewart.

During this multi-company drill, teams could either train alone or with each other. Most departments try to train with others at least quarterly. Individual crew training happens on a monthly basis.

"We want to be able to mesh with the other teams anytime there's a major event we can just step into their team," Stewart said.    


Author:Barbara Brooks - FDNNTV.com