Rope Rescue Response Policy

Overview of Rope Rescue Response Policy

• This document establishes the TFD's policy and procedure for initiating a Rope Rescue Response
• This policy applies to all Tacoma Fire Department uniformed personnel

Associated Forms

• Rope Rescue Tactical Worksheet
• Rope Rescue Checklist
• TFD Inventory Tracking System “Rope IT” Program
• Technical Rescue After Action Review (AAR)

Related Information

• Refer to several TFD policies, including:
  • Incident Management System (Policy 2001)
  • Operations Peer Review (Policy 2006)
  • Personnel Accountability System (Policy 2020)
  • Technical Operations Policies: 4000 Series
  • Rehab at Emergency Incidents and Training Exercises (Policy 5022)
  • Technical Operations Dispatch (Policy 8011)

Responsibilities

Assistant Chief, Operations Bureau

• Responsible for maintaining this document

Command

• Responsible for overall scene operations
• Responsibilities include:
  • Implementing firefighting tactics
  • Notifying Tacoma Fire Communications and requesting a Rope Rescue Response
  • Assigning individuals to specific roles
  • Establishing a Hot Zone and denying entry to untrained personnel
  • Removing untrained rescuers/coworkers
  • Coordinating with outside agencies, including PCSORT or USAR Task Force WATF-1
  • Initiating TFD Technical Rescue Team callbacks

Operations

• Responsible for all tactical operations at an incident
• This includes assigning branches, groups, and divisions as needed

Tech

• Role is for technician level members responsible for rope rescue operations
• Responsibilities include:
  • Assigning personnel to fill tactical positions on the Rope Rescue Tactical Worksheet
  • Completing the Rope Rescue Tactical Worksheet
  • Ensuring communications with Command and/or Operations reflect current needs
  • Maintaining span of control by assigning supervisors and/or team leaders
  • Ensuring lockout/tag out is completed
  • Mitigating safety hazards
  • Filing post-incident paperwork, including electronic rope logs and the AAR

Tech Safety

• Ensures safety of personnel during technical rescue operations
• Actions include:
  • Stopping questionable or unsafe operations
  • Ensuring appropriate rope systems are used
  • Checking the integrity of all systems before use
  • Bringing safety hazards to the attention of Tech and/or Extrication for mitigation

Extrication

• Role for technician level members
• Includes:
  • Planning and implementing rope systems
  • Issuing commands for rope movement
  • Designating an edge restraint area
  • Completing a diagram of the rescue scene
  • Working with Tech to assign personnel
  • Maintaining span of control by assigning Team Leaders
  • Stopping questionable/unsafe operations
  • Safely removing rescue systems per the removal plan

Lockout

• Role for technician level members
• Includes:
  • Identifying hazards with on-site personnel
  • Ensuring hazards are locked and tagged out
  • Notifying Tech when lockout/tag out is completed
  • Removing TFD locks and tags upon termination

Equipment

• Managing the flow of equipment to the site
• Identifying larger equipment needs and relaying them to Tech

Mainline

• Role for technician or operations level member who is responsible for:
  • Building and operating the mainline system
  • Building and operating the high directional system, as needed
  • Building and operating a mechanical advantage system, as needed

Belay

• Technicians or operations level member role
• Includes building and operating a belay system

High Directional

• Technicians or operations level member role
• Includes building and operating a high directional system

Haulers

• Responsible for working under the direction of Mainline personnel

Litter

• Attaching the litter to the mainline and belay
• Gathering appropriate personal equipment and patient packaging equipment
• Packaging the patient into the litter
• Coordinating the edge transition with Edge
• Supervising litter tenders to complete assigned tasks

Litter Tenders

• Work under the supervision of the Litter Team

Edge

• Gathering personal equipment
• Establishing edge team and edge kit anchors
• Assisting mainline and belay by placing rope edge protection
• Assisting Litter during edge transitions
• Supervising edge assistants

