By Anthony Avillo
On October 11, 2002, North Hudson (NJ) Regional Fire & Rescue responded to the Palisades cliffs for a reported injured man. The victim was discovered approximately 100 feet below Boulevard East in Weehawken, New Jersey. Rescuers successfully removed him from the cliffs and transported him to a local hospital, where he was treated for injuries suffered in the fall and for hypothermia (see photos and cover photo).
Successful technical rope rescues (TRRs) do not just happen. Suc-cessful rope and rigging operations are the end product of a program approach based on planning, preplanning, practice, and implementation.
There are three priorities to address whenever operating at a technical rescue:
Priority 1: Safety of operating personnel (Command’s overriding concern).
Priority 2: Stabilization of the victim medically and of possible incident complications.
Priority 3: Victim removal.
KEYS TO SUCCESS
For a positive outcome, you must consider the following points:
Preplanning. A large percentage of TRR decisions lend themselves to preplanning. The “we’ll figure it out on the mountain” school of thought is a failure-rich mindset. When preplanning, consider tactics, strategies, and action paths. Preplanning clears the screen for the rescue commander and allows him to focus on unique aspects and variables of the particular incident. TRRs require rapid, on-site decisions and tactics. This task can consume command energy and divert attention away from other command and control goals. If you preplan system construction, apparatus placement (anchor points), and on-line and in-system personnel assignments, the IC and rescue personnel will arrive on-scene with a continuum of predeterminations and are more able to respond to the variables.
Training and technical skills. North Hudson Regional performs three or four of these rescues a year, and each presents its own set of challenges. Improvisation is often the name of the game to be successful. Remember, however, that only through mastery of the technical skills and equipment required to conduct a technical rope rescue is safe improvisation possible. To be able to safely improvise at the scene takes countless hours of training and extreme familiarity with the equipment.
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At times, it may be necessary—based on staffing and the demands of the rescue—to teach simple rescue techniques such as belay line on the spot as the incident is unfolding. This still requires initial personnel with technical skills.
Preassigned positioning of the rescue team. Successfully conducting this type of operation requires developing an organization prior to the incident. Training on rigging construction and rope and knot skills is essential, but you also must focus on preassignment of incident positions and re-sponsibilities. Address span-of-control is-sues and key operating positions, and spell out responsibilities and duties in standard operating procedures. Pre-assign primary and backup personnel for all on-line and rigging positions. It is a good idea to have at least one member of each on-line team trained to at least the first responder or EMT level so that you can perform an immediate victim assessment when you reach the victim. Also preassign Command positions such as rescue group leader, hauling boss (that member assigned to run the actual hauling/lowering operation), rigging master (the member assigned to oversee all anchoring and rigging operations), hot zone safety officer, and other support positions. Continuous cross-training of personnel will increase organizational and operational flexibility and thus effectiveness.
Apparatus positioning. You get only one chance to position properly at this type of incident. Officers should stage apparatus for optimal tactical flexibility. Congesting the scene, especially in a remote area where many of these rescues take place, will only complicate the problem. Aerial apparatus should get the key positions, as the device will likely be used as a gin pole from which to lower personnel and hoist victims. Again, preplan. Companies responding without aerial capability must not drive into the middle of the operational zone.
Foremost in the minds of the IC and the first-arriving officers is the availability of anchor points. These should be “bombproof,” or immovable. Common anchor points include apparatus, trees, telephone poles, and solidly anchored fences. In apparatus-unfriendly areas, big trees or big rocks have been used. Leave a clear path between anchor points, hauling/lowering devices, and the target zone.
Command and control. Strong command and control are integral to safe, organized, and coordinated rescue operations. The key to this organization is decentralization of the rescue ground. If this can be resolved prior to an incident, the less the IC has to think about in regard to how to break down the operational area and to whom to assign these responsibilities.
Predesignation of rescue personnel coupled with an effective SOP that is both adhered to and enforced is the first step in this organizational process. One of the most crucial positions assigned is the Operations Section chief, who will act as a buffer between the IC and the rescue operation, freeing the IC to attend to other issues pertinent to the incident, while not directly participating in the operation itself.
