Lamorinda Community Emergency Response Team Rescue Ropes, Anchors and Knots

1. LamorindaCommunity Emergency Response TeamRescue Ropes, Anchorsand Knots

2. Semper Salus! Safety is Always the Number One Priority!

3. CERT Disclaimer • This 2 hour presentation will NOT qualify you to perform Technical Rope Rescue! • Do not put a life in jeopardy by exceeding your training. • We are here to present a series of knots, anchors and other material to familiarize you with the proper tools for LOW ANGLE emergency use. • Practice the knots as often as possible on household chores.

4. Rope Rescue Definitions • Low angle rope rescue refers to an environment in which the "on-rope" rescuers are predominately supported by the rescuers themselves (feet on the ground) and not the rope rescue system. • High angle rope rescue refers to an environment in which the "on-rope" rescuers are predominantly supported by the rope rescue system.

5. Safety Factors • Ropes, webbing, carabiners and other hardware have tensile strengths (minimum breaking strength or MBS) rated in pounds or kN. 1 kN = 220 pounds. • Safety Factors are used to limit the chance failure. • NFPA Life Safety – 15:1 • NFPA Utility – 7:1 • Mountain Climbing – 10:1

6. Strength Loss Caused by Knots

7. Ropes and Webbing

8. Rope Types - Utility • A Utility Rope is one that is used for hauling supplies or securing objects. • A Utility Rope must NEVER be used to support the weight of a person.

9. Rope Types - Utility • Utility Rope materials:

10. Rope Types – Life Safety • A Life Safety Rope is normally a Static Kernmantle nylon rope. • ½ inch, MBS 9,000 lbs. • Safety Factor 15:1 • Working strength 600 lbs. • Static kernmantle (low stretch) • Used to support personnel • Parallel fiber core prevents stretch • Dynamic kernmantle (high stretch) • Shock-load absorbing ability • Mountain climbing line • Twisted or Laid core allows stretch • Static ropes are typically manufactured in one color and have a contrasting color as a tracer. Dynamic ropes come in three to four colors.

11. Rope Types – Life Safety • Kernmantleis constructed with • High-strength continuous fiber inner core (kern) • Braided outer sheath (mantle) • Kern is the load bearing element (about 70%) protected by the mantle

12. Webbing • Used for • Tying anchors • Lashing victims into a litter • Tying personal harness • Most common • 1 inch, spiral weave, tubular, nylon • MBS 4,000 lbs.

13. Webbing • Sold in cut lengths that conform to color code standard followed by most rescue teams throughout North and South America: • Green 1.5M 5 Ft • Yellow 3.5M 12 Ft • Blue 4.5M 15 Ft • Orange /Red 6 M 20 Ft • Black 7.5+M 25 -30 Ft To remember the colors in order: Get Your Boots On

14. Webbing • Flat Webbing • Single layer of fabric • Hard to tie into knots • MBS 3,000lbs. for 1” • Mainly used for straps and harnesses • Tubular Webbing • 2 types: • Spiral Weave (Shuttle Loom) • Edge Stitched (Needle Loom) • Easy to tie into knots • MBS 4,000lbs. for 1”

15. Rope and Webbing Care • Inspect before and after use • Inspect for- • Visual damage • Loose Mantle • Kinks • Store away from sunlight, heat and chemicals • Wash and air dry

16. Rope Use and Limits • Do not submit Life Safety Rope to shock loads • Do not step on rope, you will grind in dirt • Use edge protection on all ropes crossing sharp edges and on dirt slopes • Keep a written log on all Life Safety Rope • Damaged or worn Life Safety Rope can be decommissioned into Utility Rope with appropriate markings.

17. Rescue Anchors

18. Anchors • An anchor is used to support the complete weight of the victim and the rescuers with all equipment • An anchor must be “bomb-proof” • Anchors may be natural or manmade • Trees • Rocks – “BFR”, a “very large rock” • Trucks • Buildings

19. Anchors • Select anchors that are in line with the pull of the system • Consider that the direction of the pull may change with the movement of the load • Do not use trailer hitches or tow hooks as anchor points. Use main frames or axles for stable points of attachment.

