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Ropes and
Knots
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Objectives (1 of 4)
• Describe the differences between life
safety rope and utility rope.
• List the three most common synthetic fiber • List the three most common synthetic fiber
ropes used for fire department operations.
• Describe the construction of a kernmantle
rope.
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Objectives (2 of 4)
• Describe how to use rope to support
response activities.
• Describe how to clean and check ropes.• Describe how to clean and check ropes.
• Describe how to record rope maintenance.
• List the reasons for placing a life safety
rope out of service.
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Objectives (3 of 4)
• Describe the knot types and their usage in
the fire service.
• Describe how to tie safety, half hitch, clove • Describe how to tie safety, half hitch, clove
hitch, figure eight, figure eight on a bight,
figure eight with a follow-through, bowline,
and sheet bend or Becket bend knots.
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Objectives (4 of 4)
• Describe the types of knots to use for
given tools, ropes, or situations.
• Describe hoisting methods for tools and • Describe hoisting methods for tools and
equipment.
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Introduction
• Ropes are widely used in the fire service.
• May be your only means for rescue
• Ropes and knots are an important part of • Ropes and knots are an important part of
training.
• A fire fighter must be able to tie simple
knots accurately and without hesitation.
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Types of Rope
• Life safety
– Used solely for
supporting people
– In training or in an
actual emergency
• Utility
– Used in most cases
when it is not
necessary to support a
person
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Life Safety Rope (1 of 2)
• Never used as utility rope
• Must be used when supporting the weight
of one or more personsof one or more persons
• National Fire Protection Association
(NFPA) 1983 specifies design,
construction, and performance criteria.
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Life Safety Rope (2 of 2)
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Personal Escape Rope
• Self-rescue in an extreme situation
• Designed for the • Designed for the weight of one person
• Should be replaced after one use
• Use the rope only as a last resort.
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Utility Rope
• Is not used to support a person
• Used for hoisting, • Used for hoisting, lowering, and securing equipment
• Requires regular inspection
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Rope Materials
• Ropes can be made of many types of
materials.
• Earliest ropes were made from natural • Earliest ropes were made from natural
vines woven together.
• Now ropes are made of synthetic material.
• Different materials are used for different
situations.
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Natural Fiber Ropes
• Natural fiber ropes were often made of manila.
• Current use for utility, not life safety tasks
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Synthetic Fiber Rope
• Nylon first manufactured in 1938
• Synthetic fibers have • Synthetic fibers have been used for ropes ever since.
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Advantages of Synthetic Fiber
Rope• Stronger than natural fibers
• Use fibers that run the entire length of the
rope for greater safety and strengthrope for greater safety and strength
• More resistant to rotting and mildew
• More resistant to melting and burning
• Less absorbent and can be washed
• Some will float on water
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Disadvantages of Synthetic
Fiber Rope• Prolonged exposure to ultraviolet light,
strong acids, or alkalis can damage the
rope.rope.
• Highly susceptible to abrasions and cutting
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Synthetic Rope and Life
Safety• Life safety rope is always synthetic.
• NFPA 1983 specifies:
– Continuous filament, virgin fiber– Continuous filament, virgin fiber
– Block creel construction: no knots or splices
• Fiber comparison
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Rope Construction
• There are several types of rope construction.
• The best choice depends on specific application.
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Twisted Rope Construction (1 of 2)
• Also called laid ropes
• Made of individual fibers twisted into
strandsstrands
• Strands are twisted to make the rope.
• Both natural and synthetic fibers can be
twisted.
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Twisted Rope Construction (2 of 2)
• Exposes all fibers to abrasion
• Twisted ropes stretch • Twisted ropes stretch and are prone to unraveling.
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Braided Rope Construction
• Strands woven like hair braiding
• Exposes all of the • Exposes all of the strands to abrasion
• Fibers stretch
• Double-braiding
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Kernmantle Rope
Construction (1 of 2)
• Kern is the center core and provides 70% of rope’s strength.strength.
• Mantle is the sheath-like braided covering that protects kern from dirt and abrasion.
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Kernmantle Rope
Construction (2 of 2)
• Kern and mantle are synthetic but may be
different materials.
• Each fiber in the kern extends the entire • Each fiber in the kern extends the entire
length of the rope.
• Provides a very strong and flexible rope
that is thin and lightweight
• Well-suited for rescue work
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Dynamic and Static
Rope Construction• Dynamic
– Designed to be elastic
– Usually used by mountain climbers– Usually used by mountain climbers
• Static
– Will not stretch under load
– More suitable for rescue situations
• Difference due to the fibers used and the
construction method
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Dynamic and Static
Kernmantle Rope• Dynamic is constructed with overlapping
or woven fibers in the core; when loaded,
the fibers pull tighter, giving elasticity.the fibers pull tighter, giving elasticity.
