1006 – Rope Rescue Level 1

To produce firefighters who meet the requirements of NFPA 1006.

Standard establishes the minimum job performance requirements necessary for fire service and other emergency response personnel who perform technical rescue operations.

1.1* Direct a team in the operation of a simple rope mechanical advantage system in a high-angle raising operation, given rescue personnel, an established rope rescue system incorporating a simple rope mechanical advantage system, a specified minimum travel distance for the load, a load to be moved, and an anchor system, so that the movement is controlled, a reset is accomplished, the load can be held in place when needed, operating methods do not stress the system to the point of failure, commands are used to direct the operation, and potential problems are identified, communicated, and managed.

• Requisite Knowledge. Principles of mechanical advantage, capabilities and limitations of various simple rope mechanical advantage systems and high-angle raising operations, correct operation of simple rope mechanical advantage systems, personnel assignments, and operational commands.

• Requisite Skills. The ability to direct personnel effectively, use operational commands, analyze system efficiency, identify safety concerns, and perform a system safety check.

1.2* Direct a lowering operation in a high-angle environment, given rescue personnel, an established lowering system, a specified minimum travel distance forth load, and a load to be moved, so that the movement is controlled, the load can be held in place when needed, operating methods do not stress the system to the point of failure, rope commands are used to direct the operation, and potential problems are identified, communicated, and managed.

• Requisite Knowledge. Application and use of descent control devices, capabilities and limitations of various lowering systems in a high-angle environment, operation of lowering systems in a high-angle environment, personnel assignments, and operational commands.

• Requisite Skills. The ability to direct personnel, use operational commands, analyze system efficiency, manage movement of the load in a high-angle environment, identify safety concerns in a high-angle environment, and perform a system safety check.

1.3 Construct a multiple-point anchor system, given life safety rope and other auxiliary rope rescue equipment, so that the chosen anchor system fits the incident needs, the system strength meets or exceeds the expected load and does not interfere with rescue operations, equipment is visually inspected prior to being put in service, the nearest anchor point that will support the load is chosen, the anchor system is system safety checked prior to being placed into service, the integrity of the system is maintained throughout the operation, and weight will be distributed between more than one anchor point.

(A)* Requisite Knowledge. Relationship of angles to forces created in the rigging of multiple-point anchor systems, safety issues in choosing anchor points, system safety check methods that allow for visual and physical assessment of system components, methods to evaluate the system during operations, integrity concerns, weight distribution issues and methods, knots and applications, selection

and inspection criteria for hardware and software, formulas needed to calculate safety factors for load distribution, and the concepts of static loads versus dynamic loads.

• Requisite Skills. The ability to determine incident needs as related to choosing anchor systems, select effective knots, determine expected loads, evaluate incident operations as related to interference concerns and set-up, choose anchor points, perform a system safety check, and evaluate system components for compromised integrity.

1.4 Construct a compound rope mechanical advantage system, given a load, an anchor system, life safety rope, carabiners, pulleys, rope grab devices, and rope rescue equipment, so that the system constructed accommodates the load and reduces the force required to lift the load, operational interference is factored and minimized, the system is efficient, a system safety check is completed, and the system is connected to an anchor system and the load.

• Requisite Knowledge. Determination of incident needs as related to choosing compound rope systems, the elements of efficient design for compound rope systems, knot selection, methods for reducing excessive force to system components, evaluation of incident operations as related to interference concerns and set-up, rope commands, rigging principles, system safety check procedures, and methods of evaluating system components for compromised integrity.

• Requisite Skills. The ability to determine incident needs as related to choosing compound rope systems, select effective knots, calculate expected loads, evaluate incident operations as related to interference concerns and set-up, perform a system safety check, and evaluate system components for compromised integrity.

1.5 Construct a fixed rope system, given an anchor system, a life safety rope, and rope rescue equipment, so that the system constructed can accommodate the load, is efficient, and is connected to an anchor system and the load, and a system safety check is performed and the results meet the incident requirements for descending or ascending operations.

