Rescue Practices Chapter Notes

NFPA 1006: standard for technical rescuer professional qualifications

NFPA 1500: standard on firefighter occupational health and safety
NFPA 1561: standard on emergency services incident services incident management system
NFPA 1584: standard on the rehabilitation process for members during Emergency Operations and
Training Exercises
NFPA 1670: standard on operations and training for technical search and rescue incidents
NFPA 1801: standard on thermal imagers for the Fire Service
NFPA 1951: standard on protective ensembles for technical rescue incidents
NFPA 1952: water based rescue PPE
NFPA 1971: standard on protective ensembles for structural fire fighting and proximity fire fighting
NFPA 1981: standard on open-circuit SCBA for Fire and emergency services
NFPA 1983: standard on life safety rope and equipment for emergency services
NFPA 1994: standard on protective ensembles for first responders to CBRN terrorism incidents
NFPA 5000: building construction and safety code

Chapter 1)

1. The consistent used of an incident management system to coordinate the activities of rescuers
increase the likelihood of a successful outcome for victims and decreases the likelihood of
responder injury or death
2. Nfpa 1006: standard for technical rescuer professional qualifications: identify a number of
requirements that must be met before participating in technical rescue training or operations
3. AHJ: Authority having jurisdiction (establishes specifications)
4. Level I technical rescuer: identify hazards, use equipment, apply limit techniques
5. Level II technical rescuer: identify hazards, use equipment, apply advanced techniques
6. There is no substitute for the experience provided by hands-on training. Some agencies
maintain training facilities that allow technical rescuers to fully practice their skills or have
access to facilities controlled by other government agencies
a. Rescue personnel must continue practicing their skills through regular drills and
exercises that are as realistic as possible while maintaining safe conditions, and
encompassing all of the roles identified for team members.
7. NFPA 1670: standard on Operations and Training for Technical Search and Rescue Incidents
8. Staffing levels, equipment availability, and standard operating procedures or guidelines
(SOP/SOGs) determine when and to what extent the ICS will be implemented at any given
incident.
9. IAP: incident action plan: developed with the expectation that Command will be established
and transferred in an orderly and logical manner and that other facets of ICS will follow
a. Can be especially beneficial to smaller departments that are not accustomed to wrking
large-scale incidents
 10. The incident commander shoulder perform the size up of the situation and begin to develop
and implement an IAP designed to mitigate the situation
a. Command should be transferred at the earliest opportunity to another responder who is
more qualified
11. Command staff: IC, Safety officer, PIO
12. There should be only one IC, except in multijurisdictional or multiple discipline incdients when a
unified command is appropriate
a. When a unified command is established, the chain of command must be clearly defined.
All orders should be issues by one person through the chain of command to avoid
confusion
13. Incident command post: recommended to at least designate the first-arriving emergency
vehicle the ICP until it is determined whether a formal ICP is needed
14. Incident safety officer: responsible for enforcement of all mandated safety laws and regulations
and departmental safety-related standard operating procedures.
15. Control zones/scene control zones
a. Hot: restricted
b. Warm: limited access
c. Cold: Support
16. Mutual aid: reciprocal assistance from one fire and emergency services agency to another
during an emergency, based upon a prearranged agreement, generally made upon the request
of the receiving agency

Chapter 2)

