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Roco Rescue

Roco Rescue
RescueTalk™ provides leading news and information for safety and rescue professionals and is a service of Roco Rescue, Inc., who specializes in confined space rope rescue training and rescue products for first responders in industrial rescue, municipal rescue and military rescue.
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Can I use my training rope for rescue?

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Can I use my training rope for rescue?We're often asked about using training rope for rescue purposes, so here's what we discovered...

The short answer is yes. However, NFPA 1500 provides some additional guidelines.

NFPA 1500 Standard on Fire Department Occupational Safety and Health Program (2007 Edition)
7.16.3* Life safety rope used for rescue at fires or other emergency incidents or for training shall be permitted to be reused if inspected before and after each such use in accordance with the manufacturers’ instructions and provided that the following criteria are met:

(1) The rope has not been visually damaged by exposure to heat, direct flame impingement, chemical exposure or abrasion.

(2) The rope has not been subjected to any impact load.

(3) The rope has not been exposed to chemical liquids, solids, gases, mists or vapors of any material known to deteriorate rope.

7.16.3.1 If the rope used for rescue at fires or other emergency incidents or for training does not meet the criteria set forth in 7.16.3(1), 7.16.3(2), or 7.16.3(3) or fails the visual inspection, it shall be destroyed.

7.16.3.2 If there is any question regarding the serviceability of the rope after consideration of the criteria listed in 7.16.3, the rope shall be taken out of service.

(*) Asterisk indicates that explanatory material is included in Annex A. While Annex A is not a part of the requirements of the NFPA document, it is included for informational purposes only.
Annex A (NFPA 1500)

A.7.16.3 Life safety rope can be significantly weakened by abrasion, misuse, contamination, wear, and stresses approaching its breaking strength, particularly impact loading. Because there is no approved method to service test a rope without compromising
its strength, rope rescue and training operations should be carefully observed and monitored for conditions that could cause immediate failure or result in undetectable damage to the rope. If a rope has been used in a situation that could not be supervised or where potential damage could have occurred, it should be removed from service and destroyed.

It is important that ropes be inspected for signs of wear by qualified individuals after each use. If indications of wear or damage are noted, or if the rope has been stressed in
excess of the manufacturers’ recommendations or has been impact loaded, it should be destroyed. The destruction of the rope means that it should be removed from service and altered in such a manner that it could not be mistakenly used as a life safety rope. This alteration could include disposal or removal of identifying labels and attachments and cutting the rope into short lengths that could be used for utility purposes.

The assignment of disposable life safety ropes to members or to vehicles has proven to be an effective system to manage ropes that are provided for emergency use and are used
infrequently.

Special rescue teams, which train frequently and use large quantities of rope, should include members who are qualified to manage and evaluate the condition of their ropes and determine the limitations upon their reuse.

Trench Warning from OSHA

Monday, October 10, 2011

Two workers are killed every month in trench collapses. Unprotected trenches are among the deadliest hazards in the construction industry and the loss of life is devastating.Since 2003, more than 200 workers have died in trench cave-ins and hundreds more have been seriously injured. OSHA has three new guidance products to educate employers and workers about the hazards in trenching operations.

The new products include a fact sheet, QuickCard and a poster that warns, “An Unprotected Trench is an Early Grave.”

The three documents may be ordered in English- and Spanish-language versions from the Publications page of OSHA’s web site. See the news release for more information.
Trench Warning from OSHA

Roco Techniques Right at your Fingertips!

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Roco Techniques Right at your Fingertips!The newly revised Roco Pocket Guide features fifty-eight pages of color illustrations of the actual techniques and systems taught in our classes.

Made from a synthetic paper impervious to moisture, this pocket-sized field guide will hold up in the most unfavorable environments.The newly revised Roco Pocket Guide features fifty-eight pages of color illustrations of the actual techniques and systems taught in our classes. Made from a synthetic paper impervious to moisture, this pocket-sized field guide will hold up in the most unfavorable environments.
Tabbed sections offer a quick reference in the following topics: knot tying techniques, rope care tips, anchoring, belaying, patient packaging, litter rigging, lowering systems and a confined space types chart.

Roco's New Pocket Guide is the perfect reference when working in the field. Retail price: $ 35.00

You can purchase a copy of Roco’s NEW Pocket Guide (Model # R910C) for $35.00 by visiting our online shop, or order by phone at 800-647-7626.

Register to WIN a Roco Pocket Guide.

ConocoPhillips-Alaska attends FastTrack 120 in Baton Rouge

Thursday, September 29, 2011

ConocoPhillips-Alaska attends FastTrack 120 in Baton Rouge“I have attended other Technical Rescue training programs, and the instruction and training that I have received during this FAST TRACK 120 course has been within the top 3 courses I’ve attended in my 20 years in the Fire Service.” ~ Jason Kuni Diorec, Emergency Response Assistant Chief, ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc.During a recent FastTrack 120 class in Baton Rouge, we had the opportunity to talk with one of our students who traveled all the way from Alaska.