• Requisite Knowledge. Knot selection, calculating expected loads, incident evaluation operations as related to interference concerns and set-up, rigging principles, system safety check procedures, and methods of evaluating system components for compromised integrity.

• Requisite Skills. The ability to select effective knots, calculate expected loads, use rigging principles, evaluate incident operations as related to interference concerns and set-up, perform a system safety check, and evaluate system components for compromised integrity.

1.6* Direct the operation of a compound rope mechanical advantage system in a high-angle environment, given a rope rescue system incorporating a compound rope mechanical advantage system and a load to be moved, and a specified minimum travel distance for the load, so that a system safety check is performed; a reset is accomplished, and the movement is controlled; the load can be held in place when needed; operating methods do not stress the system to the point of failure; operational

commands are clearly communicated; and potential problems are identified, communicated, and managed.

• Requisite Knowledge. Methods to determine incident needs, types of interference concerns, rope commands, system safety check protocol, procedures for continued evaluation of system components for compromised integrity, common personnel assignments and duties, common and critical commands, methods for controlling a load’s movement, system stress issues during operations, and management methods for common problems.

• Requisite Skills. The ability to determine incident needs, evaluate incident operations as related to interference concerns, complete a system safety check, continually evaluate system components for compromised integrity, direct personnel effectively, communicate commands, analyze system efficiency, manage load movement, and identify concerns.

1.7*Ascend a fixed rope in a high-angle environment, given an anchored fixed rope system, a specified minimum distance for the rescuer, a system to allow ascent of a fixed rope, a structure, a belay system, a life safety harness worn by the person ascending, and personal protective equipment, so that the person ascending is secured to the fixed rope in a manner that will not allow him or her to fall; the person ascending is attached to the rope by means of an ascent control device(s) with at least two points of contact; injury to the person ascending is minimized; the person ascending can stop at any point on the fixed rope and rest suspended by his or her harness; the system will not be stressed to the point of failure; the person ascending can convert his or her ascending system to a descending system; obstacles are negotiated; the system is suitable for the site; and the objective is reached.

• Requisite Knowledge. Task-specific selection criteria for life safety harnesses and systems for ascending a fixed rope, personal protective equipment selection criteria, design and intended purpose of ascent control devices utilized, rigging principles, techniques for high-angle environments, converting ascending systems to descending systems, and common hazards posed by maneuvering and harnessing.

• Requisite Skills. The ability to select and use rescuer harness, a system for ascending a fixed rope, and personal protective equipment for common environments; attach the life safety harness to the rope rescue system; configure ascent control devices to form a system for ascending a fixed rope; make connections to the ascending system; maneuver around existing environment and system-specific obstacles; convert the ascending system to a descending system while suspended from the fixed rope; and evaluate surroundings for potential hazards.

1.8* Descend a fixed rope in a high-angle environment, given an anchored fixed-rope system, a specified minimum travel distance for the rescuer, a system to allow descent of a fixed rope, a belay system, a life safety harness worn by the person descending, and personal protective equipment, so that the person descending is attached to the fixed rope in a manner that will not allow him or her to fall; the person descending is attached to the rope by means of a descent control device; the speed of descent is controlled; injury to the person descending is minimized; the person descending can stop at any point

on the fixed rope and rest suspended by his or her harness; the system will not be stressed to the point of failure; the system is suitable for the site; and the objective is reached.

• Requisite Knowledge. Task-specific selection criteria for life safety harnesses and systems for descending a fixed rope; personal protective equipment selection criteria; design, intended purpose, and operation of descent control devices utilized; safe rigging principles; techniques for high-angle environments; and common hazards posed by maneuvering and harnessing.

• Requisite Skills. The ability to select and use rescuer harness, a system for descending a fixed rope, and personal protective equipment for common environments; attach the life safety harness to the rope rescue system; make attachment of the descent control device to the rope and life safety harness; operate the descent control device; maneuver around existing environment and system-specific obstacles; and evaluate surroundings for potential hazards