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Personal Escape Training Video
Great video again from Dale Pekel. You can find his stuff on YouTube and he is very precise and specific with is instruction. Obviously, this type of system is not for everyone and not all firefighters carry a harness on their gear. But the information is very informative and important.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by ColoradoDave on
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good good video.
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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on
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There are a few problems with this system...
The MSA SCBA shown attaches the cylinder to the backplate with a single sheet-metal screw. We have these break fairly regularly during routine training or fire ops. The escape rope being run where it is shown in the viceo can slip up and break the screw. If this occurs during the lower, the shock load can break the cylinder band, seperate the cylinder from the backplate, and potentially cause serious injury to the firefighter's spine.
The escape rope clipped through the carabiner on the firefighter being rescued makes a slip knot. This will unnecessarily compress the firefighter's internal organs and may cause serious injury. If you have the time, it is better to tie a Butterfly knot and clip the carabiner into this knot so that the firefighter's weight doesn't create a cinch.
The halligan shoved into the wall technique isn't safe with some of the flimsy drywall in modern lightweight construction. It is safer to place the halligan diagonally across the lower corner of the window, face the hallingan, and roll out. Putting the weight of a firefighter plus gear on a sheet of drywall that you have already intentionally damaged to sink the halligan through can easliy rip out the drywall and destroy the anchor point.
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Permalink Reply by Jason Brooks on
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Not one of these techniques is even remotely able to be performed quickly. This is a good way to end up dead yourself. But, at least you saved your partner, maybe. The whole reason for a personal escape system is to be able to save yourself. You are not supposed to use your personal escape system for anything other than your own personal self rescue. If you do, it will not be there when you need it.
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Permalink Reply by Jason Hoevelmann on
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I agree with some of what you are saying. However, I believe that this was explained as a last ditch effort and that if you had a bailout bag, it has the ability to be used in this manner. We all know in the fire service that we have to improvise at times and new, different or odd techniques may have to be used in a dire situation.
Thanks for commenting.
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As an instructor, we teach a similar technique. However, it is not for bailout. This can be used for lowering a victim out of a window or other elevated area. This is not taught as an emergency technique, but rather as a rope rescue option.
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Same here, I have been taught and teach a similar lowering technique that uses the other firefighter's system. The other thing that someone needs to remember is to not lower without knowing how much rope you have, especially if you have to anchor across the room. You would hate to run out of rope.
I appreciate your participation, this is all about information and other points of view.
Take care,
Jason
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