1. Selection, use, and maintenance of PPE

a. PPE types and selection
i. Land-based
ii. Water-based
1. Certain PPE can be used in both (i.e. rope gloves when using life safety
rope)
b. Land based PPE
i. Rope rescue, confined space rescue, trench rescue, structural collapse rescue
ii. Head protection (NFPA 1951/1971)
iii. Face and eye protection
1. SCBA facepiece provides face and eye protection
2. ANSI Z87.1 standard for eye protection
3. Helmet face shields alone do not provide an adequate level of
protection for most tech. rescue operations
iv. Hearing protection
1. FF exposed to any noise in excess of 90 dB needs protection
2. Standard ANSI S3.19 or S12.6, must reduce by at least 20 dB
c. Harnesses
 i. Life safety harness: worn to prevent falls when rescuers need to operate in the
vertical plane
ii. Class III (upper and lower, 600 lbs total) harness offers full security for rescuers
in all environment
1. Class I: 300 lbs, only lower half
2. Class II: 600 lbs, only lower half (tag inside says what it is)
a. Neither common in rescue applications due to lack of upper
body protection
d. PPE for water-based rescues
i. Head protection (designed to minimize drag)
ii. Outerwear
1. Wetsuit: water introduced into the space between the suit and the
rescuer's skin
2. Dry suit: areas of the body enclosed in the suit remain dry despite
immersion in water (use gaskets to create watertight seals around areas
where the user's body exits the suit)
iii. Structural fire fighting boots can fill with water and cause the wearer to sink
(do not wear these in water-based rescues)
e. Respiratory protection
i. Hazardous vapors, fumes, smoke, dust, heat, or oxygen-deficient atmospheres
ii. Open-circuit and closed-circuit self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA)
1. Open-circuit SCBA draw breathing air from the source of supply
(pressurized gas cylinder)
2. Closed-circuit SCBA draw air from the source, contain the exhaust air
within the unit, filter out the carbon dioxide, reoxygenate the air, and
resupply it to the wearer.
3. SCBA (OC): must be of the positive-pressure type and meet the
requirements of nfpa 1981
a. This positive pressure prevents the contaminated atmosphere
from entering the facepiece in case the facepiece leaks
iii. Open-circuit supplied air respirator
1. Egress to safe are in event of a problem with primary air supply
2. Hoses up to 300 ft in length connect facepieces to a breathing air
compressor or air cylinder located outside the hazard area
3. Allows for rescuer to remain in IDLH longer
a. Contains: harness, harness-mounted regulator, low-pressure
hose connected to a conventional facepiece, small reserve
cylinder of compressed air
iv. Air-purifying respirator
1. Filter particulate matter (dust) or specific airborne contaminants, the
most basic are particulate filters. These are worn to protect the user
 from particulates in the air including airborne diseases, and are single-
use masks that are disposed of following use.
2. High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters must be at least 99.97
percent efficient at removing particles as small as 0.3 micrometers in
diameter and are used to protect against airborne pathogens during
medical responses.
2. Hand tools
a. Striking
i. Axes, battering rams, ram bars, punches, mallets, hammers, sledgehammers,
mauls, chisels, automatic center punches, and picks
b. Prying
i. Mechanical advantage
ii. Crowbars
iii. Don't use a cheater
c. Cutting
i. Chopping tools: flat-head axes, pick-head axes, rpy-axes, adzes, various other
types of picks
ii. Snipping-type tools: rescue scissors or shears, tin snips, bolt cutter, wire cutters,
hot-wire cutter
1. STANDARD FIRE SERVICE BOLT CUTTERS ARE NOT INSULATED AND
SHOULD NEVER BE USED TO CUT OR HANDLE ENERGIZED ELECTRICAL
WIRES
iii. Saw: carpenter's saw, hacksaws, coping saws, keyhole saws
iv. Knives: v-blade, linoleum, box cutters
d. Nonhydraulic jacks
i. Screw jacks: trench screw jacks, ellis screw jack, bar screw jacks (most common
type used in structural collapse shoring)
1. SCREW JACKS ARE USED ONLY FOR STABILIZATION, NOT LIFTING
ii. Ratchet-lever jack (considered most dangerous of all jacks due to instability)
iii. NEVER WORK UNDER A LOAD WHERE A JACK IS THE SOLE SOURCE OF
SUPPORT FOR THE LOAD
3. Hydraulic tools
a. Powered hydraulic tools (primary tool in many rescue situation) (compressed gas)
(never use compressed oxygen  flammability risk)
i. Spreaders
1. 22000 psi, 32 inch spread
ii. Shears (capable of cutting almost any metal object but some cannot cut case-
hardened steel)
1. 30000 psi, spread of 7 inches
2. failure to cut at 90 degree angles to material can result in severe injury
iii. Combination spreader/shears
 1. Combination tool is small, quick, disadvantage is cutting/spreading
abilities less than single-use counterparts
iv. Extension rams
1. Powered tool designed for straight pushing operations
2. May extend from 3 feet to more than 5 feet (63 inches), 15000 psi
b. Manual hydraulic tools
i. Multipurpose hydraulic tool (porta-power)
1. Portability, used for multiple applications
ii. Hydraulic jack
1. Heavy lifting, 20 tons
4. Pneumatic tools (receive their operating energy from compressed air)
a. Air chisels
i. Rescue/extrication work, cutting medium-heavy gauge sheet metal.
ii. NEVER POINT AN AIR CHISEL AT ANYONE; CONSIDER IT A WEAPON
iii. 100-150 psi (normal use, it'll use 4-5 cubic feet (113L to 142L) per minute)
b. Pneumatic nailers
i. Used to drive nails or staples into wood or masonry (good for 5 nail shoring
pattern)
c. Air knife
i. Blast aware surface dirt
ii. 90-100 psi, exit velocity close to mach 2
iii. Able to create 1 foot diameter/1 foot deep hole
iv. Can damage exposed skin
d. Air vacuum
i. Use same air compressor as air knife, less pressure
ii. Pick up 2.75 inch rocks, used for loose soil entrapping victims
e. Whizzer saw
i. Air driven cutting device
ii. 2 lbs, operating at 20000 rpm cut CASE HARDENED LOCKS up to .75 inch in
thickness
f. Air lifting bags (inflatable envelope-type device that can be placed between the ground
and an object and then inflated to lift the object/separate objects. May have lifting
capabilities in excess of 75 tons)
i. High-pressure air bags
1. Completely flat, 1 inch thick, range from 6x6 inches to 36 x 36 inches
2. Inflation PSI is 116-145
3. Capable of 75 tons/inch lifted (largest model)///height of 20 inches
4. Lifting capability goes down higher it's raised (10 inches-x, 20 inches-.5x)
5. PLYWOOD/RIGID MATERIALS PLACED BETWEEN A BAG AND A LIFTED
OBJECT MAY BE FORCIBLY EJECTED IF THE BAG DISTORTS UNDER
PRESSURE
6. CAN BE PUNCTURED (PROTECT WITH PROTECTIVE COVERING)
 7. NEVER WORK UNDER A LOAD THAT IS SOLELY SUPPORTED BY AIR
BAGS
ii. Low-and medium pressure air bags
1. Lifting an object 6 feet
2. 7-10 psi (Low) 12-15 psi (medium)
3. BAGS SHOWING EVIDENCE OF DAMAGE or deterioration could fail
under load and should be removed from service
5. Cribbing and shoring equipment (both are intended to stabilize, NOT MOVE heavy objects)
a. Cribbing components
i. Create a base for stabilization of an object in conjunction with a lifting or raising
operation
b. Shoring components (stabilization of objects that are in danger of collapse, or secondary
collapse)
1. Secondary collapse: common causes include aftershock, weather
conditions, and the movement of structural members
ii. Pneumatic shoring (10 ton minimum load capacity)
1. Air shores/rescue struts
2. Use compressed air to apply pressure against two opposing surfaces.
3. Shores or jacks with movable parts that are operated by action of
compressed gas
4. 100-350 psi, support 20g to 30 g
5. Installed within 2 feet of the top/bottom of trench shoring
iii. Hydraulic shoring (10 ton minimum load capacity)
1. Shores or jacks with movable parts that are operated by the action of
hydraulic fluid
2. Manual or gasoline power source for hydraulic pump
3.
6. Power saws
a. The sparks produced when cutting metal with power tools can provide a source of
ignition for flammable vapors. The rotational torque from a rotary saw causes the saw
to twist which could result in loss of control
b. Rotary saws (certain type: certain cutting capability)(have charged hoseline when
cutting metal)
i. Carbide-tipped blades: wood, nails in wood (works best at high speeds)
ii. Abrasive blades: steel (full speed) (can chip/crack/shatter easily)
iii. Diamond-segmented blades: concrete
c. Circular saws (wood for cribbing or shoring, metal or masonry)
i. Major limitation: cutting depth is only 3-10 inches
d. Reciprocating saws (wood, metal, laminated glass)
e. Chain saws (rescue, forcible entry, ventilation)
i. If not equipped with a chain brake, can jerk violently (kickback) if the chain
binds in the material being cut)
7. High-temperature cutting systems
a. Oxyacetylene cutting torch
i. Burns oxygen and acetlyene to produce a very hot flame, used for forcible entry
cutting. Temperature is 5700 F
ii. Acetlyene must be kept in an upright position to prevent the cylinders from
exploding
b. Oxygasoline cutting torch
i. Temperature of 5200 F
ii. Advantage: available and low cost, can function underwater
c. Exothermic cutting rods (burning bars)
i. Temperature 7000 F
d. Plasma cutters
i. 25000 F, require 220 volt power supply and several compressed gases
8. Lifting/pulling tools
a. Winches
i. Pulling tool that consists of a length of steel chain or cable wrapped around a
motor-driven drum; commonly attached to the front/rear of vehicle
ii. Requires power take off system (accessory mechanism attached to a vehicle
engine, usually linked to the transmission that supplies power to drive a
nonvehicular device)
b. Come-alongs
i. Manually operated pulling tool that uses a ratchet/pulley arrangement to
provide a mechanical advantage
c. Chains
9. Monitoring, detection, and search equipment
a. Stability monitoring: secondary collapse is the most dangerous hazard encountered at a
trench/building collapse
i. Plumb lines, transit, camera, level
b. Electrical detection
i. Lockout/tagout: device used to secure any power switches on a machine to
prevent accidental or otherwise undesirable re-energization of the machine
c. Atmospheric monitoring
i. Oxygen deficiency, oxygen enrichment, flammability, toxicity
ii. Oxygen: 19.5-23.5
iii. Flammable gas, vapor, or mist in excess of10 percent of its lower flammable
limit is considered a hazard
10. Search tools and equipment
a. Hand lights (must be intrinsically safe)
b. Thermal imagers (can not detect heat of person through solid object or through water)
c. Search cameras
d. Acoustic listening devices
e. Marking devices
 i. Markers, latch straps, spray paint, adhesive stickers

Chapter 3)

1) Scene management
a. Crowd control: limiting access to an emergency scene by curious spectators and other
non-emergency personnel
b. Evacuation: controlled process of leaving or being removed from a potentially hazardous
location
c. Shelter in place: having occupants remain in a structure or vehicle in order to provide
protection from a rapidly approaching hazard
2) Hazard control zones
a. Hot (restricted): potentially hazardous area immediately surrounding the incident site;
requires appropriate protective clothing and equipment and other safety precautions
for entry
b. Warm (limited access) zone: are between the hot and cold zones that usually contains
the decontamination corridor; typically requires lesser degree of PPE than hot zone
c. Cold (support) zone: safe area outside warm zone where not expected to become
contaminated and special PPE not required. The incident command post and other
support functions are here
d. Collapse zone: stay 1.5x height of building away, shelter/defensive operations at
CORNER of building
e. After action review: learning tool used to evaluate a project or incident to identify and
encourage organizational and operational strengths and to identify and correct
weaknesses
f. Post-incident analysis: general overview and critique of the incident by members of all
responding agencies (including dispatchers): shoulder take placed within 2 weeks of the
actual incident