Edge Assistants

• Working under the supervision of the Edge

Definitions

• Awareness Level Member: Someone trained to identify a technical rescue situation, call for a Technical Rescue Response, and keep bystanders away from the Hot Zone
• Belay System: A secondary attachment point used as a redundant system
• Edge Kit: A rope rated for a single person load with a traveling prusik, used to prevent falls over an exposed edge
• Edge Restraint Area: Area where personnel need to be tethered with an edge kit to an anchor
• Hauler: Person who pulls a rope to raise a load
• Hauling System: System of ropes and hardware to raise a load, usually a pulley system
• High Directional: Pulley placed above the edge to assist the litter team in maneuvering
• Hot Zone: Incident hazard area with higher risk, perimeter set by the Incident Commander
• Lead Climbing: Climbing from the bottom up, placing temporary anchors
• Life Safety Harness: Harness designed for one or two-person loads, classifications include: - Class II: Two-person load, fastens around the waist and thighs or under the buttocks - Class III: Two-person load, fastens around the waist, thighs/buttocks, and over the shoulders
• Litter: Rigid or semi-rigid device to cradle a patient
• Litter Tender: Rescuer managing a litter and/or a person packaged in a litter
• Lock Out: Removing electrical, mechanical, or chemical hazards by disabling machinery
• Mainline System: Primary attachment point to a rescuer and/or patient; bears the weight for movement
• Operations Level Member: Trained to the technical rescue operations level
• Patient Packaging: Immobilizing and securing a patient
• Prusik: Friction hitch to attach a cord to a rope
• Recon Rappel: A one or two rope system for quick victim access/rescue
• Rehab: Rest and rehabilitation area
• Rescue Rope: Dedicated rope used only for live loads
• Rope Rescue Response: Dispatch of the closest Engine, Ladder, and Medic companies
• Rigging: System of rope, chain, webbing, and pulleys to support, move, and control a load.
• "Rope IT" Program: An electronic log of use and inspection for all software and hardware assigned to a company.
• Tag out: Placing a tag on locked out equipment to indicate who is working in the area.
• Technical Rescue Team: TFD personnel trained to the technician or operations level.
• Technician Level Member: A member of the Tacoma Fire Department or a mutual aid agency trained to the technical rescue technician level.

References

• WAC 296-305-05101 thru 05113: Technical Rescue
• WAC 296-305-0800: Appendix B Life Safety Ropes
• WAC 296-305-02019: Life Safety Ropes, Harnesses and Hardware Protection
• NFPA 1006: Standard for Technical Rescue Professional Qualifications
• NFPA 1670: Standard on Operations and Training for Technical Search and Rescue Incidents
• NFPA 1983: Standard on Life Safety Rope and Equipment for Emergency Services
• Tacoma Fire Department Rope Rescue Skill Sets 1-15

Operating Guidelines

General Guidelines

• The Incident Commander retains the authority to perform necessary emergency services
• The Incident Commander (IC) must use the National Incident Management System (NIMS)
• Any TFD member can halt a technical rescue operation by stating "Stop!"
• All TFD personnel must be trained to the awareness level
• Awareness level responders are involved with completing size-up, call for resources, establishing zones for denying entry to unauthorized persons
• TFD personnel performing extrications must be technician or operations level
• The Technical Rescue Team includes operations trained personnel on Ladders 1, 3, and 4, alongside technician trained personnel on Ladder 2 and Engine 8
• Personnel accountability and rehab must be conducted per existing TFD policies

Rope Rescue Guidelines

• Dispatch a Rope Rescue Response if ropes are needed for extrication
• Use rescue ropes only for supporting people during emergencies
• Operations level personnel can perform Recon rappel
• Rope rescue operations must be directed by technician or operations level personnel

Edge Restraint

• All personnel in the edge restraint area must use an edge kit
• The Technical Safety Officer ensures the use of edge kits

Primary and Secondary Attachment

• If a person is stable and doesn't tension the rope, the earth/structure is the primary attachment, and the rope is the secondary attachment (belay)
• Belaying is needed while operating any of the following: - Medium angle litter systems - Steep angle litter systems - High angle litter systems - Medium, steep, and high angle Recon Rappel
• While lead climbing, secondary attachments can include: - Belayed lead climb rope with temporary anchors - Lanyards and bridge hooks - Edge kits - Temporary anchors - Other work positioning equipment

Personal Protective Equipment

• Personnel must wear an approved firefighting helmet
• Use leather gloves with running ropes
• Wear a Class II or III harness with edge kit
• TFD personnel do not need to wear leather gloves while tying knots or packaging a patient
• TFD rope rescue equipment shall be used, marked, stored, cleaned, and inspected per TFD Policy 4009

Procedure For Initiating A Rope Rescue

• Initial arriving company must:
  • Size up the situation and establish command
  • Call for a Rope Rescue Response, if not already dispatched
  • Establish a Hot Zone
  • Deny entry to untrained personnel, consider law enforcement assistance
  • Determine the stability and slope profile of the area
  • Determine environmental factors and utility exposures
  • Interview the reporting party (RP) to obtain information
• Identify hazards and ensure they are shut down or disconnected
• Begin lockout/tag out operations, as needed
• If an apparatus is used for an anchor point, confirm that it is also tagged out
• Wait for a technician or operations level company to arrive before beginning rope rescue operations

Contact Information

• Technical Rescue Captain

Revision History

• Revised 07-2017

Approval

• Faith Mueller, Deputy Chief, Operations Bureau