• Static is constructed with all fibers parallel
to each other, little elasticity, and limited
elongation when loaded.
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Rope Strength
• Rated for specific amounts of weight
• Minimum breaking strength based on
loading of 300 lb. person with safety factor loading of 300 lb. person with safety factor
of 15:1
• Safety factor allows for knots, twists,
abrasions, and other causes.
• Also considers shock loading
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Technical Rescue
• Ropes often used to access and extricate individuals
• Several hardware components may also be needed.
• Carabiner secures and connects lines.
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Harnesses (1 of 2)
• Harness used to secure a person to a rope
or object
– Ladder belt harness– Ladder belt harness
– Seat harness
– Chest harness
• Harnesses must be cleaned and inspected
regularly.
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Harnesses (2 of 2)
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Rope Rescue (1 of 3)
• Most involve people trapped in normally inaccessible locations
• Rescuers often have to lower themselves using anchors, webbing, ropes, and carabiners.
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Rope Rescue (2 of 3)
• Person may have to be lowered or raised to safety.
• Extreme cases could even involve using a helicopter.
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Rope Rescue (3 of 3)
• The type and number of ropes used will
depend on the situation.
– A primary rope is used by the rescuer.– A primary rope is used by the rescuer.
– A secondary rope is used as a belay (safety) on the rescuer.
– Additional lines may be needed for the trapped individual.
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Trench Rescues
• Often are complicated and require a
number of skills
– Shoring– Shoring
– Air-quality monitoring
– Confined space operations
– Ropes
• Ropes are often used to remove the
trapped person.
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Confined Space Rescue
• Often difficult to extricate victim due to poor ventilation and limited entry/exitlimited entry/exit
• Often very complex
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Water Rescue
• The simplest situation may involve throwing a rope to a person in the water.the water.
• Complex situations may require ropes stretched across the stream with a tethered boat.
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Rope Maintenance
• All ropes require proper care.
• Maintenance is essential for life safety
rope.rope.
• Four parts to maintenance:
– Care
– Clean
– Inspect
– Store
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Care
• Protect from sharp and abrasive surfaces,
as well as heat, chemicals, and flame.
• Avoid prolonged sunlight exposure.• Avoid prolonged sunlight exposure.
• Never step on a rope.
• Follow manufacturer’s care guidelines.
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Clean (1 of 2)
• Use mild soap and water for synthetic fibers.
• Use a rope washer with a garden hose.
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Clean (2 of 2)
• May be able to use a mesh bag in a front-
loading washer
• Use a mild detergent and no bleach.• Use a mild detergent and no bleach.
• Do not pack or store wet or damp.
– Air dry but not in direct sunlight.
– Do not use a mechanical dryer.
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Rope Inspection (1 of 2)
• Inspect life safety rope after each use and on a regular schedule when schedule when unused.
• Look for cuts and damage as you run it through your fingers.
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Rope Inspection (2 of 2)
• Life safety rope that can no longer be used
must be destroyed.
– Sometimes it can be downgraded to utility – Sometimes it can be downgraded to utility rope if clearly marked.
• Maintain record for life safety rope.
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Storing Rope (1 of 2)
• Avoid temperature extremes and keep out of sunlight and away from fumes of away from fumes of gasoline, oils, and hydraulic fluids.
• Use a separate apparatus compartment.
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Storing Rope (2 of 2)
• Do not place any heavy objects on the
rope.
• Use rope bags to protect and store the • Use rope bags to protect and store the
rope.
• If shock loaded, inspect and consider
removing from service.
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Knots
• Knots are prescribed ways of fastening
ropes and webbing to objects or each
other.other.
• Fire fighters must know how and when to
use knots.
• Knots are used for multiple purposes.
• Knots reduce rope load-carrying capability.
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Knot Terminology (1 of 4)
• Working end
– Used in forming knots
• Running end• Running end
– Used in lifting or
hoisting
• Standing part
– Between the working
and the running end
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Knot Terminology (2 of 4)
• Bight
– Reverse direction to
form U-bend
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Knot Terminology (3 of 4)
• Loop
– Makes a circle in the
rope
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Knot Terminology (4 of 4)
• Round turn
– Makes a loop with
parallel ends
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Eight Basic Fire Service
Knots• Safety knot (overhand knot)
• Half hitch
• Clove hitch• Clove hitch
• Figure eight
• Figure eight on a bight
• Figure eight with a follow-through
• Bowline
• Bend (sheet or Becket bend)
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Safety Knot (1 of 2)
• Also called an overhand or keeper knot
• Secures the leftover working end to standing part
• Guards against loosening or untying
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Safety Knot (2 of 2)
• Always used to finish other knots
• Tied as an overhand knot in the loose end
around the standing partaround the standing part
• Secures loose end to prevent slippage
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Hitches
• Wrap around an object
• Used to secure working end to a solid
object or to tie a rope to an object before object or to tie a rope to an object before
hoisting it
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Half Hitch
• Not intrinsically secure; used with other knots
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Clove Hitch
• Attaches rope to a round object
• Attaches hoisting • Attaches hoisting rope around an object
• Attaches anywhere in rope
• Can be tied open or around an object
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Loop Knots
• Used to form a loop in the end of a rope
• Loops may be used for hoisting tools,
securing a person, or for identifying the securing a person, or for identifying the
end of a stored rope.