Chapter 4)

1) Preincident planning
a. Evaluate likely responses
i. Considering: frequency, chronological distribution, geographical distribution,
nature of incidents, responding resources, unavailable resources
ii. Elevated areas
iii. Confined spaces
iv. Trenches and excavations
v. Structural collapse
vi. Water and ice
b. Create the preincident plan
 i. Authority, problem statement, resources needed, resource availability, resource
acquisition, resource deployment, approval, distribution, date of
implementation
2) Hazard recognition and mitigation
a. Physical hazards
i. Falls
ii. Instability and debris hazards
1. UNSTABLE PIECES OF DEBRIS MAY DISLODGE AND FALL ON
RESPONDERS OR VICTIMS AT ANY TIME DURING STRUCUTRAL COLLAPSE
CONFINED SPACE, AND TRENCH SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATIONS
2. Surcharge loads and vibration : 2 factors that have a significant effect
on stability of trench walls
iii. Engulfment
1. Victims' ability to breathe: reduced due to weight of material pressing
on upper body
iv. Void space
1. Hostile environment within a hostile environment
v. Damaged utilities
1. BROKEN WATER PIPIES CAN ALLOW WATER TO RAPIDLY ENTER AND
FILL A SPACE MAKING DROWNING A POSSIBILITY IF THE FLOW IS NOT
STOPPED
b. Environmental hazards
i. Darkness
ii. Temperature extremes and adverse weather
iii. High noise levels
iv. Moisture and water accumulation
v. Contamination
vi. Fire
c. Hazards in the water
i. Current
1. Laminar flow: combination of gravity acting on water and water's
movement against the river bottom
2. Helical flow: effect of water's movement against the shore
ii. Objects in the water
iii. Entrapments
1. Eddy, strainer, sweeper
iv. Low head dams
d. Atmospheric hazards
i. Oxygen deficiency/enrichment
ii. Flammability
iii. Toxins
iv. Dust
 e. Atmospheric monitoring
i. ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS CAN CHANGE AFTER RESPONDERS ENTER AN
ENCLOSED SPACE
ii. SAMPLED EVERY 4 FEET, DONE AT TOP/MIDDLE/BOTTOM OF SPACE
iii. TOXIC ATMOSPHERES
1. CONFINED SPACE ENTRY PERMIT, THE SAFETY DATA SHEET, niosh
POCKET GUIDE TO HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS: DETERMINES LIMITS
f. Risk-benefit analysis
i. Comparison between the known hazards and potential benefits of any
operation; used to determine the feasibility of the operation

Chapter 5

1) Phases of organizing a response

a. Phase I: assessing the rescue incident
b. Phase II: develop the incident action plan
c. Phase III: implementing the incident action plan
d. Phase IV: terminating the rescue incident
2) Phase I
a. In a search and rescue incident, the two modes are rescue or recovery
b. Incident assessment (initial assessment and ongoing assessment (reconnaissance))
c. Interviewing reliable people
d. Maps and Charts
3) Phase II
a. IAP specific to rescue environment
i. Operational period: period of time scheduled for execution of a specified set of
operational goals and objectives as identified in the IAP (may be 12, 24, or any
other arbitrary amount of time)
ii. New IAP every new operational period (new day, new plan)
b. Incident personnel and positions
i. Span of control: 3-7, 5 ideal
ii. Rescue group supervisor, assistant safety officer - rescue, entry and back up
teams, rope team, search teams
1. An incident safety officer or assistant safety officer-rescue should be
involved in all aspects of a rescue
2. Each entry and backup team member must be fitted with some form
of retrieval system except in cases where an entangled line will
increase the overall risk or if the line would not contribute to the
rescue of the entrant
3. One rope tender for one entry team rescuer
c. COMMUNICATIONS
i. Direct voice communication
 ii. Portable wireless communication systems
iii. Hard-wired communication systems
iv. Nonverbal signals
4) Phase III
a. Personnel accountability
i. The personnel accounting system should reflect the nature, size, and complexity
of the incident
b. Responders must not remove their own equipment to share with a victim
5) Phase IV
a. Decontamination
b. Equipment retrieval
i. Identifying and collecting equipment abandonment
c. Documenting the incident
d. Postincident analysis
i. After action review
ii. Postincident report
e. Investigation
f. Control and release of the scene
g. Critical incident stress debriefing (CISD)

Chapter 6)

1) Conducting the search

a. Gather information
b. Areas of refuge
i. Space where victims may find safety from hazards common to an incident. The
most logical starting point in a search is the last known location of any victim
c. Physical search
i. Hasty search: fast physical search conducted by a team to survey an incident
site for visible victims (most likely to find shelter victims or provide clues of
victim locations). Able to find and identify potential hazards
ii. Patterned search: start the search following the one barrier or landmark and
maintain visual or physical contact with that barrier until the victim is found, a
dead-end is reach, or the searchers find another exit or have completed a circle.
iii. Hailing: calling out to victims and listening for responses during physical search
iv. Canine search: any hit by a search dog should be verified using a second search
dog
d. Technical search
i. Motion detectors: seismic victim locating devices: electronic devices that are
extremtly sensitive to movement and are good for collapse structure calls
ii. Listening devices
iii. Search cameras: can be used to look inside voids and other dangerous spaces
 iv. Thermal imagers: thick layers such as dust or water can block infrared heat
energy
e. Search safety
f. Search accountability
g. Decontamination

Chapter 7)

1) Victim conditions
a. Involved and uninjured
b. Trapped and uninjured
c. Injured but not trapped: 50% of all victims
d. Injured and trapped
e. Deceased victims
2) Victim behavior
3) Victim care
a. Triage
i. Green/yellow/red/black
ii. START (simple triage and rapid treatment)
iii. 30:2 can do
b. Treatment of injuries
i. Fractures
ii. Hypovolemia
1. Turns into shock: cellular and tissue hypoxia due to reduced oxygen
delivery and/or increased oxygen consumption or inadequate oxygen
utilization.
iii. Compartment/crush syndrome
1. Compartment: result of traumatic injury where the patient's muscle
tissue becomes swollen and tightly encased. At four to six hours, the
crushed tissue begins to die and release toxins, which decreases the
potential for saving the limb
2. Crush: potentially fatal condition that occurs as a result of crushing
pressure on a part of the body for four to six hours; the injured tissue
begins to die and release toxins. A sudden release of pressure may allow
the toxins to flow into the bloodstream and to damage or impair critical
bodily organs
iv. Amputations
v. Suspension syndrome
1. Victim usually faints because of lack of blood flow to brain
vi. Dehydration
vii. Hypothermia/hyperthermia
viii. Drowning
 1. Mammalian diving reflex: autonomous physiologic reaction to
immersion in cold water, in which the blood and oxygen supply is
shunted to the brain to maintain core functions, although outward
appearances may suggest death
ix. Respiratory difficulties
x. Claustrophobia
xi. Hazmat exposure
c. Extrication
i. Backboard
ii. Stokes liter
iii. Sked
iv. K.E.D.
v. Extrication harness

Chapter 8)

