Chapter 5 Ropes

Question 1

Knots, Bends and Hitches:

Answer 1

Hitch is a temporary method of a securing an object;
Bend is the tying ends of two ropes;
Knot is the tying of the parts of two or more ropes

Question 2

Required length of rope for measured knots:

Answer 2

1 ½ arm lengths for: Bowline on a Bight; Rolling Hitch; Bowline(with a 1 ft. end)

Question 3

Half Hitch:

Answer 3

Used when hoisting or lowering tools and equipment;

Question 4

Clove hitch:

Answer 4

Formed by making two half hitches; A binder shall always be tied in conjunction with a clove hitch

Question 5

Slip Over Clove Hitch:

Answer 5

Used to advantage by slipping the completed clove hitch over the end of the object;

Question 6

Bowline knot:

Answer 6

Useful where a loop a needed that will not slip;

Question 7

Becket Bend:

Answer 7

Used to join the ends of two ropes

Question 8

Rolling Hitch:

Answer 8

Used to secure a hose line which has been hoisted via the outside of a building

Question 9

Handcuff knot:

Answer 9

Used for either dragging a firefighter in distress or hoisting him/her vertically

Question 10

Bowline on a Bight:

Answer 10

Commonly used to lower a fireman to rescue persons trapped at windows that are not readily accessible to ladders(in conjunction with slippery hitch)

Question 11

Substantial Object Knot (Clove Hitch and Binder On The Taut Part of the Rope):

Answer 11

Used to tie off to an anchor point during the lowering of a member, rescue pick up and single slide;

Question 12

Figure 8 (Stopper knot):

Answer 12

Tied at the end of a rope and keeps rope from slipping out;

Question 13

Butterfly Knot:

Answer 13

Used as a tie off point or directional knot

Question 14

Water knot with 1” Nylon Tubular Webbing:

Answer 14

1” nylon tubular webbing in 20’ lengths; Breaking Strength 4000 lbs., Knotted breaking strength 3000lbs.; Used to assist removal of unconscious member or civilian from hazardous environment, should only be used for dragging victims; no vertical lifts should be attempted. Inspected monthly and after each use.

Question 15

Knots and Hitches used to hoist and lower tools and equipment: 
Axe: 
Hook: 
Extinguisher: 
Halligan tool:

Answer 15

Axe: Half hitch for axe tie approx. 5” below end of handle;

Hook: Clove hitch and binder approx. 6” from end of handle;

Extinguisher: clove hitch and binder approx. 3” from bottom;

Halligan tool: half hitch placed under adz end, clove hitch and binder close to head of fork.

Question 16

Nylon Life Saving Rope:

Answer 16

9/16”, 14 ½ lbs, Minimum breaking strength is 9000 lbs., workload is 600 lbs., 150 feet in length, Can shrink 8 to 10 feet over time, Loses 10-15% when soaked for 24hrs,

Question 17

Nylon Life Saving Rope: Put Out Of Service when:

Answer 17

Doubt, Two weight of 2 people, Heat (300 deegrees loses strength; 482 rope melts), Abrasions, Hockle, Rust (persistent), Frozen, Acid or acid fumes, Impact load when member falls 3’ or more.

Question 18

Life Saving Rope Backpack

Answer 18

● 14”x14”x6”
● White w/red lettering
● 1 ½ pounds

Question 19

Repacking Life Saving Rope

Answer 19

Packing LSR in case is done in counter clockwise fashion, 3 items placed on top of coiled up LSR at top of bag: Anti chaffing device, bowline on a bight, and snap hook

Question 20

Search Rope:

Answer 20

Used as a supervisory tool to maintain search team integrity under difficult circumstances; provides members with finding a means of egress under heat and smoke conditions when searching for life or fire; The Search Rope is to be used ONLY for search or guide purposes, not for lifting or lowering; Inspect rope after each use and monthly; 5/16th” diameter/ 7.5mm; 200 feet long with snap hook, due to shrinkage and the installation of distance and directional knots rope may shorted by 25 feet or more. Directional knots in search rope are 25 feet apart: 1 knot at 25 feet, 2 knots at 50 knots, 3 knots at 75 feet, etc. Spacing between distance knots is 6 inches, Spacing between directional knot and distance knot is 18”.

Question 21

The Personal Harness:

Answer 21

Provides members with quick/safe means for life saving rope rescues/emergency escapes. Made of nylon webbing; minimum breaking strength of 6000 lbs, rappel hook has gate with a triple action lock; Harness will be inspected at start of each tour and after each use; OOS if any abnormality exists including persistent or unknown stains or if harness is subjected to an impact load.

Question 22

PSS- Personal safety system- Components:

Answer 22

Anchor hook, 50’ kernmantle rope. Hook material is alloy steel; Hook load capacity: 5000 lbs at tip; Rope material/diameter: Technora sheath at 7.5mm (19/64”); Length: 50’; Rope Strength: 3034 lbs, Rope work load: 300 lbs.

Question 23

Personal Safety System (PSS)

Answer 23

●	Used only for 1 person
●	Give a MAYDAY
●	50 ft Kermantle Rope
●	Made out of Technora Sheath/Technora Core
●	5,000 pounds @ tip
●	10,000 pounds @ saddle
●	3034 pounds rope tensile strength
●	300 pound work load

Question 24

Repacking Personal Safety System

Answer 24

Repacking PSS: laid out in clean dry area, bag on its back with bag opening facing away from member; place fig 8 knot on right edge of flap closure above rope storage section. Continuously slide 5 folds into rope storage section of bag until approx. 18 inches of rope with hook and EXO remain; maintain 8 inches of rope between eye of hook and EXO; The rope shall have an 8 inch loop between the “U” shaped rope guide and the EXO; Fold 8 inches of remaining rope behind the back edge of Anchor/Hook and place hook and rope into the hook pocket; Any excess rope between storage compartment and EXO should be packed into the lower rope compartment via the 2” cutout in the rope separation flap at this time.

Repacked semi-annually as part of semi-annual safety equipment inspection