Overhand Knot - Rope/Webbing Webbing Overhand Loop on a Bight

Overhand Knot - Rope/Webbing Webbing Overhand Loop on a Bight

Water Knot Overhand Bight with Webbing

Figure 8 on a Bight Figure 8 Follow Through

Figure 8 Stopper Knot Figure 8 Bend

Double Fishermans

Triple Wrap Prusik Hitch Triple wrap Prusik Hitch

Butterfly Knot

Square Knot

Seat Harness

Wrap 3 Pull 2 High-Strength Tie-Off

Radium Release Hitch

Break Bar Rack

Low Angle Litter tie-in Belay Line System

Main Line Lower and Raise System

Main Line System from Lower to Raise

Main Line System from Raise to Lower

Reference 1 Rope Construction

Reference 2 Static Rope / Hardware

Reference 3 Dynamic Rope use / Knot Strength

Reference 4 Anchor Angle / Load

Reference 5 Anchor Angle / Load

Reference 6 Force on Anchors / Low & High Angle Risk

Reference 7 Pulling Force

Reference 8 Rope Fiber Chart Rope Fiber Comparison Chart Characteristics 1=Best 6+Poorest Nylon Polyester Polypropylene Polyethylene Kevlar Spectra Strength 3 4 5 6 2 1 Shock force absorption 1 5 3 4 6 Abrasion resistance 3 2 4 5 6 Flexing endurance 1 2 4 5 6 Wet strength (%) 85 98 100 105 100 2 1 3 100 Floats/sinks sinks sinks floats floats sinks floats Specific gravity 1.14 1.38 0.91 0.95 1.44 0.97 Elongation at break (%) 15-28 12-15 18-22 20-24 1.5-3.6 2.7-3.5 Water absorbion (%) 6 <1 0 0 0 0 Low working temp ( F) -70-70 -20-100 -100-200 Sticky point (F ) 250 275 200 150 350 150 Melting point (F ) 480 500 330 285 800 297 Creep 4 2 5 6 1 3 Resistance to Degradation Sunlight UV Good Excellent Poor Fair Fair Excellent Acids Poor Excellent Excellent Excellent Good Excellent Alkalis Good Poor Good Good Good Excellent Oil and gas Good Good Good Good Good Good Elect. conductivity resist. Poor Good Good Good Good Good Source: Compiled from Cordage Institute Information and Wellington Puritan rope and fiber comparison

Reference 9 Marin County Sheriff's Search and RescueTeam Technical Rescue Protocol SYSTEMS High angle evolution: lowering use brake bar rack hauling use Z-rig (pig-rig can be an option where necessary, with appropriate experience) belay use tandem prusiks Low angle evolution: litter going down use brake bar rack litter going up use single prusik COMMANDS for a typical high angle evolution (individual situations may requires variations) once rigging is complete 1) rescue team leader: stop, safety check 2) edge tender/rescue team leader: rescuer ready? 3) rescuer: ready? 4) edge tender: on belay? 5) belayer: belay on 6) edge tender: ready to lower? 7) lower (station): ready 8) edge tender: lower away slowly 9) lower: lowering 10) rescuer: stop, reached subject 11) edge tender: stop 12) edge tender: lock lower 13) lower: lower locked 14) edge tender: lock belay 15) belayer: belay locked 16) edge tender: rescuer ready? 17) rescuer: ready 18) edge tender: on belay? 19) belayer: belay on 20) edge tender: ready to haul? 21) closest hauler: ready 22) edge tender: tension haul line 23) edge tender: release prusik 24) prusik tender: prusik released 25) edge tender: haul away slowly 26) closest hauler: hauling 27) edge tender: stop 28) edge tender: set prusik 29) prusik tender: prusik set 30) edge tender: resetting 31) edge tender: slack haul line slowly 32) edge tender: take a bight 33) repeat steps 16-26 34) edge tender: rescuer(s) and subject safe (past dead line) 35) rescuer: off belay 36) belayer: belay off ADDITIONAL COMMANDS: anyone at anytime: stop (+why stop) -everyone holds position, no rope movement -after a stop and the situation is resolved, return to step 2 anyone at anytime: rock (refers to anything falling over the edge/from above) -those below hold head level so their helmets protect them; DO NOT LOOK UP edge tender always relays commands between rescuer and rope team when direct communication between the two is not possible slack: feed out rope (e.g. slack haul line, slack belay, tension lower) tension: pull on rope (e.g. tension haul line, tension belay, tension lower) rope: rope coil thrown (e.g. over a cliff edge) dead line: only those who are anchored go beyond this point

Reference of Illistrations and Information Recommended Reading On Rope North American Vertical Rope Techniques by Bruce Smith and Allen Padgett Illustrations by Ron Buffington Alpine Operations by Mark V. Lonsdale Mountaineering Freedom of the Hills 6th Edition by The Mountaineers edited by Don Graydon and Kurt Hanson Engineering Practical Rope Rescue Systems by Michael G. Brown Rope Rescue Manual by James A. Frank and Jerrold B. Smith The Handbook of Knots by Des Pawson Technical Rescue Riggers Guide by Rick Lipke Rope Rescue Manual CMC Field Guide 3rd Edition by CMC The Complete Guide to Rope Techneques by Nigel Shepherd