OG 4019 Technical Rope Rescue

Date of Issue: 1998/08/05
Revision Date:  2002/04/08

PURPOSE: 

To provide guidelines for the orderly deployment of resources at incidents involving rope rescue, to establish the minimum level of staffing at technical rope rescue incidents, to define individual roles and responsibilities within the team, and to provide guidelines for training.

OBJECTIVE:

To ensure the safety of HRFE members when responding to incidents requiring the technical rescue team. 

SCOPE:

This operating guideline applies to career and volunteer members of Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency.

OVERVIEW: 

The Technical Rope Rescue Team is designed to enhance Departmental response capabilities and to provide resources to the Incident Commander. The team is comprised of qualified personnel who are trained using the Operational level rope rescue requirements of NFPA 1670 (1999), Standard on Operations and Training for Technical Rescue Incidents as a guideline. Rope rescue instructors are trained using technician level requirements of the same standard as a guideline. Our rope rescue equipment uses the requirements of NFPA 1983 (1995), Standard on Fire Service Life Safety Rope and Equipment as a guideline.

Active team members are posted at stations designated as Technical Rescue stations in the dispatch response protocol; there are, however, some trained and current personnel at other stations. The operational and training equipment is kept at the designated Technical Rescue station(s), with the bulk of operational and training equipment being kept on the Rescue unit(s) stationed at the designated Technical Rescue station(s).

Incidents to which the Technical Rope Rescue team may respond may include, but may not be limited to, the following:

1)    Rescue from Structures including the inside /outside of buildings, bridges, towers, elevators, elevator shafts, industrial sites, and chimneys.

2)    Rescue from Construction and Work Sites including buildings and other structures under construction or renovation, cranes, hoisting equipment, and excavations. 

3)    Rescue from ships and other vessels.

4)    Rescue from Rugged Terrain including rock faces, trees, ravines or slopes, embankments, and areas of difficult accessibility.

5)    In Support of Rescues from Swift Water where land based Tyrolean Traverses (high-lines) and / or rope-based mechanical advantage systems are required.

6)    Psychiatric Emergencies in support of police negotiators. It is present policy that the rope rescue team will not attempt capture rescues during suicide attempts.

7)    Confined Space Rescues

8)    Support of outside agencies and / or requests for mutual aid. Identification of target hazard areas is ongoing by the Technical Rope Rescue Team, but should also be conducted by crews in their own response areas.

TRAINING: 

The Technical Rope Rescue team is comprised of certified personnel who have successfully completed the HRFE technical rope rescue course or a rope rescue instructor’s course. Completion of the majority of the annual training schedule, plus the successful completion of annual recertification, is required for all team members to be considered current. In addition, instructors must successfully complete recertification programs as required.

Regular skills maintenance is required in order to maintain an acceptable level of operational ability and safety. An annual training schedule has been developed and will be adhered to by all platoons. In addition to the monthly mandatory training, additional non-mandatory training may occur as deemed necessary by the team members.

All on-duty team members will attend mandatory training sessions when possible. These exercises will be held quarterly. When daily shifting of personnel occurs, every effort will be made to retain the Technical Rope Rescue trained personnel at stations designated as Technical Rescue in the Department’s response protocol.

Rope rescue training shall be recorded by the station officer on the Daily Training Report form, which is forwarded to the Training Division after review by the Platoon’s District Chief. 

The Training Division will keep a record of rope rescue personnel training. The record will be reviewed quarterly by the Deputy Chief of Operations or his / her designate, who will take action to correct any training deficiencies as required.

Appropriate personal protective equipment will be worn during training. Helmet, Class 3 harness, safety glasses, CSA approved footwear, and gloves will be considered the minimum PPE to be worn during high angle training exercises. Live loads are permitted during training; where the risk of a fall is present, personnel acting as victims must use a fall restraint system and must remain connected to this system until they are securely connected to a rope rescue system. 
The senior qualified member present, or his designate, will act as safety officer during  training sessions. The safety officer will be readily identifiable, and must hold current rope rescue certification.

EQUIPMENT: 

Technical rope rescue equipment is specific in design and use. Members of the rope rescue team are trained in the use and care of the equipment. All technical rope rescue equipment will only be used under the supervision of a team member, and for no purpose other than rope rescue training, confined space rescue training conducted by rope rescue trained personnel, or rescue operations.

Team members will inspect the equipment as required during use, and on a monthly basis as required by the annual rope rescue training schedule. Monthly inspections will be recorded on the station day sheet. It is the responsibility of the team to clean and return all equipment to service after use.

Rope rescue life safety equipment items that have or are suspected to have suffered damage will be removed from use and inspected. If actual damage or any doubt of serviceability exists, the item(s) will be marked as such and removed from service to eliminate any possibility of further use as rescue rope.

PERSONNEL: 

The rope rescue / confined space rescue daily assignment form will be completed daily by the officer assigned to the designated Technical Rescue station housing the Rescue unit containing the majority of the equipment. The assignment form will include information detailing personnel, assigned tasks, and apparatus required. A copy of this form will be faxed to any other station designated as a Technical Rescue station and any other station listed on the form. A copy will also be faxed to Dispatch so that they can dispatch the required apparatus.

The minimum number of positions at a rope rescue incident which must be filled by certified personnel is 7. A complex situation may require more trained personnel; determination will be made by the rope rescue sector officer.