1) Ropes and webbing

a. Software: nylon webbing, rope, harnesses, accessory rope, utility rope, soft
b. Lifeline, accessory cord, and utility rope
1. LIFELINE NEEDS A ROPE LOG
ii. Lifeline:
1. block creel construction: construction method that produces a
continuous strand of fiber that runs the entire length of the rope's core
2. Kernmantle rope: rope that consists of a protective shield (mantle) over
the load-bearing core strands (kern)
3. Working load: maximum load for a rope, determined by dividing the min
breaking strength by a safety factor of 15. Lifeline breaking strength
9000 lbs, working load 600 lbs
4. Never subjected to impact load
5. Not visibly damaged, never exposed to heat/abrasion, liquids, solids
gases, mists, or vapors of any chemical that can deteriorate rope
iii. Lengths
1. Green: 5, Yellow: 12, Blue: 15, Orange (red sometimes, not sffd): 20,
Black: 25. (GET YO BIB ON BABY)
iv. Accessory cord: smaller in diameter, used for lashing litters and raising
equipment
v. Utility rope: may be downgraded lifeline, used for hoisting equipment and
securing objects NOT for supporting rescuers or victims
c. Webbing: flat (6 g)(stiffer, used for straps/harnesses), tubular (4 g)(rescue work)
2) Knots
a. Easy to tie, easy to untie, easy to identify, holds securely under a load, reduces the
rope's strength as little as possible
 b. Rescue knots: butterfly, family of 8s, double overhand bend (fisherman's), three wrap
prussik hitch), overhand bend, chest harness, swiss seat, hasty harness)
c. Basic knots: half hitch, clove hitch, overhand knot, square knot, bowline, running
bowline, equalizing bowline
d. Joining/connecting knots: double fisherman's knot, water knot, clove hitch (attach a
rope to an object such as a pole, post, or hose), girth hitch (method of attaching a piece
of software to an anchor)
e. Prusik:
i. pulling prusik (seizures the rope and pulls it into motion)
ii. Braking prusik (seizures the rope and prevents it from moving
iii. Ratchet prusik: allows MA pulley system to be rest repeatedly for a series of
pulls
3) hardware
a. Edge protection: should include attachment poitns and is necessary over sharp/rough
edges
b. Lifting frame
c. Load-bearing fasteners
i. Carabiners
ii. Tri-links
iii. Rescue rings
iv. Swivels
v. Anchor plates
d. Descent devices (friction)
i. Figure-eight plates
ii. Q-eight plates
iii. Rappel rackes
iv. Belay devices
e. Ascent devices (mechanical advantage)
i. Cams
ii. Handled ascenders
f. Pulleys
i. Single-sheave, double-sheave, self-tending (allows self tending pull to be used in
rescue system in place of multiple component segments to accomplish the same
purpose)
4) Anchors
a. Anchor angles: nothing greater than 90*
b. Anchor points
i. Bombproof
c. Single point anchors
i. Tensionless anchor
ii. Two-bight anchor
iii. Anchor strap
 iv. Multi-wrap anchor
d. Multi-point anchors
i. 2 point
ii. 3 point
e. Picket anchor systems
i. Single picket: 700 lbs
ii. 1-1: 1400, 1-1-1-: 1800, 2-1: 2000, 3-2-1: 4000

Chapter 9)

1) Rope Rescue IAP Considerations

a. Incident personnel
i. Belayer (brake tender)
ii. Edge tender
iii. Hauling team
b. Communications
i. Up: raise the load
ii. Down: lower the load
iii. Stop: Stop all movement in the system
iv. Falling: Engage the belay line
v. Slack: Provide more slack
vi. Take-up: remove slack
2) Assessment of rope rescue environment conditions
a. Low-angle rescues: environment with a shallow grade that does not require the use of
rope systems, but movement would be hazardous or difficult without the aid of a rope
b. High-angle rescues: environment in which rescuers must be secured with rope for
safety. The majority of the rescue load is supported by the rope system
i. Primary hazard: sharp elevation differences
ii. Secondary hazards: downed electrical wires, leaking/spilled hazmat, potential
for fire, terrain features (loose debris, lack of adequate anchor points, sharp
edges)
3) Rope rescue operations
a. Personnel who are exposed to a fall hazard during the rigging process should have fall
protection in place
b. #:1 mechanical advantage: # signifies how much more feet needed to be moved for
calculating building MA systems (4:1 means 4 feet pulled: 1 foot raised)
c. Simple MA system: a rigging system using one or more pulleys that move a load in line
with the anchor point. This type of system is often used with relatively light loads.
i. 2:1: simple MA, 3:1: z-rig, 4:1 block and tackle
d. Compound MA system: a rigging system using a series of travelling pulleys that move in
the same direction. The mechanical advantage is multiplication as multiple systems are
joined.
 i. All pulleys move in the same direction, at different rates of speed
ii. Compound system: multiplicative effect
e. Complex MA system: uses a series of pulleys that move in different directions. The
mechanical advantage is summative as multiple systems are joined.
i. Complex system: summative effect
f. Belay systems:
i. Anchor, belay device (which must have the ability to be "locked off"), belay line
ii. Tandem prusik belay: 2 triple wrap prusiks applied to the belay linend attached
to a different anchor than the main line
iii. Belay plates: fictioning devices of all sorts that are designed specifically to
create friction
iv. Self-tending pulley belay: self tending pulley that can work as a belay device
v. Rappelling: technique of sliding or descending down a rope in a controlled
manner using a friction device

Chapter 10)

1) Confined Space rescue IAP considerations

a. Incident personnel: must be fitted with some form of retrieval system UNLESS it would
create an entanglement issue
b. Communications (# of tugs = roman numerals to the left)
i. O: OK
ii. A: Advance
iii. T: Take Up (eliminate slack)
iv. H: HELP
1. Can either be primary or secondary, usually secondary, means of
communication (hard-wired is best)
c. Terminating the incident
2) Assessment of CS rescue environment conditions
a. Permit-required CS: a category of CS that includes an extra safety hazard in addition to
the baseline definition of a CS. The parameters of the hazard must be indicated on the
entry permit.
i. Posted at entry, done is CS contains r has potential to contain haz atmosphere,
ii. Has a material that has the potential for engulfing an entrant
iii. Contains inwardly converging walls or a floor that slopes downward to a smaller
cross section that could trap or asphyxiate an entrant
iv. Contains any other recognized serious safety hazard
b. Atmospheric monitoring
i. Forced ventilation: ventilation by any means other than natural airflow
ii. Oxygen (19.5-23.5) Flammability (10% below lower explosive limit) Toxins, Dust
(visibility should be at least 5 feet)
c. Types of CS:
 i. Tanks, silos and grain elevators, storage bins and hoppers, utility vaults and pits,
aqueducts and sewers, cisterns and wells, coffer dams
d. CS Hazards
i. Absorption and adsorption, desorption and leaking, biological activity, inerting,
inserting, chemical reactions
3) CS rescue operations
a. Preparing the scene
i. Intrinsically safe lighting
b. Ventilation
i. PPV: method of ventilating a room or structure by mechanically blowing fresh
air through an inlet opening into the space Insufficient volume to create a slight
positive pressure within and thereby forcing the contaminated atmos out the
exit
ii. NPV: uses smoke ejectors to develop artificial air flow out of structure
c. Victim considerations

Chapter 12)