20. Anchors • Picket systems require more resources and time • Multi-point anchors can distribute shock load better and offer redundancy if a single anchor fails • Redundant anchor points should be as strong as the main anchor point • Back-up anchors must have little slack in case of shock loading

21. Anchors • Angle between the legs should not exceed 90° • Load-distributing anchor systems share the load and provide readjustment if a point fails

22. Anchors • Wrap 3 Pull 2 with webbing • Load is off knot and web is doubled for strength

23. Anchors • Load Sharing with Webbing • Load divided among 3 anchor points

24. Anchors • Tensionless Hitch • Minimum 3 wraps, more if surface is smooth • Anchor at least 8x diameter of rope • Aligns with direction of pull • Same strength as rope because no load on knot

25. Anchors • Picket Anchor System • A single picket driven 2 feet into firm soil has a safe working load of approximately 700 lb. • A 1-1-1 combination picket or three pickets in line and lashed together will hold about 1,800 lb.

26. Anchors • Triangle Picket Anchor System

27. Rescue Knots

28. Names of rope parts • A rope has many parts, each with a name • To avoid confusion, here are the part names

29. Names of line parts • Bight - a bend in the rope that does not cross back across itself. • Loop - a bend in the rope that DOES cross itself. • Elbow – the crossing of the rope • Standing end – the long end, not the knotted end. • Standing part – the middle of the rope. • Working end – the end where the knot is tied

30. Stoppers • A knot that stops a rope from exiting a pulley • A knot that stops a primary knot from loosening by securing the working end

31. Stoppers • Overhand Knot • Used to back up other knots

32. Stoppers • Double Overhand Stopper Knot • Reliable, moderately large stopper

33. Stoppers • Figure Eight Stopper Knot • Used to stop rope travel through a device • Basis of the Figure Eight family of knots

34. Loops • Non slipping loops • Slipping loops • Attachment points • Anchor knots

35. Loops • Figure Eight Loop • Can be attached to an object with a carabiner • Non slipping loop

36. Loops • Figure Eight Follow Through • Tied around an object • Non slipping loop

37. Loops • Figure Eight on a Bight • Can be attached to an object with a carabiner • Non slipping loop

38. Loops • Forms two individual loops • Creates more bearing surface for the load • More efficient than the normal figure eight loop • Double Loop Figure Eight

39. Loops • Forms loop in the middle of a rope • Takes strain in one direction only • Strain from other direction collapses loop • Directional Figure Eight Loop

40. Loops • Designed to be pulled in any of 3 directions • Can be tied mid-line • No back ups needed • Alpine Butterfly

41. One Side of the Butterfly forms an X or Cross The Other Side has Two Parallel Ropes

42. Loops • Non-slipping loop • MUST be backed up • Lower efficiency than figure 8 family • Bowline

43. Loops • Non-slipping loop • Double loops • Bowline on a Bight

44. Loops • Slipping loop • Used to secure wrists or ankles of victim • Handcuff Loop

45. Hitches • A knot that ties around an object • The object may be the standing end of the rope

46. Hitches • Basic knot • Used in multiples, i.e. 2 half-hitches or 3 half-hitches • Half Hitch

47. Hitches • Can be tied with webbing also • Clove Hitch

48. Hitches • Basis of the Prusik Hitch • Not to be used with webbing in anchor point because it can cut itself • Girth Hitch or Lark’s Foot

49. Hitches • Tensionless Hitch • Minimum 3 wraps, more if surface is smooth • Anchor at least 8x diameter of rope • Aligns with direction of pull • Same strength as rope because no load on knot

50. Hitches • Triple wrap in tandem for rescue loads • Should slip before failure • Prusik Hitch