Personnel Escape Systems

Comment

Comment by Mike Donahue on June 16, 2010 at 7:12am

If your a firefighter and operate without a escape system...well that's just foolish. I know just from talking to firefighters that a great majority of them have the mentality that "It Will Never Happen To Me" or "I Would Never Put Myself In A Position Where I Needed To Bail Out" If you ask me thats just putting the blinders on. None of us are superman nor are we exempt from unforeseen events happening. You could be running a search on the floor above the fire, sticking to solid search techniques and monitoring the conditions your in when a truck company or engine company on the floor below improperly vents causing fire to extend up a interior stairwell that WAS your means of egress. Now because of someone else's mistake your forced into a situation where your only means of egress is the window. Sometimes it's not someones mistake that will put you in that position...sometimes s*** just happens. If and when it does you'll be glad you spent the $300 bucks on a bail-out system....so will your family.
Just consider it an investment you hope never to cash in on.
Mike Donahue
Progressive Rescue
www.progressiverescue..com

Comment by John Salka on January 27, 2009 at 8:54pm

That is a good question. Should every FF have a personal escape system? The real question here is what is a system. I'm really not looking for a technical answer here but rather I'm asking if every FF needs to have a technical multi-component system? After seeing all of the discussions related to the NY State law that "required" these systems, I am starting to think that in addition to the several dependable and advanced PSS out there such as those offered by RIT Rescue, Petzle and others, the more basic and definitely not so technical systems such as a rope with an attached hook that can be used as a body belay may stiil be what will work for many FFs. I like the more advanced systems with the descending devices but I think there uis still room for the basic rope slide.

Comment by John Salka on January 27, 2009 at 8:43pm

Steve,
You gotta change that picture with the sunglasses. You look like one of the blues brothers.