What are the thoughts of the cover photo of the FDNY stokes rigging/lashing on Fire engineering mag. for September?  A comment on the contents page says something about the right way to lash a stokes.  Are you kidding me?

Why must we always critique the covers of fire service magazines. It's a pointless waste of time. This is better -

 

Maybe because there is a false sense that the FDNY is so great.  Big doesnt necessarily mean better.

You're going to decide that the FDNY isn't a good fire department by a snapshot of a stokes basket? Do you realize that our Rescue companies do around 100 high angle rescues a month? How many have you done? I'm sure no one in your fire department EVER tied a stokes or SKED wrong. Not to mention that it may not have even been FDNY that rigged the stokes basket. It could have been NYPD ESU.

 

People make mistakes and when you're dealing with the volume we deal with there are going to be more mistakes made. Sure we have douche bags working for us but no fire department is without them. We aren't trained in high angle rescue. Only rescue, squads, and SOC support trucks are, so maybe what you saw was the result of someone trying to do their best with a shitty situation. I can't see the cover very well but the guy looks pretty fat. Maybe they didn't have enough webbing to do it right. I'm sure that if anyone ever took a picture of something you did it would all be perfect with no room for a Monday morning quarterback who once read a book about how to do something to critique it.
 

DaBronx, dont get your panties in a bunch.  I'm really not trying to bust the FDNY's chops.  I just felt it was ironic that they ( the magazine ) commented that it was the right way to lash a stokes.  I'm sure that the rescue companies are very good at what they do in rescue situations.  I'm not saying or trying to imply any different.  It struck me ( the cover and related comments ) as being that since the FDNY was involved, it had to be right.  Thats my only point. 

 

 

Truckee1,

If the method shown in the photo is not the correct method, what do you recommend.  After reading the post, I looked carefully at the rigging portrayed, and what I observe is consistent with what Rope Rescue Techs are taught in my state (Alabama).  The method of lashing (begin with girth hitch at base of stokes, half hitch around the feet, and diamond lash to the to, finishing with clove hitches) is shown in detail in the text Confined Space and Structural Rope Rescue, First Edition, by Roop, Vines, and Wright, published by Mosby.

This is not a "pile-on", rather an attempt to determine if you are making a point on rope rescue, Fire Engineering magazine, or the FDNY. 

First, my point is with the magazine, not the FDNY.  I totally realize how things really go in real life.  The biggest concern is with the lashing going over the side rails in several locations.  Next, we ( in Va. ) are taught not to put half hitches around the feet anymore.  If the hitches around the feet are for keeping the vic from sliding down, then they should be replaced with a seat and or chest harness made with webbing.  Hitches around the feet compound problems if there are any leg associated injuries, and really are not as good for helping to support the vic if a vertical position is required or happens unintentionally.  I know sometimes we safety ourselves to death, but I have always been taught to use 2 pieces of webbing to lash in the diamond method instead of 1.  Start both pieces at the feet and then lash each piece in opposite directions.  This is in case part of the lashing gets cut due to being over the top rail ( as in the pic ) and you completely lose the entire lashing.  Thats what I see looking at the pic.  I know there is more than 1 way to skin a cat and many ways are acceptable, but again, I found it ironic that the mag. commented that it was the right way to lash.

Truckee1:

1. Maybe because there is a false sense that the FDNY is so great.  Big doesn't necessarily mean better
2. First, my point is with the magazine, not the FDNY.  I totally realize how things really go in real life. 

It sounds to me like your issue is with FDNY (refer to your first statement).

 

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We don't get paid for what we do. We get paid for what we might have to do.

Ok, knew that one was coming.  That was just a response to Fred's bs crap.

From the FE article we can make our own assessment of the knowledge and experience of the author of said article. From your post we can se you have an issue, but who are you? What are your credentials? While I can't tell you how many rescues the author has been part of, I can make an educated guess that he's not all BS.

What are you talking about??????  What author????  Do you mean Fred?

You went after the FDNY guy because you didn't like the way his department tied some knots on the cover of a magazine. Now you are using me to deflect the criticism you've generated back at yourself. The magazine cover I posted also has ropes and knots and is much more interesting than any cover found on any fire service magazine.

Why are you even here Fred?  If this is so uninteresting to you why are you here?  Go play on the mutilation websites then.

BTW, I didnt go after any FDNY guy.  What FDNY guy?

Dear Truckee1 - I'm going to take your advice. You stick around and teach everyone how to do technical rescue. Me, I'm making dinner for Federal Q and all of our pets. Tonight we feast on peanut butter while listening to enchanting tones of Q's pager. He promised me he was going to wear his Weeblos outfit.

Thank you !