Control of the scene by designating operational zones is the next step in the command and control process. Address scene and perimeter control in SOPs, similar to establishing haz-mat control zones. Control zones are as follows:
Target zone: The area where the victim is located. Keep the number of target zone personnel to a bare minimum, usually two rescuers. This is the most dangerous area on the rescue ground, usually the last zone established and the first terminated. A major focus of Command should be to minimize operational time in the target zone. It is essential that, whatever number of rescuers are on-line, there be an equal number of rescuers (basically a rescue rapid intervention team) properly geared up and ready to go should something go wrong in the target zone.
Hot zone: The main area where technical rescue operations (rope systems and rigging) take place. Participation in the hot zone should be by “invitation only” and be limited to those personnel whose duties and responsibilities are directly related to the safe setup, operation, and breakdown of rescue systems. The rescue group leader, hot zone safety officer, hauling boss, rigging master, and rescue group support personnel are located in the hot zone.
Warm zone: The area where support of the technical rescue operation is attended to. The Operations Section chief is generally located in this area. He should liaison with the hot zone safety officer and rescue group leader and reinforce and support the hot zone activities as required. He will also keep Command informed and updated on incident progress. Generally, if the incident is going smoothly, the Operations Section chief remains in the warm zone. He only moves if the need arises. The incident safety officer, whose duty is to monitor overall scene safety, is generally located in the warm zone but may spend some time in the other zones as the situation dictates. Also initially located in the warm zone are those personnel who will support the operation and work in the hot zone once the rescue system is assembled. They are essentially hauling personnel, who are best kept a safe distance from the main setup area until the hauling/lowering is ready to proceed.
Cold zone: This is the area where incident support operations are directed to both the internal rescue operation and external activities required to coordinate and bring the incident under control. The Com-mand Post is located in this area, providing direction and overall control of the incident. An accountability officer and entry control point supervisor should also be located in this area. In addition, firefighter rehab and EMS are located in the cold zone, as are personnel assigned as tactical reserve.
Public zone: This area is for such extrinsic activities as public information. The department’s public information officer should establish a press area. Uncommitted apparatus staging should also be located in this zone. Perimeter and scene control is nothing new to the fire service, but it is a critical and often overlooked portion of the technical rescue operation.
Victim/target zone access and stabilization. The main priority of the entire operation must be the victim and where he is located (the target zone). The rescue group leader must determine the safest, most effective path for rescuers to reach the victim.
Assess target zone terrain. Ask yourself, What hazards are present? Is it dark? Is a steep slope involved? Is there a frictionless footing hazard such as wet or icy terrain? Are there anchor points in the target zone that can be used as temporary tie-offs for rescuers? What special equipment will be required to work in the target zone, and what is the best way to get it there? Utility umbilicals should be built into all rescue systems to ferry equipment and supplies to the target zone. Lifelines should NOT be used for this purpose.
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Then, assess the victim: Can you even see the victim? Is there more than one victim? Can a thermal imaging camera help? What is the probable medical profile of the victim(s)? You must try to improve victim comfort as soon as possible. This may include conducting a medical assessment in the target zone, providing blankets to keep body heat from being lost, and administering fluids and possibly intravenous medication prior to removal. The rescue group leader must keep the victim’s comfort in mind as the incident unfolds. Sometimes, so much is going on topside that the victim’s needs take a backseat. Remember, the entire complex operation stems from the victim’s predicament.
EMS considerations. EMS will play a large part in this type of rescue, from administering to the victim to medical monitoring of rescue personnel. As with any other agency, determine the scope of EMS personnel’s participation, roles, and responsibilities in advance. Assign an EMS group supervisor, preferably prior to the incident. The bulk of the EMS responders should remain in the cold zone, with unobstructed access into and out of the operational area. A skeleton crew of EMS personnel with equipment should stand by in the warm zone until the victim has been packaged and is being removed from the target zone. EMS personnel should be in a safe area (you can call this area the victim landing zone) where they can have immediate access to the victim when he is brought safely topside.
