Through the Floor Rescue with a Hose

From Engine House Training, LLC

Here is a simple and effective method for rescuing a firefighter who has fallen through a floor.  This method uses a charged hose line, that is hopefully very close, to remove a downed firefighter through the floor.

Somebody needs to get down to the firefighter at the level below.  An attic ladder can be used but takes time. We practice sliding the charged hose line like a pole.  You must practice this and really wrap your legs really tight. You will slide down fast.

With the hose in the h*** you have some protection to keep fire off of the downed firefighter. Do not disregard that you encounter. It wont matter if you don’t put the fire out and it over runs you.

Once you have determined that the firefighter is unable to get himself out and his air is safe, loosen his SCBA waist straps and convert him through his legs.  Sit the firefighter up and loosen the shoulder straps.  Run the hose line through the should straps above the shoulders behind his head.

Feed the hose back up through the h*** to a team above.  Make sure to feed enough line for them to pull and lift.  Tighten down the  shoulder straps after enough line has been fed up.

Now the team above needs to pull the hose and lift the firefighter up out of the h***. The firefighter below needs to help guide the firefighter as he goes up.

Understand that the SCBA packs are not rated for rescue operations in relation to harnesses.  These are not made to dangle people off of roofs or out of windows.

We will cover how the rescuer firefighter gets out after the downed firefighter is rescued. Now, go train and give it a try.

Jason