Webbing

What are you guys using for webbing? I have about a 10 foot piece tied in a loop with 2 carabiners.

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on May 16, 2010 at 6:37pm

Can you be more specific? Are you referring to the webbing's length?

Construction?

Heat resistance?

Purpose?

Configuration?

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Permalink Reply by Norm Tindell on May 16, 2010 at 6:40pm

Several of us carry 25-foot lengths of webbing in our pockets. No knots, no biners. Comes in handy for an endless variety of uses, such as holding doors open on overturned vehicles...

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Permalink Reply by ColoradoDave on May 16, 2010 at 6:42pm

Chief ( I am assuming (And i know what happens when you assume) from your picture.),

I guess what got me thinking about this was this post on VES.com http://www.vententersearch.com/?p=570 . It looks like this firefighter has about 15 or so feet with webbing with 2 carabiners on each end.

I guess i want to know what you are caring and why.

-Dave

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Permalink Reply by Paul Montpetit on May 16, 2010 at 7:03pm

I have a 30' length of life rated webbing in a pocket with a life rated locking carabiner....Have it tied in a loop...I can use it for lifting, hauling or even a hasty rescue harness to get someone out....BUT..The key is to practice with it BEFORE you ever need to use it....if it isn't rated for life/rescue then don't waste your money.....Paul

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Permalink Reply by Shareef Abdu Nur on May 16, 2010 at 7:40pm

I carry a short 10' stretch of webbing with handles sewn each each end and I also carry a longer 25' stretch tied together with a water knot making a loop. The webbing has many uses and is lightwieght to carry. As far as Carabiners, I have 2 on my Truck belt that serve me well.

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Permalink Reply by ColoradoDave on May 16, 2010 at 8:22pm

Thanks for the info! I have one steel that is good for locating walls when you are in the middle of a big room. I think I am going to get another steel one.

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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on May 16, 2010 at 8:45pm

Dave, yes, I'm a chief officer. - your assumption was correct.

The VES post shows what is commonly called "Elephant Ears" by tech rescuers.
This is a length of webbing with a fixed loop tied in each end. I carry a 20-foot length of this configuration. I don't use the exam glove - they tend to melt to the webbing in any kind of heat.

I just stuff one of the carabiners into a turnout pants pocket, then stuff the rest of the webbing just as if I'm stuffing a rope bag. When I get to the second carabiner, I clip the carabiner over the edge of the pants pocket. We use non-locking carabiners for this so we don't fumble with locking carabiner gates in fire gloves. The elephant ears configuration is commonly used as a bailout device. It can be anchored over a halligan tool shaft that is pinned diagonally into the lower corner of a window, then used as a hand-over-hand bailout device from the second floor. It can also be used to secure ladder tips to a tool spiked inside a window or to lash a ladder tip to a balcony rail or fire escape.

I also carry a second 20-foot length of webbing tied in a continuous loop with one non-locking carabiner clipped in. I stuff a bight of the loop into my pants pocket in the same manner as I do the Elephant Ears. When I get to the bight at the other end, I clip the carabiner to the pants pocket in the same manner as my other webbing. I carry the Elephant Ears on my right side and the loop on the left.

We use 1-inch tubular webbing for these applications. The smooth edges make it much easier to use in fire gloves than the newer flat tech rescue webbing. We use flat webbing for all technical rescue applications.

The flat webbing has an approximate rating of 5,500 lbs and the tubular is slightly weaker, rated at around 4,500 lbs.

The downside of this webbing is that it melts at relatively low temperatures. Higher-strength webbing like Spectra or Kevlar is much more difficult to find, is much more difficult to tie effective knots in, and is much more expensive.

I recommend pre-tying the knots - tying them correctly in fire gloves and in zero-viz is almost impossible. Pre-rig the carabiners for the same reason.

I normally advocate for ONLY locking carabiners when discussing rope rescue, confined space rescue, and swiftwater rescue. For fireground rescue, I prefer the non-locking carabiners. The risks of not being able to deploy a locking carabiner or autolocking carabiner (shown in the photos above) with your fire gloves on are higher than the risks of using non-locking carabiners in a fireground situation. Most fireground webbing use will be drags, ladder security, or attaching a tool for remote horizontal ventilation from above the window being vented.

The webbing can be used as secondary links to a primary search line if you don't have a Chicago large-area search kit, too.

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Permalink Reply by ColoradoDave on May 16, 2010 at 9:10pm

Chief,

Good stuff, i like where this discussion is going!

-dave

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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on May 16, 2010 at 10:19pm

We have an in-house firefighter survival and Rapid Intervention program.. We teach the techniques I listed, as well as how to carry personal rescue and self-rescue equipment in places where you can find it and deploy it in zero viz.

We stress preventing the need for RIT even though we teach virtually every RIT technique in the common public programs and some additional techniques that we believe have value.
We also stress that maintaining situational awareness, monitoring your air supply, and calling a MAYDAY as soon as you get into trouble are more important than what kind of webbing or cutting tool you carry, or where.