Man Down on Roof

[rsqman]

All these techniques are workable but also consider that many of the new houses around here (south Louisiana) are a 12:12 pitch. OSHA considers anything steeper than 4:12 to be a steep roof and appropriate fall protection will be needed for the rescuers. We certainly don't want to compound our problems by having a rescuer slide off the roof.

[LaFireEducator]

All these techniques are workable but also consider that many of the new houses around here (south Louisiana) are a 12:12 pitch. OSHA considers anything steeper than 4:12 to be a steep roof and appropriate fall protection will be needed for the rescuers. We certainly don't want to compound our problems by having a rescuer slide off the roof.

Same thing with many of the new houses being built up here.

[firemoose827]

It realy all depends on the type of house, how many stories, pitch of roof, how far off the road the house is, access around the house for portable ladders, and the amount of manpower on scene. Size-up is key even for incidents like this one.
Personaly I would call our county rescue team, they have the special equipment needed and the training to do the job. I would assist EMS gain access to patient and stabilize as best we can while sizing up the roof. If we had the means I would attempt with what we had at this point. Things we can do as a dept are the ladder slide with a stokes and rope, with a firefighter guiding the stokes down the ladder. Another way is to tie off the rope system to a chimney or an anchor that we secure to the ridgeline of the roof with bolts (roofers should have some hardware to use, may even have their safety lines tied into something already) and using a 2-1 system lower the stokes to the ground.
With limited manpower I would attempt to use the "Elevator" technique with a large extension ladder. By wrapping the rope around both top and bottom rungs at least 3 times on the ladder you can tie off the stokes midline on one of the loops created, with tension on the line the stokes will slowly lower to the ground on the tension the 3 loops makes on the rungs like an elevator.

[nameless]

I wouldn't use a chimney as an anchor, unless it could be proven to be some super chimney.

[nameless]

I wouldn't use a chimney as an anchor, unless it could be proven to be some super chimney. They weren't ever meant to be used as such, and brick and mortar really isn't at its strongest against shear forces.

[Squad1LT]

One of the ways I would do it if possible would be to place the pt into a stokes basket then use webbing and D-rings and attach the stokes to the extended fly of an extension ladder which is up against the house. you have guys attach a safety line to the other end of the stokes and then guys on the ground can walk the ladder down and "pivot" the ladder down to the ground. The guys on the roof hold the safety line and the stokes basket will ride down parallel with the ground the whole way. I have done it a couple times off a flat roof training. It works pretty good. A pitched roof would make it more challenging but that is another option.

[GTRider245]

One of the ways I would do it if possible would be to place the pt into a stokes basket then use webbing and D-rings and attach the stokes to the extended fly of an extension ladder which is up against the house. you have guys attach a safety line to the other end of the stokes and then guys on the ground can walk the ladder down and "pivot" the ladder down to the ground. The guys on the roof hold the safety line and the stokes basket will ride down parallel with the ground the whole way. I have done it a couple times off a flat roof training. It works pretty good. A pitched roof would make it more challenging but that is another option.

Like this?

http://www.youtube.com/user/DFDTrain.../0/jwD-pBK-zlU

[Spencer534]

I was going to say two ladders a few feet apart with the stokes across both ladders with a guy on each ladder. I gotta say though that GT's method is slick as $h!t.

[Picc.93Truck]

Yeah that method has my vote, I can't believe how easy that looked... Training is in my company's near future!!

[Squad1LT]

Like this?

http://www.youtube.com/user/DFDTrain.../0/jwD-pBK-zlU


That would be it. I have used a short piece of webbing inbetween the stokes and the ladder so you can lay the stokes all the way on the ground at the bottom but that is the idea.

[Picc.93Truck]

Like this?

http://www.youtube.com/user/DFDTrain.../0/jwD-pBK-zlU


That would be it. I have used a short piece of webbing inbetween the stokes and the ladder so you can lay the stokes all the way on the ground at the bottom but that is the idea.

404 error sir...

[FiremanLyman]

After reading it all. Not to up on the ladder lowering thing in the video. To many little things that can go wrong when there are more stable operations to undertake.

A simple two tension rope system with ground tag lines would be fine. Not worried about edge transition, we should be professionals at it. Either find an anchor point or take a roof ladder to anchor off of.

A SKED takes longer to set up then the operation will take to lower, but a very secure method.

Stokes/Ferno would be quick and easy.

I personally would go for using a Miller Halfback for speed, as a SPECOPS engine we carry it, but I understand that not everyone does.

[GTRider245]

After reading it all. Not to up on the ladder lowering thing in the video. To many little things that can go wrong when there are more stable operations to undertake.

A simple two tension rope system with ground tag lines would be fine. Not worried about edge transition, we should be professionals at it. Either find an anchor point or take a roof ladder to anchor off of.

A SKED takes longer to set up then the operation will take to lower, but a very secure method.

Stokes/Ferno would be quick and easy.

I personally would go for using a Miller Halfback for speed, as a SPECOPS engine we carry it, but I understand that not everyone does.

For the record, I am not a big fan of the method I posted, I just wanted to put a demo with the description. If I had a ladder that would reach and a rope long enough I would be more inclinded to just lowering the basket down the ladder.

[Squad1LT]

For the record, I am not a big fan of the method I posted, I just wanted to put a demo with the description. If I had a ladder that would reach and a rope long enough I would be more inclinded to just lowering the basket down the ladder.

You should really try it both ways to see what works best before you say something won't work. It is an option that if you train it you will have it in your back pocket. I have done the slide the stokes down the ladder and the pivot method and in my mind the pivot mehtod is alot more secure, but you really need to do them and see what works.

[GTRider245]

You should really try it both ways to see what works best before you say something won't work. It is an option that if you train it you will have it in your back pocket. I have done the slide the stokes down the ladder and the pivot method and in my mind the pivot mehtod is alot more secure, but you really need to do them and see what works.

You should really try quoting correctly. I never said it wouldn't work- I said I wasn't a fan.

[AbduNur]

Providing that there is not a tower available or there are wires or other obstructions in the way, I would do a knee style carry down an extension ladder.

I agree totally. One member would carry the person either in a knee style carry or we would drape the patient across the arms of a rescuer who would then carry him/her down the ladder. I would also position another member below the primary rescuer as a safety or back up.

[AbduNur]

Providing that there is not a tower available or there are wires or other obstructions in the way, I would do a knee style carry down an extension ladder.

I agree totally. One member would carry the person either in a knee style carry or we would drape the patient across the arms of a rescuer who would then carry him/her down the ladder. I would also position another member below the primary rescuer as a safety or back up. Another option would be to set up a high anchor lowering system with a taller ladder but that could take more time.