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New York Rope Law
In June of 2008 New York States "ROPE LAW" took effect. Many departments have been left wondering What is this? How do we met compliance with this? What is required? How will your department comply with this? This is some information i have learned about the law. Currently there is a chapter ammendment being introduce by the New York Association of Fire Chiefs, Firemens Association of the State of New York and the Association of Fire Districts for some additional guidance for us from the department of Labor.
A little history: The law 12 NYCRR 800.7 Emergency escape and self rescue ropes and systems components for firefighters. was passed in the state legislature and passed on to the department of labor (or as we know them PESH) for enforcement. The law came about for several incidents where firefighters "JUMPED" out of windows or other openings to servive the fire conditions of the fire they were fighting. Many of these firefighters were injuried, some severly, and unfortunatly some died. The most prominate case of this was the "Black Sunday" fire in the Bronx . On that Day two members Lt Curtis Meyran and FF John Bellew of 27 Truck jumped out a fourth story window with four other firefighters to escape the huge fire coming at them. Lt. Meyran and FF Bellew died as a result of this jump. Go to www.theBravest.com to read more on this fire and the out come.
So in the knee jerk reaction of our state goverment, we all now find ourselves meeting an additional unfunded mandate from the state. This law requires all interior firefighters working on the second story or higher to be trained and equipped with rope and system components to allow for self rescue ( without free fall) from upper stories of a building should it become necessary to evacute the building from an opening not designed as an exit. This brings up several issues. Who needs the training? Who designs it? Who does the training? What system components are required? What type of rope?
Well for the first couple of questions, it appears the AHJ ( the authority having jurisdiction) does most of this. Each department will be required to complete written risk assesments to determine under what circumstances escape ropes and system components will be required and what type will be required to protect the firefighters they employ (or have as members). This will also require additional sop's/sog's for our crews to learn. as for training, PESH has defined the qualifications for a competent instructor as the following: They shall have the training and/or acedemic credentials and instructional experience necessary to demonstrate competent instructional skills and a good command of the subject matter of the courses they teach. It requires hands on training. Do you have some of these people in your firehouse?
The equipment must meet the NFPA standard 1983 2006 edition. The Rope is to be between 3/8 to 1/2 inch diameter. This rope is SINGLE use only. It CANNOT be used for training and carried for rescue. Training ropes may be reused as long as inspection and wear standards are followed and the training ropes are secured so they cannot be issued for rescue and properly identified as such. Premanufactored systems may be used providing all the requirements of this law is met, They meet the needs assesment done by the department and training is done in compliance for the maintenance of the system.
This is a little information on the law. I am not against firefighters having a rope or system to escape if necessary, I am against the law being shoved down on us with no funding for departments for equipment and training. THis can and im sure will be a budget buster for some of the departments out the.
A little history: The law 12 NYCRR 800.7 Emergency escape and self rescue ropes and systems components for firefighters. was passed in the state legislature and passed on to the department of labor (or as we know them PESH) for enforcement. The law came about for several incidents where firefighters "JUMPED" out of windows or other openings to servive the fire conditions of the fire they were fighting. Many of these firefighters were injuried, some severly, and unfortunatly some died. The most prominate case of this was the "Black Sunday" fire in the Bronx . On that Day two members Lt Curtis Meyran and FF John Bellew of 27 Truck jumped out a fourth story window with four other firefighters to escape the huge fire coming at them. Lt. Meyran and FF Bellew died as a result of this jump. Go to www.theBravest.com to read more on this fire and the out come.
So in the knee jerk reaction of our state goverment, we all now find ourselves meeting an additional unfunded mandate from the state. This law requires all interior firefighters working on the second story or higher to be trained and equipped with rope and system components to allow for self rescue ( without free fall) from upper stories of a building should it become necessary to evacute the building from an opening not designed as an exit. This brings up several issues. Who needs the training? Who designs it? Who does the training? What system components are required? What type of rope?
