About the Book

The fourth edition of High-Angle Rope Rescue Techniques meets and exceeds the job performance requirements (JPRs) in Chapters 5 and 6 of NFPA 1006, Standard for Technical Rescuer Professional Qualifications, 2013 Edition. The Fourth Edition provides a comprehensive introduction to the technical rescue and rope rescue environments, focusing on the knowledge and skills required to effectively perform a wide variety of rescues.

The Fourth Edition delivers a step-by-step approach to rope rescue, making it easy for students to learn the basics of high- angle rope rescue-from knots to highlines-as well as more specialized skills, such as management of rescue operations. Each chapter identifies NFPA 1006 Chapter 5 JPRs, Rope Rescue Level I, and Rope Rescue Level II content accordingly. Consequently, the earlier chapters build the foundation of rope rescue and the later chapters conclude with more comprehensive material and techniques.

The Fourth Edition is for high-angle rescue techniques in all fields:

• The Fire Service: Fire fighters, from rookies to veterans, use rope rescue techniques in the field. Rookies can use this text to facilitate learning new techniques, while veterans can use the text to review and polish their knowledge.
• Industrial Rescue: Industrial rescue incidents can occur in high-angle and confined areas, such as refineries, chemical plants, and open pit and underground mining sites, all of which pose the risk of falls, entrapment, medical emergencies, and exposure to dangerous materials. When an industrial site has confined space, a rescue team trained specifically for those hazards must be available.
• Rope Access: A fast -growing discipline, rope access refers to a set of techniques where ropes and specialized hardware are used as the primary means of providing access and support to workers. Using rope access to get to hard-to- reach work sites may be quicker and simpler than using traditional structural installations such as scaffolding and platforms. Rope access has a wide range of uses, including window cleaning, bridge painting, and engineering inspection of building exteriors and ocean oil platforms.
• Tower and Turbine Rescue: Tower rescue can include a variety of designs and heights, including telecommunications and broadcast towers and electrical transmission towers. With the development of alternative forms of energy, wind turbines are found in increasing numbers and offer their own sets of rescue problems.
• Search and Rescue: Backcountry and wilderness responders often need high-angle rope rescue skills for cliff and mountain rescue.
• Law Enforcement Tactical Operations: SWAT teams and other law enforcement tactical personnel often need high-angle rope skills for entry into buildings or to rescue entrapped citizens.
• Managers: Emergency managers must understand all components that may serve to mitigate an emergency, including rope rescue operations.

About the Author

Tom Vines Training Officer, Carbon County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue, Red Lodge, Montana Tom Vines has a wide spectrum of experience in urban and backcountry emergency services, along with years of work in training emergency responders and in publications. While on the east coast, he provided consulting services on high angle rope techniques to the Washington DC Metropolitan Police Special Operations Division and to the National Headquarters of The International Association of Firefighters. While there, he responded to search and rescue calls to backcounty areas that included vertical cave emergencies. While in Montana, he served a Civilian Deputy for Search and Rescue (ret) for Carbon County and worked search and rescue responses in the mountain areas of Carbon County and adjoining Stillwater County. In nearby Yellowstone National Park, he has joined in mutual response training with national park rangers