Today’s responders find themselves responding to a variety of calls for help, and technical rescue incidents have become common for response by the fire service. The incident itself is one of high risk; it is usually a long-term incident, requiring the rescue and recovery of victims through the assistance of technical specialists trained in the specific needs of the incident. Additionally, it is evolving in a very complex operational environment, there are specialized tools, equipment and training needs for the incident, there is a very high potential for catastrophic injury and death, and it involves high-level improvisation for problem solving (see Photo 1).
The ability to be efficient in the use of the rescue tools on the incident is important, but it is more critical that the rescue specialist resist the tendency to fall victim to "functional fixedness." Researchers who study psychology and cognitive bias in people define this as a person’s limitation to use a tool or an object only in the described way it is intended, and nothing more. Many articles are available online for a much more in-depth look at this area, but for the rescue member, this can be a significant hindrance on the performance of their duties.
Deploying ground ladders during rescue scenarios
Take a look around the heavy rescue unit in your station; where are the ground ladders stowed on your apparatus? It would not come as a surprise to not have a complement on the unit since compartment space is vital for all of the "specialized" tools needed. But as noted in many previous articles, my opinion is this: the measure of value of a team member is not measured by strength and size, it is directly related to one’s ability to efficiently and safely utilize the tools and equipment at hand to successfully solve the problem. The ground ladder, carried on most all firefighting apparatus today, is such a device that can increase the capabilities of a rescue member, when one looks beyond the basic use of the device.
Think about when this tool was used outside of its intended use. One can see examples of this on the news every winter when an adventurous group of people wind up on thin ice or fall through into the frigid waters and require rescue. News footage from overhead show brave men and women traversing onto the frozen waterways distributing their weight through the use of a ground ladder, or utilizing that same ladder to extend their reach to a person in need, without becoming a victim themselves. Sound familiar? Absolutely. But it doesn’t end there; many other uses exist in the world of technical rescue for this piece of equipment.
Think about the use of ground ladders for rapid intervention. While one can say the most common use for the ladder is to bring the downed firefighter to ground level, the ladder can also be used at ground level rescues as well. Our rapid intervention course teaches the use of a single-section roof ladder as a Type I lever to remove a downed firefighter through a ground floor window. Due to the limited size of the window opening, it may be difficult for RIC members to lift the victim out of the window. Instead, place the ladder through the window with more than half of the ladder into the window space. The RIC members place the downed firefighter onto the ladder, and the crew outside provides a downward force on the ladder while the interior RIC crew lifts up and pushes the ladder out the window. This provides for a rapid and efficient removal of a victim through the window. Staying on RIC, many teams use the tip of the ladder as an anchor point for a simple 2:1 mechanical advantage lowering system, used to haul a victim up through the upper floor window, and then lowering the victim to the ground (see Photo 2).
While operating in a trench collapse, standards require that there are two means of egress within the operational area and this is achieved through the use of ground ladders (see Photo 3). Additionally, a ground ladder is used as a “safe haven” to work from while installing shoring onto wall panels. The width of the trench as crossed with sections of lumber that are nailed together to form a bridge, and the ladder is tied off to this bridge for the entrant to work from (see Photo 4). Some teams place the ladder against the wall panel while installing shoring, but this author has seen the results of what happens when the side wall fails and takes the panels with it. The bridge provides a safer distance from the wall in the event it fails (see Photo 5).
Building collapses result in multiple areas of the structure being compromised. While searching for victims, all areas of the structure being searched have to be accessed, shored and searched. This may require access to elevated areas or areas separated by holes in floors or separations between walls (see Photo 6). The use of ladders can help overcome these obstacles.
Commercial vehicles involved in accidents can test the abilities of the best rescue teams. One obstacle these vehicles possess is relative to their size; simply reaching the victims that are in elevated locations due to the size of the vehicle will make accessibility difficult. While it is preferable to request a “flatbed” truck from the local towing company to respond for use as a work platform, it may be difficult for the vehicle to gain access to the scene due to time and traffic issues on the roadway. Ladders can provide working platforms to operate from, and can provide a separate means of egress and removal for victims of the incident (see Photo 7).
Rope rescue is a staple of services provided by the rescue company. Most times it is preferable to have an overhead anchor to work from to access the victim, but that is not always possible due to the constraints posed by the location of the incident. The utilization of ground ladders for overhead anchors can solve this problem. A single ground ladder could be used as a single-point gantry for access to a victim when space is limited. This can be performed against a wall, a large anchor object to the side of the access point, or the back of the apparatus as well, as long as the vehicle can get near the space, and can be secured so the vehicle will not move for the duration of the incident. The use of two extension ladders can be used as an overhead anchor as well; the ladders are laced together near the top of the fly sections and are placed in an “A-Frame” shape around and over the space to be entered (see Photo 8). The ladders shall also be secured to the ground or the area being accessed so the top of the ladders do not become side-loaded.
The ladder can also be used in rope rescue as a friction device. For example, a Brake Bar Rack works on the premise as a descent control device due to the amount of friction the rope achieves as it passes around and over the bars. The rungs of the ladder can serve as the “bars” of the rack as well, and can provide friction to control the lowering of a victim (see Photo 9). The ladder can also be used as an attachment point to a packaged victim to bring a victim out of a window or floor horizontally, as the victim is kept in a horizontal position as they are removed from the dangerous area (see Photo 10).
Conclusion
Special operations incidents require the safest and most efficient use of the apparatus, personnel and equipment that are brought to the incident. Critical to this success is the ability of the rescuer to look beyond the basic use of equipment and expand beyond the perimeters of capabilities. This is just one example of how one tool can be used beyond the “Functional Fixedness” of its design. Take the time at your next training session to experiment safely with the full capabilities of your equipment; the results may truly surprise you.
Until next time, stay focused and stay safe.
MICHAEL DALEY, a Firehouse.com Contributing Editor, serves with Monroe Township, NJ, Fire District No. 3 as a lieutenant and serves on New Jersey Task Force 1. He earned the Master Fire Instructor certification from the ISFSI and is an instructor at the Middlesex County Fire Academy where he developed rescue training curriculum. He is a managing member of Fire Service Performance Concepts.