1) 60-100 workers die in trench cave-ins

2) Trench rescue IAP considerations
a. Incident personnel
i. Shoring team, cut team
b. Resource requirements: shoring systems used in trench rescues may be constructed
entirely of timber, or use screw jacks, pneumatic shores, aluminum hydraulic shores, or
combinations of timber and other devices
i. Trench tools
ii. Powered equipment
1. Because of the weight of the vehicle, 100 ft away
3) Assessment of trench rescue environment conditions
a. Non-intersecting that is no deeper than 8 feet: able for Level I rescuer to go in
i. Deeper than 20 feet: needs structural engineer, any shallower than 4 feet: not a
trench
ii. Width: less than or equal to 15 feet
b. Trench types: X, L, T, straight wall
c. Soil characteristics
i. Types of soil:
1. Rock, cemented, cohesive, granular, loams
2. Type A > type B > type C
ii. Because a collapse has already occurred, responders should assume that the
trench walls are composed of the least stable soil type
iii. 1 cubic yard: 2700 lbs (1 ft cube: 90-110 lbs)
iv. Visual test, manual test, dry test, thumb test
 d. Types and causes of trench failure
i. Types
1. Spoil pile cave in (spoil-in) (2 feet tall and 2 feet away)
2. Lip cave-in (lip-in)
3. Wall slough (slough-in)
4. Wall shear (shear-in)
ii. Causes
1. vertical/lateral forces, soft pockets, layered soils, saturated soils,
vibration, surcharges, undermining
e. Trench hazards
i. Subsequent collapse
ii. Unstable debris
iii. Unsupported utilities
iv. Atmospheric hazards
v. Water accumulations
4) Trench rescue operations
a. Trench area stabilization and scene support
i. Plywood that is used must have a minimum thickness of ¾ inch
ii. Must also consider atmospheric monitoring and ventilation
b. Protective strategies
i. Sloping, benching, shielding
c. Description of horizontal timber supports and clears
i. Cross braces must be installed no more than 4 feet apart, and 1 cross brace
must be within 2 feet of the trench floor and the top of the trench

Chapter 12)

1) Structural collapse rescue IAP considerations

a. Incident personnel
i. Entrance attended, entry and backup teams, cut team, shoring team
b. Majority of survivors are surface victims, who have made or can make their own way
out of the collapse, those who are only lightly buried under debris, and those who were
not in the building during the collapse but were injured.
2) Assessment of structural collapse rescue environment conditions
a. Light-frame, heavy wall, heavy floor, precast concrete
i. Light-frame:
1. method for construction of wood-frame buildings; replaced the use of
heavy timber wood framing. Lacks lateral strength of the walls and
connections, too weak to resist lateral forces from things like an
earthquake, an impact load from a vehicle, or a blast from an explosion.
Heavy loads on these weak walls can result in complete collapse.
 ii. Heavy wall: type of structure includes unreinforced masonry and tilt-up
buildings
iii. Heavy floor: these are typically reinforced concrete buildings
iv. Precast concrete: these structures are often constructed using light-weight
concrete
b. Wood: 35 lbs per cubic foot
c. Masonry: 125 lbs per cubic foot
d. Concrete: 150 lbs per cubic foot
e. Structural steel: 490 lbs per cubic foot
f. Causes include:
i. Severe weather, earthquakes, explosions, fire faulty building design and
construction, deterioration
g. Types of collapse
i. Pancake collapse: least likely to contain voids in which live victims may be found
ii. V-shape
iii. Lean-to
iv. A-frame
v. Cantilever collapse: most likely to secondarily collapse
h. Structural collapse hazards
i. Secondary collapse
ii. Unstable debris
iii. Overhead hazards
iv. Damaged utilities
3) Structural collapse rescue operations
a. Monitoring and controlling atmospheric conditions
b. Marking systems
i. Plumb bob, engineer's transit, cameras, levels
c. Void access and search
d. Debris removal
i. Selective debris removal
ii. General debris removal
e. Use wooden shoring systems
i. 4x4 connection point: holds up to 6g of weight
ii. Vertical shores: shore that is applied vertically to support a horizontal load
iii. Horizontal shores: shore that supports vertical surfaces, such as a wall, that is
braced against another vertical surface
iv. Struts and braces
v. Raker shores
f. MA in lifting
i. Class I: seesaw, Class II: wheelbarrow, Class III: bicep/shovel

Chapter 13 + 14
1. 4 types of water rescue:
a. Dive
b. Ice
c. Surf
d. Swift
2. 4 types of victims when it comes to water rescue
a. non-swimmer
b. injured/hypothermic
c. unconscious
d. weak/tired
3. Hazards
a. currents
b. debris/loads
c. low-head dam (diversified dam)
d. polluted water
e. cold water
f. entrapments
i. strainers
ii. sweepers
iii. eddies
4. body temperature goes down 25 times faster in water than in air
5. golden hour: a longer amount of time is present in hypothermic resuscitations due to the
mammalian diving reflex
6. surface water responder:
a. level I: go only for self/not for patient rescue
b. level II: go FOR victim recovery
7. swift water responder:
a. level I: DO NOT GO
b. level II: go FOR victim recovery (only level II can get in water with intent)
8. drowning is the 2nd leading cause of accidental death in USA
a. 90% open water, 10% pools
9. Swift speed definition: > 1 knot (> 1.15 mph) (>1.85 km/h)
10. Diver to tender pull meanings
a. One pull: in position
b. Two pulls: more slack
c. Three pulls: found object
d. Four pulls: help/emergency
11. Tender to diver pull meanings
a. Two pulls: change direction
b. Three pulls: surface
12. Signal for personnel to use while on watercraft to indicate status
a. Hand touch head and arm makes O: everything is groovy
 b. Waving 1 handed overhead: everything is NOT groovy
13. Whistle meanings
a. One whistle: stop
b. Two whistle: look upstream
c. Three whistle: look downstream
d. Three LONG whistle: emergency
14. Order of priority for water recovery
a. Reach, throw, row, go
i. Tow (no contact)
ii. Carry (contact)
15. What do you use to determine last seen point (LSP)?
a. Deduction
b. Statements of witnesses
16. Communication types
a. Radio, line pull, face-to-face, and whistle

Rescue practices class notes

1/15:

 ¼ of deaths in technical rescues: firefighters

 What makes a good technical rescuer:
o Training
o Equipment
o Personnel

1/17:

 Fathom: arm span of rope (~6 ft)

 Bight: a bend in the rope
 Nfpa 1006: standard for technical rescuer professional qualifications
o Rescuers should NOT attempt to perform any operation that exceeds their level of
training or qualifications
 Levels of expertise
o Level 1: awareness
o Level 2: operations
o Level 3: technician
  Nfpa 1670: standard on operations and training for technical search and rescue incidents
o Things like air sampling, trench rescue, strut spacing, etc.
 Command staff: IC, safety officer, PIO
o (IC and Safety Officer can be same person on small incident)
 Best safety officer: someone with most appropriate experience
o MUST ALWAYS BE ACTIVATED/PRESENT AT INCIDENT
 ICS: important, no more freelancing
 IAP: part of incident management
 Priorities (LIP)
o Life safety
o Incident stabilization
o Property conservation
 2 modes: rescue and recovery (where things slow way down)
 Back up crew for calls must have same, if not better, equipment and training
 Chapter 3 notes
 Effective scene management should
o Limit access to responders (control the scene well)
 Iap: guides the actions of responders
o Helps ensure priorities, objects are met
o A good IAP reduces freelancing
o Use a 90%-er: having somebody 90% ready to go as backup to rescuer
o Accomplishes
 1) IC keeps track of control zones
 2) accountability system: monitored by safety/accountability officers (2
different people)
o Things to consider with IAP: crowd control and secondary devices
 Method of organizing emergency zones: established hazard control zone
o Hot: restricted access
o Warm: limited access
o Cold: support area
o Minimize possibility of new victims, isolate hazards, and provide space for first
responders

1/22

 AHJ: Authority Having Jurisdiction

 Hot, warm (recon), cold (ems/support)
o Zones can change depending on circumstances
o Collapse zone: 1.5x height of building
 Communications:
o Best way: face to face (no radio static/wrong channel)
o Make sure you have a contingency plan in case this fails
 o Mayday 3 times (downed firefighter, ALWAYS/ALSO ABLE TO CANCEL)
 Emergency traffic protocol in effect (see later class notes)
 Small incidents v large incidents
o Span of control  division of labor  discipline
o At a rescue: 3 common functional groups
 Transport group
 Rescue group
 Triage/treatment group
o Need to account for
 Fatigue, water, need for periodic relief break
 Chapter 4 notes
 Analysis of all things that could happen
o Hazards: environmental, physical, social, cultural
o HAZARD CURVE PARADOX
o Risk:
 High: technical rescue, no money put forward, a lot of training
 Med: normal fires, normal money, normal training
 Low: medical calls: lots of money, no need for a lot of training (10g hours)
o Frequency:
Low: technical rescue (100)
 Med: normal fires (1g)
 High: medical calls (100g+)