in specialties such as helicopter rappelling and helicopter short haul operations. His medical experience includes ambulance service in Billings, Montana and as an instructor in wilderness EMS. On the national scene, he helped establish and coordinate the International Technical Rescue Symposium (ITRS). For 20 years, he edited the “Rescue Report,” column, a review and analysis of actual rescue incidents nationwide. In addition to the three previous editions of High Angle Rescue Techniques, he was co-author for Confined Space and Structural Rope Rescue. Steve Hudson -President, Pigeon Mountain Industries, Inc., Deputy Director, Walker County Emergency Management, Lafayette, Georgia

Table of Contents:
CHAPTER 1: The High-Angle Environment • The High-Angle Environment • Mountaineering • Climbing • Vertical Caving • High-Angle Rescue • Rope Rescue • Fire Service Rescue • Tactical Operations • Industrial Rescue • Rope Access • Tower Rescue • Water Rescue • The High-Angle Rope Technician • Training • Continued Skills Maintenance • Comfort in the High-Angle Environment • Safety • Think Systems • Characteristics of an Effective Rescuer • Use of Low-Risk Methods First • Preparation for Self-Rescue • Backup of Other Rescuers • Care of Equipment • Attention to Detail • Team Concepts • Warning Call • Rope Rescue Technician Skills CHAPTER 2: Personal Equipment and Protection • Chapter 5 JPRs Rope Rescue Level I, and Rope Rescue Level II • Choosing and Implementing Personal Equipment and Protection • Clothing • Inner and Outer Clothing • Headgear • Gloves • Footwear • Personal Equipment • Harnesses • Securing Hardware in the High-Angle Environment • Foot Supports • Shoulder Slings • Light Sources • Knives • Fitness and Health • Hydration • Self-Sufficiency • Protection from Heat and Cold • Suspension Trauma CHAPTER 3: Rope and Related Equipment • Chapter 5 JPRs • Determining the Right Rope for the Task • Ropes for Technical Climbing and Mountaineering • Ropes for Rappelling and Ascending • Ropes for Rescue Use • Life Safety Rope Versus Moderate Elongation Laid Life-Saving Rope • Fibers Used to Make Rope • Natural Fibers • Synthetic Fiber Ropes • Rope Construction • Laid • Plaited • Braided • Double Braid • Kernmantle • Choosing a Rope • Dynamic Versus Static or Low-Stretch Ropes • Moderate Elongation Laid Life-Saving Rope • Size and Strength • Rope Colors • Process for Coloring Ropes • Manufacturer-Supplied Eye Termination • Accessory Cord • Webbing • Webbing Materials • Webbing Construction • Webbing Size • Webbing Strength • Rope Rescue Level I • Determining the System Safety Ratio • Breaking Strength of Rope • Rope Tensile Test Standards • Minimum Breaking Strength Determination-3 Sigrna Method • Rope Rescue Level I and Rope Rescue Level II • The Role of the Fall Factor • The Role of Fall Factors with Short Ropes CHAPTER 4: Care and Use of Rescue Rope and Related Equipment • Chapter 5 JPRs • Care of Ropes • Keeping a Rope History Log • Tagging Ropes • Storing Ropes • Bagging Ropes • How Ropes Are Damaged • Harmful Substances • Overloading a Rope • Damage from Falling Objects • Abrasion • Heat Fusion. • Rope Damage Through “Flash” Rappels • Rotation of Ropes Used in Rappel Training • Strength Loss Through Knots • Inspecting a Rope • Establishing Responsibility for Life Safety Ropes • Retiring a Rope • Washing Rope • Rope-Washing Devices • Cleaning Ropes with a Washing Machine • Fabric Softeners • Special Cleaning Problems • Dressing Rope Ends • Care of Webbing • Hints for Rope Handlers • Preventing Tangles • Throwing and Dropping Rope CHAPTER 5: Basic High-Angle Hardware • Chapter 5 JPRs • Hardware for the High-Angle System • Carabiners • Basic Carabiner Shapes • Carabiner Sizes and Strengths • Carabiner Gate Opening • Locking Carabiners • Aluminum Versus Steel Carabiners • Carabiner Standard Labeling • General Points on Buying Carabiners • Using