• Will not slip easily but are easy to untie
• Includes
– Figure eight family of knots
– Bowline
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Figure Eight
• Basic knot used to produce a family of other knots
• Seldom used alone
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Figure Eight on a Bight
• Creates a loop at the working end of a rope
• Used to attach rope to • Used to attach rope to a fixed object or around a person
• Loop may be any size in diameter
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Figure Eight
with a Follow-Through• Used when the
working end must be wrapped around an object or passed object or passed through an opening
• Also used to tie two ropes together
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Bowline
• Forms a loop to secure the rope end to an object or anchor pointpoint
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Sheet Bend or Becket Bend
• Used to join two ropes together
• Can join two ropes of • Can join two ropes of unequal size
• Can join rope to a chain
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Methods of Knot Tying
• Find a method and use it all the time.
• Your department may require a specific
method.method.
• You should be able to tie knots while
wearing gloves, in the dark, and behind
your back.
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“Dressing” a Knot
• Knots are “dressed” by tightening and
removing twists, kinks, and slack.
• Firmly finish in a fixed position• Firmly finish in a fixed position
• Makes for easy inspection
• Always secure loose ends with safety knot
to avoid accidental release of primary
knot.
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Knot Tying Practice
• Skills can be quickly lost without practice.
• Consider practicing • Consider practicing while on the telephone or watching TV.
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Hoisting Equipment
• In an emergency, you may have to raise or
lower tools and equipment.
• Important that the object is properly • Important that the object is properly
secured
• Co-workers must be able to quickly
remove the object.
• When lowering, be sure no one is under
the object.
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Hoisting an Axe
• Place in vertical position with head down.
• Figure eight on a bight or • Figure eight on a bight or a clove hitch on head
• Half hitches along the handle
• Keep the handle parallel to the rope.
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Hoisting a Pike Pole
• Hoist in a vertical position for immediate
use when untied.
• Secure clove hitch close to the pole head.• Secure clove hitch close to the pole head.
• Half hitches keep the handle parallel to the
rope.
• Secure the pole with second half hitch.
• Leave length for a tag line.
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Hoisting a Ladder
• Hoist vertically
• Attach a tag line for control.control.
• Retract hooks on all roof ladders.
• Tie a figure eight on a bight for a secure hoist and easy release.
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Hoisting a Charged Hose Line
• It is preferable to hoist a dry hose line.
• Water weight makes hoisting difficult.
• Secure the nozzle in a closed position.• Secure the nozzle in a closed position.
• For easy release, remove tension, and slip
the bight over the nozzle.
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Hoisting an Uncharged Hose
Line• Fold the hose back on itself, with the
nozzle on top.
• Hoist the hose with the fold at the top and • Hoist the hose with the fold at the top and
the nozzle pointing down.
• Use a half hitch at the fold and a clove
hitch at the nozzle.
• To avoid weight drag, pull up sufficient
hose before release.
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Hoisting an Exhaust Fan
or Power Tool• Secure handles with a
figure eight with a follow-through, and half hitches for half hitches for balance.
• Hoist power saws level to avoid leaks.
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Hoisting Tips
• Practice hoisting the actual tools used in
your department.
• You should be able to hoist tools • You should be able to hoist tools
automatically and in adverse conditions.
• Always use utility rope for hoisting tools
and equipment.
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Summary (1 of 3)
• Ropes and knots are widely used in fire
service.
• Two primary types of fire service rope:• Two primary types of fire service rope:
– Life safety
– Utility
• Ropes are made from many types of
materials.
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Summary (2 of 3)
• There are several types of rope
construction.
• Life safety rope is designed to carry a • Life safety rope is designed to carry a
specific amount of weight.
• Ropes are often used in technical rescue
incidents.
• All ropes require proper care.
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Summary (3 of 3)
• Knots are used to fasten rope to objects or
each other.
• Fire fighters must know how to raise and • Fire fighters must know how to raise and
lower tools and equipment using ropes
and knots.