He told us of his plant’s unique needs based on their location and how they require a wide variety of emergency response skills to handle the responses in their remote area. FastTrack 120 is Roco’s most intense program and includes 12 days of confined space and high angle rope training. Certification testing based on NFPA is conducted at the end of the program, which includes individual skills testing, scenario-based performance evaluations, and a written exam.

Q: Why is this type of training important to your team?

FastTrack student, Will Rogillio, makes patient access through a horizontal pipe during a confined space exercise using SAR at the Roco Training Center in Baton Rouge.

ConocoPhillips-Alaska attends FastTrack 120 in Baton RougeA: We are a unique industrial facility due to our remote location on the Alaska North Slope. We are isolated from any emergency response services for miles, so we supplyour own emergency response services to protect life and property in the Boundaries of ConocoPhillips leased land.

This makes our responses very similar to any other Municipal Fire Department plus the industrial aspect as well, which includes: Hydrocarbon Fires, Structural Fires, Medical Emergencies, Haz Mat, Spill Response, and Technical Rescue.

Q: How or when could these techniques be used at your location?

A: Since our facility operates around the clock, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, our Technical Rescue team has the potential to be called upon at any time.

Student Joe Roske being lowered into a 24" shaft using rapid deployment techniques to make quick access to the patient in a confined space scenario.

Q: How has your team benefited from this training experience?

A: Our Technical Rescue Team has developed a very strong skills set in training and practice. This has allowed us to gain the confidence of the people we protect.

ConocoPhillips-Alaska attends FastTrack 120 in Baton RougeQ: What was your favorite part of the Roco class?

A: My personal favorite was the “hands-on” component. The repetitive skills stations followed by scenario-based practicals allowed me to acquire the skills that I would not have been able to comprehend just from a lecture and book information.

Q: How did you like training at the Roco Training Center (RTC)?

Using a SKED stretcher, Mark Snellgrove and Mike Vaccaro package their patient (Joe Roske) and prepare him for a raise and then a "pick and pivot" exercise over a low point edge.

A: The facility was impressive. It is designed to exceed any skill level of student with the right instructors.

Q: Why did you choose Roco Training?

A: My company, ConocoPhillips, has been trained by Roco for years. Roco has the techniques and skills that best meet our needs.

Special thanks to Jason Kuni Diorec for providing this information – and to Roco Instructors Russell Kellar (Chief Instructor) from Austin, Texas; Bob Kauer from New York; and Neal Thurman from Baton Rouge. We appreciate you guys!

Honouring Those Who Serve…

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Roco’s Tim Armstrong (Roco Rescue of Canada) recently told us about a most worthwhile project for military personnel and first responders that’s called Honour House. The first of its kind in Canada, Honour House is a newly renovated $4 million home that provides temporary housing for injured or disabled military personnel or first responders and their families while seeking medical care in the Metro Vancouver area.

Just so happens, Honour House is located in New Westminster, B.C., where Tim is currently the Fire Chief. According to him, “The citizens and surrounding departments have been very supportive of the project, because it truly is a way to help those who have been injured in the line of duty or while serving their country. When recovering from a serious injury or returning home after military service, it is wonderful to have a resource such as Honour House to rely on for support.”

In fact, Honour House sounds very much like the special housing and support provided for the families of children receiving critical medical care at facilities such as at St. Jude’s here in the US – but this home is for military forces and first responders – fire, police and emergency response personnel – who are injured in the line of duty. It’s the first of its kind that we’ve heard about.


Honoring


The idea for Honour House came about following a special benefit to recognize Canadian troops for their service in Afghanistan. It became apparent that special assistance was needed to those individuals returning home – especially those who were returning injured or wounded. It was determined that Canadian forces and first responders who were receiving care or rehabilitation in the Metro-Vancouver area medical facilities were experiencing difficulty in finding temporary housing for their families.

We salute Honour House of Canada – what an incredible way to honor (or honour) your country’s military personnel and emergency responders than to provide assistance to their families while medical care is being provided.


Honoring
 
The Honour House Society, an independent registered charity whose objective is to provide free interim accommodation for the families of Canadian Forces and first responders, is pleased to have met its goal of opening the first of its kind home for families of Canadian forces and first responders.

Fact: Canadian troops have served in Afghanistan since 2002, with more than 35,000 men and women having completed at least one tour of duty. More than 150 Canadians have been killed and over 4,500 have been injured.

Here’s a great quote by Rick Hiller, Chief of Defense Staff… and we couldn’t agree more!

“When a soldier steps on foreign soil in a high-risk environment, every single Canadian [or American] should be walking with him or her.”~

Check out the Honour House’s website.

You can also view the YouTube video to learn more about the Honour House.

RescueTalk™ (RocoRescue.com) has been created as a free resource for sharing insightful information, news, views and commentary for our students and others who are interested in technical rope rescue. Therefore, we make no representations as to accuracy, completeness, or suitability of any information and are not liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis. Users and readers are 100% responsible for their own actions in every situation. Information presented on this website in no way replaces proper training!