Carabiners in Their Manner of Function • Hard Linking • Carabiner Brake Bars • Three-Way Loading • Screw Links • Care and Inspection of Carabiners • Descenders • Types of Descenders • Brake Bar Racks • Other Descenders • Rope Grabs • Technical-Use Ascenders • General-Use Ascenders • Hardware for Anchoring • Rock Anchors (Artificial Anchors) • Bolts • Clean Hardware • Belaying • One-Person Versus Rescue Belaying. • Belay Devices • Other Belay Alternatives • Pulleys • Other Characteristics of Pulleys for High-Angle Activities • Bearings • Specialized Pulleys • Other Hardware • Rigging Plates • Swivels • Edge Rollers CHAPTER 6: Knots • Chapter 5 JPRs • Knots in the High-Angle Environment • The Qualities of a Good Knot • How Knots Affect Ropes • Backing Up Knots • Dressing Knots • Knot Efficiency in Rigging • Specific Knots for the High-Angle Environment • Knot-Tying Terminology • Overhand Knot (for Rope and Webbing) • Girth Hitch (Lark’s Foot) (for Rope and Webbing) • The Figure 8 Family • Ring Bend (Water Knot) (for Webbing) • Double Overhand Knot (for Rope) • Clove Hitch (for Rope or Webbing) • Optional Approach: Bowline Knot • Munter Hitch • Prusik Hitch CHAPTER 7: Anchoring • Chapter 5 JPRs • Anchors and the High-Angle System • Anchor Points • Natural Anchors • Anchors on Structures • Less Obvious Anchors • Artificial Anchors • Placement of Anchors • Strength of Anchors • Direction of Pull on an Anchor Point • Positioning of Anchors • Directionals • Location of Directionals • Directionals Versus Deviations • Backing Up Anchors • Materials for Anchors • Using Rope for Anchors • Use of Webbing for Anchors • Keeping Anchors in Place • Anchor Plates • Adapting to a Lack of Anchors • Extending Anchors • Using Vehicles for Anchors • Portable Anchors • Rope Rescue Level l • Multipoint Anchors • Multiple Slings on a Single Anchor Point • Backing Up Anchors CHAPTER 8: Belaying of One-Person Loads • Chapter 5 JPRs • Belaying • One-Person Versus Rescue Belay • The Belay System • Belay Practice System • Belaying Signals • Belaying Techniques • The Münter Hitch • Using a Free-Running Belay Device • Belaying with the ATC • Belay Plates in Figure 8 Descenders • Assisted Catch Belay Devices • Additional Cautions for Belayers • Arranging the Belay Direction • Maintaining Proper Slack in the Belay Rope • Securing the Belayer • Bottom Belay (for Rappelling Only) • Body Belays CHAPTER 9: Rappelling • Rope Rescue Level l • Rappelling • Importance of Control • How Rappelling Works • Rappels Using Body Friction • Arm Rappel • Body Rappel (Dulfersitz Rappel) • Mechanical Rappel Devices • Figure 8 Descenders • Gaining Extra Friction When on Rappel • Rappel Stance • Getting Over the Edge • Clearing the Descender • Effect of the Rope Angle on Rappelling • Undercut Edges • The Brake Bar Rack • Emergency Descent Systems • Self-Belay Techniques • Using a Prusik Safety in Rappelling • Protecting the Rappel Rope Below You • Extricating Jammed Rappel Devices • Extrication Techniques • Preventing a Rappel off the End of a Rope CHAPTER 10: Basic Ascending Techniques • Chapter 5 JPRs • The Purpose of Ascending • How Ascending Is Accomplished • Types of Ascenders • The Basics: A Prusik Hitch • Selecting Rope for a Prusik Hitch • Creating a Prusik Loop • Other Uses for the Prusik Loop • Greater Holding Power: The Three- Wrap Prusik • Rope Rescue Level l • Mechanical Ascenders for Personal Use • Parts of the Technical-Use Ascender • Right-Handed and Left-Handed Ascenders • Ascender Slings • Creating an Ascending System • Tying Off Short • Chicken Loops • Examples of Ascending Systems • Ascending Over an Edge • Changing Over • The Frog Ascending System • Extricating an Obstruction from a Jammed Rappel Device CHAPTER 11: Rescue Organization • Chapter 5 JPRs • Preresponse • Preplanning • Response • Initial Report • Incident Coordination • Incident Command System • Investigation • Operations • Strategy and Allocation of Resources and Time • Communications • Communicating for Safety • Risk Management • Operational Risk Management • GAR Risk Assessment Model • Operational Safety Steps for Achieving Precision in Rescue • 5M Model of Systematic Risk Management • Situational Awareness • Postincident • Hot Debrief • After-Action Review • Formal Incident Review CHAPTER 12: Medical Considerations in Technical Rescue • Chapter 5 JPRs • Overview: Medical Care During Technical Rescue • Medical Preplanning • Medical Personnel • Medical Skill Level and Training • Preparation and Training • Physician Medical Direction and Oversight • Financial Resources • Medical Technologies • Benefit to Patients • Technical Rescue Medical Kit • Patients • Nonmedical Patients • Medical (Trauma) Patients • Assessment and Interventions • Triage • Airway and Breathing • Circulation • Head and Spine Considerations • Suspension Trauma in Technical Rescue • Prevention • Treatment • Rescue and Medicine: Putting It Together CHAPTER 13: Rescue Belaying • Chapter 5 JPRs • Rescue Belays • System Analysis • Brake Belay Considerations • Tandem Prusik Belay System • Load-Releasing Hitches • Constructing the Tandem Prusik • Belay System • 540O Rescue Belay Device • Rigging the 540O Rescue Belay • Other Rescue Belay Devices CHAPTER 14: Pickoff Rescue Techniques • Chapter 5 JPRs Rope Rescue Level l, and Rope Rescue Level II • Using the Pickoff Rescue • Pickoff Rescue Situations • Basic Types of Pickoff Rescue • Teamwork and Communication • Skills and Equipment Required for a Pickoff Rescue • The Belay Question in Rappel Pickoffs • Personal Protective Equipment for Pickoff Rescue • Medical Considerations • Rappel Pickoff Techniques • Rescue of a Person Wearing a Seat Harness • Removing the Subject’s Weight on Rope • Lowering Pickoff Rescue • Down, Down Versus Down Up Lowering Rescue • Rescue of a Subject Not Wearing a Seat Harness • Placing a Manufactured Seat Harness on the Subject • Placing a Tied Seat Harness on the Subject • Rope Rescue Level II • Victim Hanging by Dorsal Connection CHAPTER 15: Use of Litters in High-Angle Rescue • Chapter 5 JPRs and Rope Rescue Level II • Litters in Rescue Operations • Litter Functions • Types of Litters • Metal Basket Litters • Composite Litters • Plastic Basket Litters • Break-Apart Litters • Flexible Litters • Litters for Helicopter Hoist and Short-Haul Operations • Choosing a Litter for Rescue Operations • Packaging the Subject in the Litter • Protecting the Subject in the Litter • Packaging the Subject with Possible Spinal Injuries • Packaging the Subject with Long Bone Fractures • Packaging the Subject for Rope Rescue • Physically Stabilizing the Subject in the Litter • Materials for Litter Packaging • Litter Subject Tie-Ins • Immobilization of the Head. • Carrying the Litter • Litter Slings • Litter Wheels CHAPTER 16: Low-Angle Evacuation • Chapters 5 JPRs • The Need for Low-Angle Evacuation • Examples of Low-Angle (Slope) Evacuation • Elements of Low-Angle Evacuation • Standard Requirements for Slope Evacuation • Litter Tenders • Litter Tie-Ins • Litter Rigging for Low-Angle Evacuation • Litter Team for Low-Angle Evacuation • Packaging the Subject for Low-Angle Evacuation • Optional Personnel in Low-Angle Evacuation • Litter Tender Body Positions • Litter Tender Strategy • Litter Tender Tie-Ins • Brake and Anchor Systems for Low-Angle Lowering • Braking Systems for Low-Angle Evacuation • Brake Bar Rack • Figure 8 Descender • Tree Wrap • Rope Management in Low-Angle Evacuation • The Belay Question • Safe Movement of Personnel in Low-Angle Evacuation • Chapter 5 JPRs and Rope Rescue Level l • Communications • A Typical Low-Angle Lowering • Hauling • Mechanical Versus Human Power • 1:1 Mechanical Advantage Hauling System • The Haul Team • Communications for Hauling • Progress-Capture Device • Counterbalance Hauling System • 2:1 