FF bail-out/repelling

[nobull911]

I was wondering how many people feel that a FF should carry some sort of emergency bail-out equiptment such as tube webbing or even a harness like some departments use. Does anyone know what to use to connect the harness ot the bunker pants?

[lumpy649]

I carry a "bail-bag" with two large steel carabiners, a descent device, and 60' of static line. I also carry a 20' piece of 1" tubular webbing ( looped with a water knot)in my coat pocket to use for anchoring, tying car doors open, or for dragging a victim. Not that there are many high-rises in the area, but it beat jumping from a third-story window. The bag is large enough to carry the gear, but small enough to not present a snag hazard or drastically increase my profile in narrow areas. I hope I never have to use it, but it makes sense to have it...

The harness is another problem. I did place a sport-climbing harness in between the liner and shell of my pants, but it was very hard to keep adjusted properly, so out it came.. A rescue-grade harness would be way too bulky, I imagine... still looking for a way to make it work.

[SmokeJockey]

I carry a "last chance bag" w/ me at all times. It's got about 55' of repel rope and a couple of biners. We use our Quint(HP75) on all hi rise fires, so we carry two 150' tag lines palced at the tip of the stick. simply hook in and you always no where your ladder is.


..When in doubt, remember...JUMP WE'LL CATCH YOU!

[JBCat]

I carry a PMI escape system hooked to a gut belt over my pants but under my coat. Have belt loops installed onto the pants to keep the belt in place if you want. I hook the end of the rope to my right ring attached to the gut belt with a small non locking carabiner. This allows rapid deployement if needed. I instruct the use of this concept to the fire academy at the local college and it has not failed yet. The key that must be stressed is this - There is no one right or wrong system out there, it is what will work for you. Once you find that system, you must try it to 1) see if it works 2) practice enough to make it 2nd nature (please use a safeyt line when practicing). It should then be placed in a ready mode for every structural alarm you go to.

[quint1driver]

40' of 7-16" in my left coat pocket, left for life. Learned the rope slide technique, just a halligan or pole and the rope and Im down.

[Tindog18]

I carry a rope bag in my bunker pants pocket with a beener on both ends good for commercial searches and for bailing out. No harness thoughif you need to get out quick a harness is nice but you can do the same by looping it behind your back once hooking on end on a bar or other tool and leaving the other end packed in the bag in your pocket. hold on to both sides of the rope tight keep tension on the rope roll out the window and lossen your grip to decend. use a safty line to drill.

[Lt.111577]

If you want a harness look at some rescue web sites(pmi, peztl, cmc, rock-n-rescue) lots out there. Or talk to some turnout manufactures, I'm sure they could tell you who to call. That webbing you carry can be made into a harness real quick and easy.

[Firescueguy]

If anybody is looking for a compact rope bag that can be used to bail-out, check out this one at this website: www.fire-rescueoutfitters.com - click the rapid intervention link & scroll down.

The Personal Safety Rope Bag is gravity fed, offers a Nomex carry bag that is highly compact
(fits in bunker pants pocket or SCBA belt) & offered in 5 lengths. Kevlar RIT rope rated to 900 degrees F is available - doubles carry capacity of bag, available up to 200' - imagine carrying a 200' search rope that fits in your bunker pants pocket!!

Great for search, bail-out & RIT - fully stocked kits include NFPA rated rope with chafe guard & carabiners. Best of all, they're incredibly affordable - great for personal issue to your FF's or for placement on all SCBA's.

Hope this helps out all those lookin' for bail-out bags. Just remember, before you bail-out, get the proper training to know how to do it safely!!

Best wishes to all for a SAFE & prosperous new year!!

[PuffyNPFD]

I have a system that I am comfortable with. I wear a Blackhawk "last chance" belt with my station pants. I have a rope bag with 50 ft 8mm
rope, chafe guard, resq8 and two steel beeners. If I have to go just open my bunkers slightly latch in, anchor, and lower.

[Halligan84]

Go to some classes and learn the techniques first. My personal experience is that the rope wrap around your cylinder and under your arms is the fastest method, but the safety margin is slim. Always use a safety line in training! Unfortunately, unless your wearing something already rigged, I don't see where you get the time to hook up biners, make harnesses out of webbing, etc.. I've never been chased out a window, but if conditions are to that point, just think about trying to undo your bunkers, find biners, 8's, etc..
It's a personal choice, but if you go with it, buy a good quality system (rated rope, hardware that you can't lose and fast to deploy) Some of those listed on here are good, so is the one that Fire Service Rope out of Matawan NJ sells. It is the FDNY spec kit, they also sell the gemtor harnesses. Remember, lots of training, always with a safety.

[PAVolunteer]

I wear a Gemtor belt. It's a simple harness designed for the fire service. You'll see many NYC firemen wearing these. It's used mostly as a ladder belt. It can be used as an escape belt if need be. Kevin Shea was wearing this belt when he made the famous rescue over the side of a high-rise. If you get the rope bag w/ the gravity-fed repeller, these are a good combination.

http://www.gemtor.com/

Go to Products, and then Fire & Rescue.

Stay Safe

[Stretch]

We had a "self-rescue" class last summer. It was one of the best I had ever been to, one of the topics was bailing out a window using only 7/16 inch rope. We just wrapped the rope around our chest and used our gloved hands to control descent. I would only use it as a last resort, but would if I had to. As for carrying some rope, I think it depends on what types of buildings you have in your territory. If there is a need then carry it, a pouch can be sewn on the inside flap of a turnout cout.