At FDIC International 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana, CMC Rescue Instructor and retired Pleasant Prairie (WI) Fire Rescue Chief Doug McElmury demonstrated the company’s Double CLUTCH Twin Tension Rope System (DCTTRS).
Built around the all-new CMC CLUTCH™ by Harken Industrial™, the DCTTRS Kit delivers best practice, twin-tension hauling and lowering for rescue or training operations.
With the DCTTRS Kit, rescuers can build mechanical advantage systems on two rope systems simultaneously, including a 3:1, 3:1 with change of direction, or complex 5:1. Organized, color-coded, and ready-to-go, this kit minimizes gear sorting and allocation. Rescue teams can shoulder their packs knowing they have everything they need to quickly and efficiently deploy twin tension rope systems.
The CLUTCH is smooth, efficient and intuitive, allowing rescuers to haul with ease and lower with control. Innovative features of the CLUTCH make it ideal for TTRS including the ratcheting rotating sheave, Anti-Panic brake, force limiting protection, and integrated becket. When two CLUTCH devices are brought together in the Double CLUTCH Technique, rescuers can maintain nearly equal tension on both lines so that the load, often involving a rescuer, litter, and a victim, is shared across two rope systems, reducing the risk of a single line failure. If a catastrophic event such as single line failure occurs, the Double CLUTCH Technique is preferable to a traditional slack belay because it prevents 100% load transfer on the slack belay line and thereby limits shock and extension in the system.
The DCTTRS Kit includes two G-rated DNA Carabiners that are twisted 90 degrees to align CLUTCH units on the anchor plate. This configuration allows a single operator to manage both CLUTCH handles at the same time for simultaneous twin tension control. While the Double CLUTCH TTRS Kit can be deployed in a variety of ways, rescuers who combine kit components in the Double CLUTCH Technique run a hauling/lowering system that meets current best practices, minimizes failure risk, and offers the potential to reduce personnel requirements.
Key Features
- Builds two complete, ready-to-go hauling/lowering systems with MA of 3:1 and 5:1.
- Color-coded components for each system including bags, rope, and webbing.
- Versatile kit components deploy a variety of twin tension rope systems to fit scenario.
- CLUTCH ratcheting, rotating sheave increases hauling efficiency and lowering control.
- Anti-Panic brake and force limiting features provide greater operational safety.
- Designed for combining two CLUTCH units on a single anchor plate in Double CLUTCH Technique.
- Double CLUTCH meets best practices while reducing personnel requirements and failure risk.
- G-Rated DNA Carabiners align CLUTCH handles and rotate easily through CLUTCH attachment point.
- 11 mm Kit is organized in 2x RigTech Packs and uses 2x 200 ft of 11 mm (7/16 in) CMC G11 Lifeline.
- 13 mm Kit is organized in 1x RigTech Pack and 2x Rope Bags, and uses 2x 200 ft of 12.5 mm (1/2 in) Static-Pro.
Learn more at https://www.cmcpro.com/equipment/double-clutch-ttrs-kit.
