October 1, 2007 EXIT WINDOW USING PERSONAL SAFETY SYSTEM (PSS) WITH REMOTE ANCHOR 1. EQUIPMENT Personal Harness and Personal Safety System. 2. OBJECTIVE To enable a firefighter to remove themselves from an untenable position above grade. 3. USING THE PERSONAL SAFETY SYSTEM This system should ONLY be used after all other means of self-rescue have been exhausted. When a member has decided to deploy the Personal Safety System, a Mayday transmission for a trapped member must be transmitted. o In addition to all other required information relayed for a trapped member, include that you are in the process of deploying the Personal Safety System. o When a point of safety is reached after using your Personal Safety System, the Incident Commander must be notified. If conditions permit, tying off to a substantial object is the preferred method of anchoring the personal safety system. Locate and clear a window suitable for exit. Select a suitable substantial object, e.g., steam riser, radiator, two wall studs, door frame, etc. 1
3.1 ACCESSING THE SYSTEM FROM THE STORAGE BAG Locate the storage bag with the right hand. Fully open the flap closure ensuring the two side securing tabs are released from the flap closure. (Figure 1) Figure 1 Grasp anchor hook with right hand sliding it up and out of storage bag. (Figure 2) Figure 2 Grasp anchor hook with both hands in front of your body. With both hands on the hook, pull forward sharply. This motion will deploy the EXO from the storage bag, disengage the handle support strap and allow the PSS D ring to slide forward. (Figure 3) Figure 3 2
Once the harness handle is fully deployed, leave the hook in the left hand and slide the right hand down to the EXO. Depress the cam with your right thumb and extend your left arm allowing the rope to pass through the EXO. Maintain harness handle fully deployed by keeping right hand extended away from the body. (Figure 4) Figure 4 Note: Introduce enough rope between the hook and EXO to pass the rope around the substantial object and tie the anchor knot. Introducing more rope than what is necessary for the EXO to clear the window sill may cause the system to be shock loaded when exiting the window. 3.2 ANCHORING Pass the hook around the substantial object. Allow enough slack to tie the anchor knot. Tie the Anchor Knot. With palms facing up, place the anchor hook on top of the rope. (Figure 5) Make a half hitch with right hand. Figure 5 3
Place the half hitch over point of anchor hook and pull taut. (Figure 6) Figure 6 Make a second half hitch in the same manner as the first half hitch. (Figure 7) Figure 7 Place the second half hitch over the point of the anchor hook and pull taut. (Figure 8) Figure 8 4
Completed Anchor Knot. (Figure 9) Figure 9 Examples of alternate methods of the anchor hook used on a remote anchor with saddle and tip. (Figures 10 through 13) Figure 10 Figure 11 Figure 12 Figure 13 Note: When using the anchor hook as pictured in figure 12 and 13, place the anchor hook as low as possible keeping tension. This will help prevent the anchor hook from coming off of the anchor point. 5
3.3 LOADING THE SYSTEM Move backwards from anchor point until rope and EXO are under tension. Lean back sharply using body weight to pull against anchor to: o Test the substantial object, o Insure full harness handle deployment with PSS D ring and EXO at top of harness handle, o Expose the EXO allowing for easy access by member. 4. PAYING OUT FROM ANCHOR POINT TO EXIT POINT 4.1 Facing anchor, grasp the EXO with left hand. With palm facing up, use heel of hand to depress cam, keeping all fingers away from rope (eliminating excess friction during payout). (Figure 14) Note: You will not be able to slide the EXO along the rope unless cam is depressed. Cam With right hand, grasp the rope between the EXO and storage bag with palm facing down. Figure 14 Turn slightly to the right. Right shoulder points to the exit window. Keep rope in right hand while moving across room. Continue pulling rope from the storage bag, maintaining a small amount of slack between right hand and the EXO to eliminate friction while moving towards window. Note: Leading with your right hand will be the most effective way to exit room. 6
With EXO in left hand, maintain tension on rope between EXO and substantial object. (Figure 15) Exit Anchor Figure 15 5. PREPARING TO EXIT WINDOW Upon reaching the window, the EXO must be brought to a point beyond the outermost edge of the windowsill. Extend the device in the left hand beyond the sill, maintaining slack with the right hand to allow the EXO to payout with less resistance. (Figure 16) Note: It is absolutely necessary that the EXO be brought beyond the sill. Figure 16 7
6. EXITING WINDOW After EXO is beyond outermost edge of the sill, let go of the EXO. With left hand, grasp inner edge of the interior wall, making sure hand is not under rope. Right hand, still holding rope, should now pull rope taut. Place right fist outside, against wall, below window sill. (Figure 17) Note: Holding the EXO while exiting may prevent engagement of the locking cam and result in a free fall. Figure 17 Maintain left hand position inside of window. Roll forward in a head first manner until upper torso and right leg are outside of window. (Figure 18) Note: This maneuver eliminates the need to straddle the window and keeps member in lower portion of the window below high heat. Figure 18 8
Lock left leg on interior wall. (Figure 19) Maintain position of left hand on the interior wall opposite the left leg. Note: This maneuver allows for a controlled exit, positioning your body below the window and evenly loading the system. Figure 19 Maintain grasp of rope with right hand. Release left leg from interior wall. Maintain left hand position to allow the body to pivot to an upright position. (Figure 20) Release left hand from interior wall. Note: Left hand must maintain its grasp on the interior wall until the body is in an Figure 20 upright position. 9
Place toes against the wall, with feet shoulder width apart. (Figure 21) While grasping rope with the right hand, slide hand out so rope is at a 90 degree angle to the EXO. Bring left hand to left side of the EXO and access operating handle. Slowly pull the operating handle towards you to disengage cam and begin descent. Maintain position of the right hand at a 90 degree angle to the EXO during the descent. Continue descending until Figure 21 reaching the ground or lower floor. Disconnect carabiner from the PSS D ring and move to an area of safety. Note: If conditions permit, member shall descend to ground level. 7. PROPER USE OF OPERATING HANDLE Operating handle is controlled with the left hand. To descend, pull operating handle towards the body. Speed of descent will be controlled by the operating handle and the proper positioning of the right hand. Releasing the operating handle will immediately stop the descent. Note: Pulling the operating handle too far will cause over speeding and an uncontrolled descent. If member begins to over speed, release lever with left hand and maintain firm grasp of rope with right hand to stop your descent. It is essential that the right hand always stays in contact with the rope to help prevent a rapid descent. 10 Rev. 07/06/09