RESPONSE: 

Apparatus required to respond to a rope rescue incident within the core area will be listed on the daily assignment form. The first in rope rescue trained personnel will begin size up for rope rescue. Once on scene the rescue sector officer will determine if the rescue is within the scope / capabilities of the team. At no time will the team attempt rescues that are beyond the capability of existing resources, or their level of training.

If a response by the rope rescue team is required outside of the core area, the Rescue unit will respond immediately with 2 personnel, and the officer in charge of the Technical Rescue station will consult with the duty District Chief to determine which other apparatus will respond. Once on scene the crew of Rescue unit will be briefed by the Incident Commander, then do their own size up for rescue. Their size up will be transmitted to dispatch via the local radio frequency, then relayed by dispatch to the remainder of the rope rescue team. The rope rescue team supervisor will determine if the rescue is within the scope / capabilities of the team. The rope rescue team supervisor has the option to engage in a rope rescue attempt, request additional resources, or abort a rope rescue attempt. Under direction from the rope rescue supervisor, the crew of the Rescue unit may begin rigging and / or offer a victim stabilization line, but no rescue will be attempted until the remainder of the team arrives. Should radio or other means of communications not be adequate for the transfer of information between the crew of the Rescue unit and the rope rescue supervisor, the crew of the Rescue unit may begin rigging and / or offer a victim stabilization line while waiting for the team to arrive. Again, no rescue is attempted until the arrival of the team, and the team is not to attempt rescues that are beyond their level of training.

OPERATIONS:

Rope rescue incidents will be conducted in accordance with the incident command system. The rope rescue team will not typically assume command at an incident, but rather become a sector in the incident operating under the incident commander.

Should the rope rescue team arrive first to an incident, the officer will decide whether to assume or transfer incident command as the situation warrants.

The safe and successful conduct of operations at a rope rescue incident requires an organized approach to roles and responsibilities of various personnel. Any rope rescue incident will have, as a minimum, the following qualified personnel:

1)    Technical Rescue Officer             certified
2)    Rappel Master                             certified
3)    Rescuer 1                                    certified
4)    Rescuer 2 (standby)                    certified
5)    Mainline Tender                           certified
6)    Safetyline Tender                        certified
7)    Assistant Safety Officer (ASO)    certified

If a haul operation is required, the main line belayer becomes the haul team captain.

The rappel master may assign additional tasks to personnel who are not certified, at the discretion of the sector officer. For example, personnel may be required to handle tag lines or act as a haul team. Additionally, a situation may exist where someone from an outside agency must access a site, such as a paramedic, doctor, or police officer.

Incident Commander:

The first arriving fire ground officer will assume incident command and become the IC. He / she will liaise with other agencies involved, in order to achieve a coordinated approach to safely mitigating the incident. He / she will secure resources as required, including additional manpower, police, and medical support. He / she may assume the duties of Scene Safety Officer, appoint a safety officer, or call for a safety officer as required. The scene safety officer must rely on the training and skill of the rescue sector officer with regards to the actual rigging and conduct of a rope rescue.

Rescue Sector Officer (Sector Safety Officer)

The rescue sector officer is directly responsible for operations and safety within the rope rescue sector, and must be certified for rope rescue. He or she will report to the Incident Commander and keep him / her apprised of the situation. The rope sector officer has the final say before any rope rescue operations are engaged, and may abort the rescue operation at any time.

Rappel Master

The rappel master will be an experienced and senior member of the rope rescue team. He / she will conduct all rope operations and be responsible for:

1.    Directing all operations in the rescue sector under the supervision of the rescue sector officer.
2.    Keeping the rescue sector officer informed of any changes or problems with the rescue plan.
3.    Establishing communications with the victim. 
4.    Determining the number of ropes to be used in a given situation; as well as the rigging procedures for all required ropes and related equipment.
5.    Ensuring the delegated tasks are carried out safely and that all necessary system safety checks are conducted in accordance with training standards.
6.    Maintaining continual communication with the rescuer(s) and victim(s).
7.    Ensuring that all equipment used by the rescuer(s) and belayer(s) is utilized in the prescribed manner.
8.    Delegating additional tasks within the rescue sector. 

The rappel master has the authority to alter the manner in which the rope operation shall proceed. He / she are also authorized to halt the rope operations due to safety concerns. The decision to engage in a rope rescue is made by the rescue sector officer.

Rescuer(s)

The number of members assigned to these positions will be determined by the incident, the number and location of victims, and available personnel. The rescuer(s) are directly responsible for their own safety and the safety of their patients. They shall maintain communications with the rappel master.
Belayer(s)

Every line used in either training or in an actual rescue situation must be tended by a certified belayer. Members assigned as line belayers should, whenever possible, rig these lines during the initial set up. Belayers are responsible for the safe operation of assigned ropes as directed by the rappel master.

Haul Captain

The haul team captain is responsible for the control and supervision of the haul team. He / she will physically manipulate the brake and haul prussiks as required. The haul team captain will also direct the building of any mechanical advantage systems. The haul team captain operates under the direction of the rappel master.

RELATED POLICIES/ OPERATING GUIDELINES:

•    OG 3006 Overhaul operations at Fire Scenes

OPERATING GUIDELINE REVIEW:

This operating guideline shall be reviewed when/if there are changes/amendments to the procedure utilized during technical rope rescue.