RIT ROPE DRAG
BY ART DONAHUE
While engaged in a repair assignment for my employer, I ended up under the Atlantic on a submarine talking with some sailors about their firefighting gear. They permitted me to try their oxygen breathing apparatus (OBA) and emergency air for breathing (EAB) equipment. The OBAs generate oxygen chemically and are worn roughly the same way as SCBAs. The EAB consists of a mask, NomexT hood, and 15-foot airline. The line attaches by means of a quick disconnect to any of hundreds of hard-piped breathing air manifolds located throughout the boat (they are more than 560 feet long). The back of the OBA has a large metal D-ring for dragging disabled personnel to safety. It made perfect sense to me. That frame and all those straps make a great lifting harness. So, how come my SCBA doesn`t have one?
AN EXPERIMENT
Our SCBAs may not have a nifty metal D-ring, but they have a sturdy metal frame. How do we hook on? Most of our interior firefighters carry a utility rope–20 feet of braided 38-inch nylon rope with snap hooks on either end secured by interweaving the strands of rope with a fid (tapered device used for weaving/open-ing rope strands). We use the rope mainly for extending a search pattern, lifting tools or hose to the second floor, and securing ladders.
The SCBA frame and the rope seemed to me to be a good combination. Since my chief, Greg Bellamy, always likes a good laugh, he agreed to let us test the idea.
The local Junior Firefighters assisted in the initial testing. With the aid of a slightly more than full-sized adult volunteer victim, we began our testing.
INITIAL TEST FINDINGS
Snapping the rope onto the bottom of the SCBA frame and dragging our victim proved ineffective. Clipping onto the top of the frame with the victim on his back made for a good pull, but finding the frame was difficult. Hooking onto the top of the shoulder straps tended to pull the SCBA off the victim. At this point, we were rapidly losing the cooperation of our previously good-natured victim.
The best results were obtained by hooking the snaps under the top back of the SCBA frame with the victim face down. This gave us good control of the victim, good force distribution, and an in-line pull. Some brands of SCBAs have a heavy-gauge wire frame, which should make an ideal connection point. I recommend that you experiment with different tie points on your own SCBA frames.
If the victim is on top of a sofa, bed, debris, or other objects or material, roll him into position on the floor before connecting the rope. The rope sometimes will twist when it is attached before the victim is in position and could end up under his neck. The value of posting drill monitors was reinforced when we discovered how the rope might twist. Using this technique, the two Junior Firefighters were able to move the victim through the designated rescue path easily and with good control.
BENEFITS OF THE TECHNIQUE
The technique was tried at a regularly scheduled drill. Firefighters found it much easier to control the victim and noted several benefits of using this technique:
Hookup is quick. There is no knot to tie.
Wrapping the rope around your arm and glove improves grip.
It is easy to go down stairs.
It is easy to negotiate hallways.
Control of the victim is improved.
The downed firefighter`s mask stays in place.
The frame straps and harness distribute pulling forces. n
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A utility rope properly attached to an SCBA harness in preparation for a rope drag of a victim. (Photos by author.)
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(Left) Junior Firefighters drag a firefighter during the initial test. (Bottom) The technique, which provides greater control of the victim, also makes it easier to get the victim down a flight of stairs.
n ART DONAHUE, a 15-year veteran of the fire service, is a training instructor with the Glenville Hill (NY) Fire Department, where he also formerly served as chief. He has been published in fire service journals.
