Firefighter Ropes & Knots Training
Firefighters are like mountain climbers in one respect. They have to know their ropes and knots. Their lives and the lives of others are potentially at stake. Training for ropes and knots is available at any firefighting school.
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Schools
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According to U.S. College Search, there are 408 firefighting schools in the United States as of 2010. Ropes-and-knots training is universal and mandatory for school certification. Firefighting schools are where you will have formal, hands-on, informal, and follow-up instruction, and where you will learn these skills in a larger context.
Testing
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Ropes-and-knots testing determines whether a student can graduate; and it is one of the greatest sources of attrition in firefighting schools. Not everyone has an aptitude for knots. The basic knots firefighters are expected to know, according to the National Fire Protection Association, have proven challenging to many.
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Lines and Hitches
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Firefighter knots include figure-8, figure-8 with a loop, figure-8 bend, double fisherman, prussic, water knot, girth hitch, double overhand stopper, figure-8 double loop, trucker's hitch, tensionless hitch, bowline, clove hitch and webbing harness. Firefighters are also trained in the identification and maintenance of various kinds of rope.
Additional Resources
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Firefighting schools are not the only place for training. There are numerous video tutorials available commercially and online for free.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit fireman image by Edward White from Fotolia.com