Unassigned personnel/staffing considerations. To conduct technical rope rescues safely and properly requires much staffing. Command must ensure that a tactical reserve is on-scene as soon as possible. A good rule of thumb to follow is to double the number of personnel you think you will need. To maintain proper control over incoming personnel, establish strict staging and nonassigned personnel policies. Additional personnel should report to the command post for assignment. This requires a gatekeeper position similar to the lobby control officer in a high-rise operation. Establish a gatekeeper position at each zone to keep track of who passes in and out.
From the command post, assign staffing as per the requirements set forth by the operational zones. As stated, personnel will be required for the bull work, the working of rescue and belay lines. These personnel are not usually essential to the rigging operation, so stage them in the warm zone. When they are needed, conduct a briefing outlining their hot zone duties. In the hot zone, brief them again prior to operation.
You will need other personnel for equipment and stretcher shuttles, lighting, and other support operations not directly involved in the rescue but essential to the operation. Remember, too, that other odd jobs will always pop up. The work of support personnel keeps the operation moving in the proper direction.
 Providing an attendant during the hoist can help calm the victim. Note the tag line used to pull the basket toward the victim landing zone. |
Communications. Communications during large-scale incidents can be a nightmare if you do not properly control and predetermine them before the incident. The rescue team (on-line), the rescue group lead-er, and the hot zone safety officer at a minimum should operate on a rescue frequency (basically the fireground frequency) while the Operations Section chief and the IC maintain a Command frequency. Aides can be used to monitor the rescue frequency.
Although many of the communications will be face-to-face, also establish a hand signal communication system—especially for the member operating the aerial device. From the turntable, it may be difficult to hear the commands of someone guiding the de-vice over the target zone.
Establish communication with the victim as soon as possible. Make every effort to put him at ease. Explain to the victim that he should not risk further injury by trying to respond to conversation or at-tempting to help the rescuers in the rescue operation. Also explain to the victim what is taking place and how the rescue will unfold. Establishing confidence and trust will greatly assist in the transition (vertical trip) from the target zone to the hot zone.
Safety. Safety must be the IC’s overriding concern at all times. He must have zero tolerance for firefighter injury and must communicate this attitude through strong command and control.
A predesignated hot zone safety officer must oversee the operation in the hot zone and monitor and advise on activities in the target zone. He must have the technical skills and training of the other members operating in the hot and target zones. An overall incident safety officer should monitor hazards in the other designated operational zones. Safety should permeate the entire rescue ground.
Aerial devices must be rated for rope operations. Light-duty ladders rated for 250 pounds at the tip are not acceptable. Aerials should be rated for at least 500 pounds at the tip. Platforms may be well-suited if they have an adequate tip load to handle such rescues. Use aerial devices as gin poles only. While rotation of the devices is acceptable and will be necessary, using the devices for raising and lowering a load is not advised. This should be done only by manipulation of the rope systems.
All rope systems for rigging and on-line operations should be redundant—no member should operate with fewer than two ropes attached to him. The same is true for any victims moved on-line in litters.
Use utility tag lines on all equipment lowered and raised. This will eliminate unwanted equipment movement and help steer it in the right direction.
Another safety consideration is proper lighting of the target zone and topside, especially if the incident will extend into the night hours. Request a light unit well in advance of when you’ll need it.
Engine noise and exhaust can create problems on-scene. Shut down apparatus not directly involved in the operation, especially those in the hot zone just being used as anchor points.
Technical rope rescue operations often show just how well or how poorly a department is prepared on the command and tactical levels. How well are you prepared? n
Photos by Ron Jeffers.
ANTHONY AVILLO, an 18-year veteran of the fire service, is a deputy chief in North Hudson (NJ) Regional Fire & Rescue, assigned as platoon commander of the 1st Division. He holds New Jersey certifications as a Level II fire instructor and certified arson investigator. He also teaches at the Bergen County (NJ) Fire Academy and is a partner in Study Group, Inc., a firm that assists promotional and entry level candidates in the fire service. Avillo is a H.O.T. instructor and lecturer at the FDIC and is the author of Fireground Strategies (Fire Engineering, 2002) and Fireground Strategies Workbook (Fire Engineering, 2003).