1/24

 Four phases of response

o Assess the rescue
 Initial dispatch info
o Develop the IAP
 Challenges layout (e.g. find the person)
 Determination of PPE (specific for occasion)
 Also develop secondary IAP
o Implement the IAP
o Terminate the incident
 PPE determines how long you'll stay in the environment
 Hardest part: finding the victim
 LSP: look for tools/clothing/food/water bottles
 Challenges in finding locations obscured by natural disasters
o GPS/Tech helps
 Trench rescue: dangerous because you may nick a H20 line
 IAP ~ 2-3 mins to days (range of duration given situation)
 o Simple: small *usually nothing written
o Complex: large (needs written primary/secondary plan)
 IC designations
o Division: geographical
o Group: function/task-based
 Penciling
o Short, intermittent bursts h2o to help reduce overall heat concentration on inversion
layer
 Evacuation of an area: accomplished via 3 honks repeatedly on engine/truck
 PIA: post-incident analysis (hot wash/tailboard)
o Decon, equipment recall, document the incident, PIA, investigation, release scene back
to owner/PD, CISD

1/29

 NFPAs to know:
o 1006
o 1500
o 1670
o 1971
o 1981
o 1983
 Helmet color designations
o All black: engine
o Mix of red/white: truck
o Mix of black/white: squad
o All white: chief
 Hearing protection regulations
o ANSI53.19 (has to reduce dB by 20 to meet standard)
 Hand protection glove types and why
o Rescue gloves with synthetic body/leather: ROPE WORK
o Leather gloves: FIREFIGHTER
o Latex gloves; MEDICAL CALLS/CHEMICAL CALLS
 SCBA Face plate: CAN ACT as eye protection (rated to do so)
 Respiratory protection
o Self contained breathing apparatus
 Open circuit (30-40 mins)
 Closed circuit (upwards of 3 hours, recycle air, good for hazmat call)
o Supplied air-respirator (SAR)
o Air purifying respiratory (when oxygen is good, quality bad?)
o SCUBA (underwater)
 PASS
 o Personal alert safety system (slug detector for lazy slugs)
 SAR: specific conditions to use this
 Dry suit: whole suit is a buoyancy compensator
 Task force: 5 mixed units (with a command vehicle)
 Strike Team: 5 same units
 Types of vehicles
o Light, med, heavy, rescue (like pumpers), standard (engines), ladder (trucks)
o LOVERS-U
 LADDER, OVERHAUL, VENTILATION, ENTRY, RESCUE, SEARCH, UTILITIES
 3 types of vehicles (classifications)
o Exclusively external (might hold more), exclusively internal, mixed

1/31

 Never used compressed oxygen for powering pneumatic tools

 4 hand tool classifications
o Striking
o Prying
o Cutting
o Non-hydraulic jacks
 NEVER use a cheater on tools
 Intrinsically safe: won't create a spark for a potentially dangerous (combustible) environment
 Hook types
o Plaster, drywall, roofman's, san francisco, halligan, clemen's (?), pike pole
 Saw types
o Power, rotary, circular, reciprocating, chain (good for ventilation and can have carbide
tip)
o Ways to power a saw
 Gas, electric, hydraulic, battery, pneumatic air-powered
 Hydraulic tools
o Can be combination, but typically: spreader, shear, extension (raw/raise?)

2/7

 Technical search methods

o Hailing (easiest, yell "hey does anyone need help")
o Motion, listening, search thermal dogs
 In destroyed/structural collapse: patients can entombed
 Thermal imaging camera doesn't go through water
 First 72 hours: best survivability time periods
 Initial marking when entering:
o Lines: 2 feet long, orange spray paint
  H: team entering, date, time
 N: leaving date, leaving time
 C: hazards
 Y: # L (alive), # D (dead), # (trapped)
o Single line with circle dot in middle: incomplete search
 Building symbols
o Box: all good, no instability
o Box with single slash: significant damage, needs some shoring/cribbing
o Box with double slash: not safe, extreme circumstances
o Arrow with 20: entrance that way
o HM: hazmat present
 Victim markings
o V with team on top and # on bottom: # of victims (POTENTIAL)
o V with team on top and # on bottom encircled: CONFIRMED # of victims
o V with team on top and # on bottom with ft # and arrow direction: DIRECTION AND
DISTANCE TO POTENTIAL VICTIMS
o V with team on top and # on bottom encircled with single horizontal line:
DECEASED/ABANDONED
o V with team on top and # on bottom encircled with X formation lines: VICTIMS
RESCUED/RECOVERED
 Technical rescue technology:
o acoustic (noises)
o seismic: sense vibrations/movement from within
o visual: search with visual/thermal tech

2/14

 knots reduce rope strength

 all knots must be:
o easy to tie, untie, identify
o secure under load, suitable for use in rescue, reduce a rope's strength as little as
possible
 differentiate between rescue v. utility knots
 dressed knots reduce the % of failing, however, a TOTALLY cinched knot can reduce rope
strength in total
 hitch: tied on to something/object or it ceases to exist
 bend: joins 2 ends together
 utility knot
o clove/half/bowline
 natural fiber rope:
o cotton (splices in a rope, makes it utility)
o hemp (good grip, bad because it rots/burns easily)
  braided/braid on braid
 kernmantle static core (rescue)
 NFPA 1983: standard for fire life safety ropes
 Software: rope and webbing
 Hardware: tech (like carabineers)
 3 rope classifications
o Life safety, accessory cord, and utility
o Utility COULD be retired life safety, not to be used for life rescue, CAN be used for
hoisting tools
 Kern: 70-75% rope strength (core)
o Mantle: 30-25% rope strength (sheath) *protects the kern
 Life safety: "block creel" no splices, used for life safety
 Light use: 4.5 g lb breaking strength: 300 lbs working load
 ½" general use: 9 g lb breaking strength: 600 lbs working load
 15:1 safety ratio for rescue work
o 300*2: 600…600*15: 9000lbs: theoretical max before breaking
 Rescue systems/life safety:
o static: low stretch
o Dynamic: high stretch
 Accessory cord
o ¼" or 5/16"
o 3g breaking strength
o 200 lbs max safety working load,
o Used to form prussik
o CAN BE USED FOR LIFE SAFETY JUST ONCE

2/19

 Nfpa 1983: utility, life safety, accessory

 Don't step on the rope
 Safety factor
o 1 rescuer: 300 lbs
o 2 rescuers: 600 lbs (this is kernmantle, life safety, 15:1 rope)
 Manual washing device >> rope washing device >> clothes washing machine
 Rope log: should go with it through the life of the rope
 Re-use life safety rope
o Not visibly damaged
o Not exposed to heat/flame/abrasion
o Not subjected to impact loading
o Not exposed to liquids, solids, gas, misty vapors, or any chemicals
o Passes inspection by a qualified person both before and after use
 able to isolate "weak" part of the rope with butterfly knot
  flat webbing: 6 g of strength
o tubular: 4 g of strength (weaker)
 webbing
o loses very little strength, relatively inexpensive, lightweight, easy to cut/tie
 lengths of webbing
o Green 5 ft
o Yellow 12 ft
o Blue 15 ft
o Orange (sometimes RED) 20 ft
o Black 25ft
 Red in SFFD: custom
 Harnesses
o 4 types
 I: 300 lbs, seat only
 II: 600 lbs, seat only (with label that indicates NOT class I)
 Can be used with larro/no inversion possible
 III: 600 lbs, full body (seat and chest)
 Used with high angle rescue, commercially constructed, multiple
attachment points
 Improvised (NOT IV): HASTY HARNESS
 Emergency situations, rope hurts after a while, used with a water knot
 Rescue knots
o Water knot/figure 8 knot,bend,on a bight/double overhand with a fisherman's