Hauling System for Low-Angle Evacuation • Other Hauling Systems • Drawbacks to Force-Multiplying • Hauling Systems CHAPTER 17: High-Angle Lowering • Chapter 5 JPRs, Rope Rescue Level l, and Rope Rescue Level II • The High-Angle Lowering System • Lowering System • Braking Systems for Lowering • Belays for Lowering. • Communication in Rescue Lowering • Radios • Voice Communication • Principles of Rescue Lowering • Lowering a Person Using a Figure 8 with Ears • Lowering a Person Down a Vertical Face Using a Figure 8 with Ears • Lowering a Practice Rescuer on a Slope Using a Brake Bar Rack • Lowering a Practice Rescuer Down a Vertical Drop Using a Brake Bar Rack • Litter Lowering Systems • Safety Factors • Position of the Litter for Lowering • Single-Line versus Double-Line Lowering • Litter Rigging for Single-Line • Lowering • Lowering a Litter (Single Line with Belay) • Rigging the Litter for Single-Line Lowering • Double-Line Lowering Systems • Two Brake Lowering System • Vectoring • Getting Over the Edge with a Litter in a Vertical Position • Passing Knots • Rope Rescue Level II • Medical Considerations for Rescue Subjects in High-Angle Lowering • Loading the Subject into the Litter • Use of an Auxiliary Tender CHAPTER 18: Hauling Systems • Chapter 5 JPRs, Rescue Hauling Systems • Purposes of Hauling Systems • How Hauling Systems Work • Calculating Mechanical Advantage • Multiplying the Mechanical Advantage • Simple Mechanical Advantage Systems • Compound Mechanical Advantage • Adding to Mechanical Advantage • Mechanical Advantage and System Efficiencies in Compound Complex Systems • Chapter 5 JPRs and Rope Rescue Level II • Elements of Hauling Systems • Rope Grabs • Positioning the Progress Capture Device • Reducing Edge Friction in Hauling Systems • Edge Rollers and Rope Padding • Directionals • Resultant Forces • Changing the Position of the Haul Rope • Reducing the Weight of the Load • Tag Lines • Getting Over the Edge • Pike and Pivot Technique in Hauling • Chapter 5 JPRs, Rope Rescue Level l and Rope Rescue Level II • Rigging and Using Hauling Systems in Rescue Operations • 1:1 TMA Hauling System • Hauling from a Confined Space • 2:1 Hauling System without the Diminishing V • Rigging a 2:1 System • 3:1 (Z-Rig) Hauling System • 4:1 (Piggyback) Hauling System • General Considerations for Rescue Hauling Systems • Personal Haul/Jigger/Set of Fours CHAPTER 19: Tower and Turbine Rescue • Rope Rescue Level l • Understanding the Risks of Tower and Turbine Rescue • Tower Rescue Preplan Guidelines • Preclimb Checklist • Tower and Turbine Climbing Equipment • Fall Factors • Suspension Trauma • Types of Towers • Telecommunications and Broadcast Towers • Electric Transmission Towers • Performing Tower Rescue • Subject Packaging and Other Medical Considerations • Ground-Based Tower Rescue. • Top-Down Tower Rescues • Wind Turbines • Performing Wind Turbine Rescue • Interior Wind Turbine Rescue • Exterior Wind Turbine Rescue. • Rope Rescue Level II • Isolating and Managing Energy Sources • Types of Energy Sources • Personal Protective Equipment for Energy Sources CHAPTER 20: Highlines • Rope Rescue Level II • Highlines in Rescue • Use of Highlines • Problems with Highlines • Elements of a Highline • Main Line • Near-Side Anchor • Far-Side Anchor • Load • Pulleys • Tag Line • Haul Line • Lowering/Belay Line • Highline Loads • One-Person Loads • Two-Person Loads • Litter Loads • Determining the Amount of Sag in the Highline • 10 Percent Rule • Steps in Rigging a Highline • Anchor Materials • High Directionals • Rigging a Highline • More Complex Systems. • Guiding Line • English Reeve System • Double Main-Line System CHAPTER 21: Helicopter Rescue Operations • Chapter 5 JPRs • Helicopters in Rescue Operations • Decision Making and Situational Awareness • When to Use a Helicopter • Weather and Nighttime Limitations • Mission Planning and Preplanning • Outside