It emphasizes the context for how rope is used over its lifespan, covering its life cycle from birth (selection and purchase) to death (retirement). The 2018 edition of NFPA 1858 : Standard on Selection, Care, and Maintenance of Life Safety Rope and Equipment for Emergency Services is the primary document that details rope selection and care. Life safety rope for technical and general useĪll life safety rope must meet specific physical standards and characteristics as defined by NFPA.

Static and low-stretch rope is preferred for free-hanging rope descents and ascents. Ready to start shopping? Be sure to view our selection of rope, including our technical-use life safety rope, Bulwark Safety X, and the glow-in-the-dark Night Saver, which illuminates the path to safety in marine rescues, firefighting, and other applications. We also review three of the most important characteristics firefighters should consider when selecting rope: material, construction, and minimum breaking strength. In this first installment of our two-part series on selecting life safety rope, we examine the differences between technical-use and general-use life safety rope and help firefighters determine which one they need for their operations. National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommendations guide the proper selection and purchase of both types of life safety rope- and this piece focuses on the selection criteria for technical-use rope. Like any universally loved and needed tool, rope has the capacity to fulfill multiple functions.īroadly speaking, life safety rope for firefighters is split into two subcategories: technical-use rope or general-use rope. construction) use rope routinely in daily work and recreation, while firefighters employ rope for escape, in addition to the hauling and rigging that accompanies rescue operations. Life safety rope is carried by firefighters, routinely transported in emergency rescue vehicles, and housed in fire stations across the United States.Ĭlimbers, search and rescue teams, mariners, and trade specialties (e.g.

Rope is among the most versatile pieces of equipment in rescue operations and fire protection.

Technical-use rope is a lifeline for firefighters and other rescue personnel, making selection and purchase key decision points

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