2/21

 Single angle points girth hitch (lark's foot), locking girth hitch
o LARRO ONLY
 Tensionless, 2 bight, multi-wrap anchor
o HIGH ANGLE
 WHATEVER is used as an anchor must be BOMBPROOF
 If anchor is moveable &/or moveable: LOCK OUT, TAG OUT
 Lark's foot: pre-tied, webbing, rope, locking version to prevent shift
o LARRO ONLY
 2 bight, aka 3 bight anchor
 Multiple wrap anchor AKA wrap 3 pull 2
o If you take all loops: called MULTI-LOOP
 Tensionless anchor: 4 wraps around anchor with figure 8 follow through
o Diameter: must be at least 8 times diameter over the rope (usually 4" given rope is 1/2")
 Always use edge protection
o 90% rope failure: inadequate edge protection
 3 pickett system
 o 1 pickett pole: good enough for 1 person down (not 2 ppl up)
o don't side load the system, use 2"/3" flat webbing

2/26

 anchors and load sharing

o if you decrease the angle between pickett anchors, you reduce the amount of load on
each point
 wider angle between anchors, more load has to be supported (worse)
 main line and belay line (safety line)
o rated at 9000 lbs
 2 types of software
o Rope and webbing
o 24 kN equivalent to 1 person load dropped
 1 kN ~ 220 lbs ??
 Hardware
o Carabineers, tri-locks, rescue rings, swivels, anchor plates
 Carabineers
o Hinged gate and locking system (can come undone, called "dynamic rollout")
o NEVER drop a carabineer
o Aluminum will micro fracture easier than steel, but it is lighter
o Steel better for life safety
o Avoid metal to metal for carabineers
o Single direction load, along major axis/spine
 Rescue eight with ears: can be used for multidirectional loading
 Tri-links: similar to carabineer
o Primary use is multidirectional load
 Rescue rings: designed to be used when multidirectional load must be supported
 Swivel: resolves the issue of twisting/rotational loading, reduces THAT
 Anchor plate
o Should only be steel
o Multiple anchors to single point
 Raise someone using MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE
o Pulley
 Single/double sheave
 2" > 1" pulley
o No MA if no anchors
o Prussik: 3 times: helps as belay line, grabs immediately and creates a T-junction
 Tandem Prussik Belay
o Ascending devices:
 Cams: free-running and spring-loaded
 Good for grabbing, otherwise will cut into rope system
  Handled ascender: more for positioning > raising
o 2:1 pulley at load, 3:1 (Z-rig)(more rope to pull more pulleys involved)
 Lower someone using FRICTION
o DESCENT devices:
 rescue eights,
 8 plate(this doesn't have ears)(1 person load)(can develop lark's foot/girth hitch
inadvertently, rescuer will be stuck)
 Rappel Rack/Brake bar racks: add/remove friction without removing rope from
the system
 Belay plate

2/28

 4:1 double pulley (block and tackle)

 Consider rope rescue WHEN ALL OTHER means impossible
 3 communication types
o Face, radio, non-verbal types
 OATH
o O: Ok, A: Advance, T: Take Up (eliminate slack), H: HELP!
 Whistle blasts (1-4)
o 1: Stop, 2: Up, 3: Down, 4: Rope Free, CONTINUOUS: HELP!
o Whistle used when
 NO LINE OF SIGHT, NO RADIO, OUT OF VOICE RANGE
 BELAY: different colors
o R: red: main
o B blue: safety/belay
 For below grade rescues
 Prussik used for transferring people from rope
 Confined Space: small space not designed for continuous human involvement
o Permits: Entry: written
 One before being allowed into confined space
 Posted at entry point
o Atmosphere: GREATEST HAZARD/IDLH
 Able to blow O2 and "vent"

3/5

 Confined space sizeup

o Determine if handled by ops level or technician needed
 1) unobstructed space, 2)? 3) rescuers should be able to enter without removal
of SCBA 4)? 5) all hazards identified and mitigated
 Monitor atmospheric conditions
o Multigas detectors
  1) Oxygen concentration ( 19.5%<x<23.5%)
 2) Flammability (lower flamability level of 10% of concentration present)
 3) toxin level
 Low flammability level  >10% Fire hazard
 Positive for toxins: consult NIOSH to determine limits
 Vent confined space
o Exit opening: ½ to ¾ opening of primary origin with vent with POSITIVE PRESSURE and
NEGATIVE PRESSURE (if using this, make sure it is an intrinsically safe process)
 Prep to enter a space
o 1) assign crew positions
o 2) mark hazards
o Minimum and maximum accountability necessary
 Search for victims
 Every confined space requires a permit
o Quick pick stick can be used to monitor air conditions
 Atmospheric hazards >> contamination of space >> physical hazards >> environmental hazards
o Physical hazards: engulfment
 4 categories for monitoring
o General site monitoring
o Perimeter
o Confined space
o Personal
 PEL: permissible exposure limit in IDLH
 CLAUSTROPHOBIA: PRIMARY psychological hazard to rescuers in confined space
 Negative pressure: used in situations where atmosphere is heavier than O2 saturations
 Osha: anyone going in must have a safety line UNLESS entanglement likelihood is high

3/14

 Nfpa 1670: trench rescue

 Trench rescue
o Size up
o Identify soil (and classify)
o Prepare trench rescue ops
o Stabilize
o Access
 Square foot of dirt: 90-110 lbs
o Cubic yard: 2700 lbs
 Vibration sources
o Minimum 100 ft from ops
 Soil types
o Type A: best, B: okay, C: worst
  Trench Rescue Failures:
o Slough, sheer-wall, lip cave-in, spoil pile
 Panels on walls in trench: must be overhead at least 2 feet
o Shoring: no more than 4 feet apart and within 2 feet of bottom/top

3/19

 Initial actions at trench rescue: ladder in and the sides

 Vaccuum trucks
 2 ladders with 25' access
 Ground pads: on lips, used in combination with spray paint for soil cracks
 4 feet or deeper
o NEEDS SHORING
 Sloping/benching: angle to get out
o Trench box: 2 feet above lip
 Horizontal shore types
o Struts
 Hydraulic, screw jacks, timber, pneumatic
 These go perpendicular to sheeting
o Sheeting
 ¾" plywood with strong back, ideally 2 feet above lip
 For cribbing with wood, every contact point is able to support 6000 lbs
 Osha: over 20 feet requires engineer design for stabilization
 Signs of instability:
o Environmental hazards: temperature, noise, water, dust
 Four types of trenches: X, T, L, straight wall