Helicopter Rescue Assets • Mission Management • Landing Zones • Load Calculation • Helicopter Rescue Crews • Helicopter Flight Characteristics and Limitations • Helicopter Aerodynamics. • Autorotation • Translational Lift • Types of Helicopter Landings • Helicopter Performance • Density Altitude • Hover Ceiling • Center of Gravity • Maximum Gross Weight • Basic Helicopter Safety • Preboarding • Safety During Helicopter Operations • Personal Protective Equipment • Fire- Resistant Clothing • Flight Helmet • Footwear and Hand Eye and Ear Protection • Harnesses • Personal Flotation Device • Applicable U.S. Federal Regulations • Survival and Rescue Considerations • In-Flight Emergency: Survival Plan Checklist • Water Ditching Survival Training • Rescue Subject Care and Transport • Additional Rescue Subject Care Considerations • Helicopter Rescue Techniques • Historical Background. • Helicopter Hoist Rescue • Helicopter Rappel • Helicopter Short-Haul Operations CHAPTER 22: Testing of Systems and Equipment • Reasons for Testing Rescue Equipment • Component Testing • Systems Testing • Carabiners: Component Versus Systems Testing • Performing Your Own Tests • Planning the Test Project • Crunching the Test Results • Sharing your Results Appendix: Pro Board Assessment Methodology Matrices for NFPA 1006 Glossary Index SKILL DRILL CONTENTS Chapter 6: Tying a Simple Overhand Knot • Tying a Simple Figure 8 Knot • Tying a Figure 8 on a Bight • Tying a Figure 8 Follow-Through Knot • Tying an Inline Figure 8 • Tying a Double Figure 8 Loop • Tying a Butterfly Knot • Tying a Figure 8 Bend Knot • Tying a Grapevine Knot • Tying a Ring Bend • Tying a Clove Hitch • Tying a High-Strength Bowline • Tying a Bowline on a Coil • Tying an Interlocking Long-Tail Bowline • Tying a Prusik Hitch Chapter 7: Tying a Tensionless Hitch • Simple Load-Distributing Anchor • Complex Load-Distributing Anchor Chapter 8: Setting the Belay on Level Ground • Practicing the Münter Hitch on Ground Level • Rigging a One-Person Belay Device (ATC) • Belaying with the ATC on Level Ground Chapter 9: Wrapping the Rope for a Body Rappel • Using a Figure 8 Descender on Level Ground • Locking Off a Figure 8 Descender • Using a Figure 8 Descender on a Slope • Using a Figure 8 Descender on a Vertical Surface • Securing Lock Off for a Figure Descender • Double Wrapping the Figure 8 Descender • Getting Over the Edge: Butt Thrust Method • Getting Over the Edge: Knees Over Edge Method • Attaching the Brake Bar Rack to the Rope • Tying off the Brake Bar Rack • Using a Brake Bar Rack on a Slope • Using a Brake Bar Rack on a Vertical Face Chapter 10: Attaching a Prusik Loop to a Rope • Using a Technical-Use Ascender • Tying Off Short • Using the Three-Ascender System • Changing Over (Ascend to Rappel) • Changing Over (Rappel to Ascend) • Extricating an Obstruction from a Jammed Rappel Device Chapter 13: Constructing the Radium Hitch • Releasing the Radium Hitch • Giving Slack or Feeding out the Belay in a Lowering Operation • Taking in Slack or Belaying a Raising Operation • Rigging the Prusik Minding Pulley • Operating the Prusik Minding Pulley • Using the 540O Rescue Belay • Belaying with the 540O Rescue Belay while Lowering or Raising Chapter 14: Performing a Pickoff Rescue of a Person Wearing a Seat Harness • Perform a Lowering Rescue of a Subject • Tying a Hasty Seat Harness • Tying a Rescue Chest Harness Chapter 15: Creating an Upper Torso Tie-in • Creating a Lower Torso Tie-in Chapter 17: Lowering One Person Using a Figure 8 with Ears (Steep Slope) • Using a Figure 8 with Ears to Lower a Person Down a Vertical Face • Using a Brake Bar Rack to Lower a Practice Rescuer on a Slope • Using a Brake Bar Rack to Lower a Practice Rescuer Down a Vertical Drop • Changing the Litter Angle During a Double-Line Litter Lowering • Using the Pike and Pivot Technique to Get Over an Edge • Passing a Knot in Litter Lowering