Well for the first couple of questions, it appears the AHJ ( the authority having jurisdiction) does most of this. Each department will be required to complete written risk assesments to determine under what circumstances escape ropes and system components will be required and what type will be required to protect the firefighters they employ (or have as members). This will also require additional sop's/sog's for our crews to learn. as for training, PESH has defined the qualifications for a competent instructor as the following: They shall have the training and/or acedemic credentials and instructional experience necessary to demonstrate competent instructional skills and a good command of the subject matter of the courses they teach. It requires hands on training. Do you have some of these people in your firehouse?
The equipment must meet the NFPA standard 1983 2006 edition. The Rope is to be between 3/8 to 1/2 inch diameter. This rope is SINGLE use only. It CANNOT be used for training and carried for rescue. Training ropes may be reused as long as inspection and wear standards are followed and the training ropes are secured so they cannot be issued for rescue and properly identified as such. Premanufactored systems may be used providing all the requirements of this law is met, They meet the needs assesment done by the department and training is done in compliance for the maintenance of the system.
This is a little information on the law. I am not against firefighters having a rope or system to escape if necessary, I am against the law being shoved down on us with no funding for departments for equipment and training. THis can and im sure will be a budget buster for some of the departments out the.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by John on
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Sure sounds like it, I am with you anything that will help us survive better is a plus but having it shoved down our throats without proper funding is just insane.
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Permalink Reply by Bruce Mack on
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You are exactly correct Ted, the exemption to this law is for populations of 1 million or more. That only leaves New York City exempt from the law, ( the taxes are too high for any other area to get that type of population)and the reason told to me from my assemlywomen was they were going to take care of thier own and had already come up with a program. And the ironic thing is they had ropes issued prior to the fire but they were removed by department Brass, and than the after the incident the current system was issued.
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Permalink Reply by Paul Montpetit on
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If you really want to see how government can show its stupidity....GUESS WHAT...?? Go ahead, I bet you can't guess....Oh, come on...try......There is one exclusion to the law.....Yep...!! You may now have guessed it....NYFD is exempt from the ruling....Stay safe and remember to keep the faith......Paul
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Permalink Reply by Tony P on
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I beg your pardon? You believe that mandatory clothing and equipment should be paid for by employees/volunteers?
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Permalink Reply by FIRE BEAR on
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here at my dept and county firefighter survival is mandatory from day 1 if you dont have it you dont go in and our dept issued us all ropes for it then reissued new ropes after training and if you want the new york belt you have to buy it yourself i dont see a problum with spending my money on something that might save my ass
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I suppose I'm too used to being supplied with all required equipment. I'm always surprised when I see posts from people wondering what boots they should buy before going to the academy for a career position...
My Brigade is part of a State-wide FRS. If there is a standard, then the organisation must ensure that it is met. If a safety law was passed requiring extra equipment, then they would supply that equipment.
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Permalink Reply by Chris Sterling on
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Sounds like NYs law makers are getting bored sitting at they're desk all day staring at the walls, so they decided, hey, we can hit the fire departments! I mean really! I thought most interior fire fighters already carried rope anyway. What's next? You have to use water to put out fires? It's the law you know!
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OK. I asked because this piece of equipment seems to be mandatory (State Law) in New York. I understand that budgeting can be a huge concern, even for safety equipment required by law. We're lucky, we're part of a State Government instrumentality.
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Alan....Are you a Career or a Vollie...? I have no problem paying for what I feel I need from time to time....BUT....I give my time (to excesses from time to time...ask my family)...I give the use of my vehicle.....I attend ALL work details, All training drills.....I attend ALL training offerred by the County and State in our area.....I make myself available for ALL Fire investigations that aid is requested for......I am NOT paying for another State mandate...I do have a caribiner and a 30 foot length of life rated webbing that is tucked in my bunkers...but look at the prices for an escape system...they are usually well over $200.00....I cannot justify this expense....I work hard to make my living....I work hard for my Fire Department but that is still a Volunteer activity....I should NOT be expected to pay to Volunteer to provide a service to my community....and yes I have had Firefighter Survival training.....as the law is written it does not even specify who needs the gear...is simply states "Firefighters" Does this mean that the people outside doing scene support has to have it to...? Common sense obviously says no...but the law just states "Firefighters"....Clarification and funding would greatly help...we have small departments all around the country with small budgets to operate within....Paul
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