4/2

 Fireground search and rescue operations

o Vent, Enter, Identify/Isolate (and deny entry), Search
 3 reasons to search
o Victims
o Locate seat of the fire and possible extension
o Downed firefighters
 2 types/modes of fireground search and rescue
o Conventional search and rescue (primary and secondary searches)
o RIC/RIT
 Primary search
o During suppression/attack, quick and rapid, ventilate as you go, work in teams of two or
more, at least 1 firefighter should carry a portable radio and forcible entry, R/L serach
pattern
 o SIZE UP BEFORE ENTERING: check floors above/below
 First team: fire floor
 Second team: floor above
 Third team: top floor
 Use R/L search pattern
 secondary search
o done after fire is under control, hazards somewhat mitigated, more thorough and
extensive, ideally done by another crew
 GO v NO GO Situations
o Go:
 Viable rescue, no impending flashover, hoseline in place,
membrane/compartmentalization
o NO Go:
 No membrane/compartmentalization, impending flashover, PPV (positive
pressure ventilation in place?)
 Targeted search
o V(ent), E(nter), I(solate), S(earch)
 Rit/ric: function: to search and rescue other firefighters
o 2 mode
 Distressed firefighter where location is known
 Lost or missing firefighter where location is unknown

4/4

 RECON:
o R: rescue of Firefighter
o E: egress for firefighters
o C: Construction type
o O: Outside survey
o N: nasty hazards
 th
4 in engine: RIC
o RIC Mindset:
 Training, physical fitness, learn from the past, proactively reactive, don't
compound the problem
o Minimum RIC # per NFPA: 2, in SF: 4
 RIC Equipment
o T-HAIRS
 TIC, Hook, Air (75 min), Iron (Halligan/Axe), Rope/Radio, Saw (Chain/Hand)
 5 considerations for changing any of the RIC toolset (PAGES)
o Packaging a downed firefighter, Air Delivery, Gaining Access to downed firefighter,
Egress/Ingress, Search
 Soften the building
 o 360* of building if possible
o Throw laders to windows
o Remove bars and security doors
o Be ready to go, not freelancing
 Search types
o Single-entry patient search
o Multi-entry patient search
o Wide-area search
 1 rescuer must maintain anchor as in
o Wall search (L/R)
o Shout out
o Tag-line (rope)
o Hose-line
 Use communication devices to give updates regularly
 During search
o Identify all exit points as you search
o Use your hands to identify door frames
o Extend your reach up the wall to find windows
o Check air periodically
 1/3-1/3-1/3 rule
 FRAME (RIT procedure for downed firefighters)
o F: Find the lost firefighter
o R: Roll onto back and reset PASS
o A: assess air in SCBA
o M: give a mayday to command
 LUNAR/ICAN
 Location
 Unit and Name
 Nature of Emergency
o (FACTS: Fall, Air emergency, Collapse, Trapped, Separated/Lost)
 Air Status (how much)
 Resources Need
 ID
 Conditions
 Actions/Air
 Needs
o E: extricate the firefighter

4/9

 2001 cook st: caused fire response to start responding to every call with full turnouts
 Best place for ladder placement?
 o On sill/jammed under sill, or over to a side depending on where ventilation is causing
smoke to blow
o Down hill  down sill
 L sided for R handed people
 Ladder placement:
o Apart from officer stating what number of ladders, otherwise self directed where
specifically
 Going down a ladder while rescuing a firefighter <<< going down stairs (less dangerous, more
smoke but ultimately less dangerous)
 Downed firefighter rescue techniques
o Quick pick/collar drag
o Incline drag
o Blanket drag
o Litter drag
o Strap drag
o DENVER DRILL
 2 ladders for bigger victims
 2:1 ladder rig
o Conscious vs. unconscious victim
 Front/back facing ladder technique
 Mayday: said 3 times, use LUNAR/ICAN
o Big reason for not calling mayday: PRIDE
o You can always cancel mayday
 Ladder bailout
o HOOK 2, GRAB 4 (rotation on ladder)
 Hose bail out: lock arms in place > hands used
 Wall breach
o (last ditch) ONLY interior wall
o Superman (no scba removal), SCBA Profile (partial removal), ____ (Full removal)
 Window Hang: LAST LAST LAST RESORT
 How to read couplings
o Wider to outsider, smooth bump bump to the pump, male out bail out

4/18

 Recognize types of collapse

o Lean-to
o V-shape
o A-frame (tent floor collapse)
o Pancake (least likely for secondary collapse AND least likely for alive victims)
o Cantilever (most likely for secondary collapse)
 Victims in void spaces: closest to the wall
  Approach hazards
o Natural disasters, terrorist bombings, damaged local infrastructure
 Make an entrance a exit as well
 Only shore structures if there's a rescue, be wary of rocking/twisting structure
 Types of construction regarding collapse
o Light frame (like type V) 1-4 stories
o Heavy wall (like type III) 1-6 stories
 Can rack (corner buildings will rack the most), be wary of bricks (don't flex),
cracks indicate foundation shifting
 Collapse problems related to load-bearing walls (if walls are gone: most likely
heavy wall collapse)
o Heavy floor (like type I) each story above ground allows for 1-1.5" of floor movement
laterally
o Precast concrete (assembled walls of concrete)
o URM: unrefined masonry: tie rods/recessed windows
 Every 4 feet: shoring necessary
 Rescue skills
o Structural monitoring, atmospheric monitoring, victim locating, rigging mechanical
advantage systems, shoring and tunneling
o Structural monitoring:
 Plumb lines+levels (low tech), transits+cameras (high tech)
 3 classes of levers:
o Class 1: seesaw (load-fulcrum-effort)
o Class 2: wheelbarrow (effort-load-fulcrum)
o Class 3 (fulcrum-load-effort) (shovel/bicep/calf?)
 Vertical shoring classifications
o Class I: 1 vertifical
o Class II: 2 legs
o Class III: locked together (4 supports)
o 5 nail pattern to lock together supporting struts
 Cribbing: no more than 3 times the length of the cribbing
o 18" length wood: can only shore 4.5 feet
o 24" length wood: can only shore 6 feet
o These are usually used for a 4x4 pattern
 Structural load supporting capabilities
o Wood: 35 cubic feet
o Masonry: 125 cubic feet
o Concrete: 150 cubic feet
o Steel: 490 cubic feet
 Raker shores…do stuff (look it up in the book)

Chapter 13 + 14
17. 4 types of water rescue:
a. Dive
b. Ice
c. Surf
d. Swift
18. 4 types of victims when it comes to water rescue
a. non-swimmer
b. injured/hypothermic
c. unconscious
d. weak/tired
19. Hazards
a. currents
b. debris/loads
c. low-head dam (diversified dam)
d. polluted water
e. cold water
f. entrapments
i. strainers
ii. sweepers
iii. eddies
20. body temperature goes down 25 times faster in water than in air
21. golden hour: a longer amount of time is present in hypothermic resuscitations due to the
mammalian diving reflex
22. surface water responder:
a. level I: go only for self/not for patient rescue
b. level II: go FOR victim recovery
23. swift water responder:
a. level I: DO NOT GO
b. level II: go FOR victim recovery (only level II can get in water with intent)
24. drowning is the 2nd leading cause of accidental death in USA
a. 90% open water, 10% pools
25. Swift speed definition: > 1 knot (> 1.15 mph) (>1.85 km/h)
26. Diver to tender pull meanings
a. One pull: in position
b. Two pulls: more slack
c. Three pulls: found object
d. Four pulls: help/emergency
27. Tender to diver pull meanings
a. Two pulls: change direction
b. Three pulls: surface
28. Signal for personnel to use while on watercraft to indicate status
a. Hand touch head and arm makes O: everything is groovy
 b. Waving 1 handed overhead: everything is NOT groovy
29. Whistle meanings
a. One whistle: stop
b. Two whistle: look upstream
c. Three whistle: look downstream
d. Three LONG whistle: emergency
30. Order of priority for water recovery
a. Reach, throw, row, go
i. Tow (no contact)
ii. Carry (contact)
31. What do you use to determine last seen point (LSP)?
a. Deduction
b. Statements of witnesses
32. Communication types
a. Radio, line pull, face-to-face, and whistle