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Permalink Reply by Padre Pete on March 22, 2009 at 11:51am

Mike, What I'm proposing here is a "Swiss Seat". Hope its what you're looking for. Its only a rescue harness if you are physically able to use it. Great for repelling. The loop goes behind you. The upper part crossing behind your back and the lower part behind your thighs. If you had to tie the loose ends together, make sure that water knot is behind your back and out of the way. You are holding it in place with an "end loop" in each hand. Hold those w/ your thumbs and reach down w/ both hands and grasp that short length between your legs w/ your fingers. As you pull that secion, (it will slide through you fingers) let go w/ your thumbs and pull out and up through the "end loops" you used to be holding. Man, I wish I had a video. Now you should be holding one of the two new "end loops" in each hand. Clasp them toghether hook your biener through them. It should take longer to screw down the biener than it did to create the seat. Keep the faith.

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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on March 22, 2009 at 1:55pm

Improvised webbing harnesses work - if they're tied properly, properly sized to the person wearing it, and the time and distance involved are short.

Improvised webbing harnesses are just that - improvised.

If you're going to do rope rescue, do it with NFPA 1983-compliant harnesses.
In order to be NFPA 1983 compliant, rope rescue harnesses have to meet the following:

Be constructed according to the strength, quality control, and 3rd-party certification specifications of the standard
Be labeled as such
Fit into one of the NFPA harness classes.
NFPA Class II is the minimum for any real rappelling or rope rescue work, and Class III is required for confined space rescue and in any other situation where the rescuer or victim may become inverted.

Improvised harnesses don't have any padding and make the wearer vulnerable to Harness Suspension Syndrome if they are in the harness for very long. A long raise/lower/rappel or the chance of being stranded on the rope are situations where you don't want to use a webbing harness.

The only time using an improvised webbing harness is Ok is for personal escape or for RIT work where the use of a manufactured NFPA harness isn't practical.

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Permalink Reply by Michael on March 22, 2009 at 6:13pm

Thanks for the replies, guys. The swiss seat looks like it would work ( i found some diagrams through Google) but it might be a little too time consuming. I'll have to try it out when I get a chance. For a rappel harness it looks great- but not for personal escape or RIT.

I don't intend on using an improvised harness for actual rope rescue- just something to have in my head incase I need it.

Thanks again.

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Permalink Reply by Eric on March 23, 2009 at 7:25pm

If you go to www.animatedknots.com and then click on the search and rescue tab at the top, there is an example. You can make one quicker with the webbing tied in a loop woth a water knot. If I can get ahold of a video showing how, I will post it. If you haven't read Ben Waller's post, I recommend it. It has very valid points.

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Permalink Reply by Alex on March 23, 2009 at 8:02pm

Look at CMC pick off strap. Saves time when you need it and you will need it if you have a victim in a real scenario.

Be safe

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Permalink Reply by Michael on March 24, 2009 at 4:36pm

Thanks for the replies.

The hasty harness from www.Animatedknots.com looks pretty good. I'll have to see how it works out.

I'm not looking at this from a technical rescue aspect. We have harnesses and straps similar to the CMC pick off strap for that, along with other equipment for rope work.

I'm viewing this from a situation where I wouldn't have a harness, specifically in a structure fire. Personally, I can go out a window with my webbing without a harness by passing it around my back- but a victim won't be able to.

Now, before you tell me how bad of an idea it is to extract a victim via a rope and improvised harness- I know that. Like I said, I have no intention of using this or wanting to use this, and there are many other effective means of getting victims and myself out of a building. Again- just making sure I have some knowledge in the area incase I ever did need it.

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Permalink Reply by john wakie jr on July 7, 2009 at 11:07am

making a stable harness out of webbing should only be used as a last resort option... Using the rescue rope (9/16 nylon rope is best) can easily be converted into a harness using a bowline on a bight and a slippery hitch across the chest..(if unable to tie a slipperey hitch, just loop the raising/ lowering (working) end of the rope over its self 4 times place looped rope over persons shoulders under the armpits and and tighten the slack and hoist or lower thevictim / rescuer). The four loops bind together and prevent crushing the rescuer/victims chest. As far as using webbing to remove a victim/ rescueer from a IDLH using webbing is not a good idea because most of the knots used (water knot, locking caribeiners and other hardware/knots cannot be tied without removing your gloves.. and by using the rescue rope as a harness you eliminate some of the danger factors. These include and ar not limited too, a misplaced beiner, worn webbing, improperly tied knots, broken or worn beiners, and most importantly; webbing is also easily cut when tension is placed on it because it has minimal stretch, so even glass from a poorly trimmed window can be a fatal hazard. If anyone has any questions about anything i have posted just shoot me a message. STAY LOW, STAY COOL, STAY SAFE- John

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