Rescue "8" Descender Part 1

Members of Tower Ladder 1 break out the Ropes and practice Rigging & Tie Off of a Rescue 8 Descender,
with a one person load. If additional friction is needed or a second person is to be added to the rope. Pre-rig with two wraps to start.
Wraps can not be added once the rope is wieghted (loaded). The Rescue 8 can be used as a lowering device, but works best as a repell tool. The Bar rack works best due to its ability to let the operator add or remove friction while in use and under load.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• PFD
• FD carbiner karabiner
• rope
• special operations
• RI
• Rhode Island
• Dave Reed
• David Reed
• Figure 8
• Decender
• Rapelling
• Rock Climbing
• Fire fighting
• fire fighter
• Fire training

[pasto76]

the ears are for locking off. Regular figure eights do not have ears, and climbers do not have a problem with any type of girth hitch.

And guys - "repel" is like bug spray. "Rappel" is what we do with a figure eight.

also be sure not to LOSE your grip because it was too LOOSE. stupid hose jockies.

[usardave]

@pasto76 The ears are not "for locking off". They are there to prevent the rope from sliding up and forming a girth hitch during a Rescue Operation which would be very difficult to remove from the device with a 1 or 2 person static load.

As far a loose grip , I don't see one. Once the first soft lock is added you can relax your grip and finish the rest of the lock offs

Remember this is an especially designed device and not a Common 8 .

[JamesStickel]

This would obviously not be the best way to tie it off if you were free hanging on the rope, right?

Being as though the brake side comes up and releases the friction on the rescue8, how would you avoid dropping?

[usardave]

While on repell apply the brake and hold your position ,then quickly in one swift motion rasie the brake side and apply the first wrap locking the brake rope between the device and the rope which runs up to the anchor. This is called "one soft lock" apply a second soft lock then finish with an overhand knot. Make sure you have a safety line or confident bottom belay until you master this technique. it does takes time getting use to.

[JamesStickel]

Oh okay, that makes sense. Gotta be kinda ballsy for it. haha.

Would it work the same if you brought your brake hand around your back, and wrapped the rope from the other side? This way you're never letting go of your friction? This way your rope is wrapped under your butt and you're sitting on it while tied off.

I'm uneducated in this regard, so I'm not sure if that is a viable solution or not.

[usardave]

It can be done but you are adding steps and time to get the same result . As well as risking looseing control of the brake.

Also passing the brake to your other hand while behind your back is risky and now you still have to do the 2 soft locks and tie off but know left handed.

[nzbloggs]

Hello

Just in case you weren't aware, CMC rescue have a new technique to tieing off a rescue 8. Their new way of doing it is by still taking your two wraps around the device but on the third one rather than going and tieing an overhand knot on the bight you pass the bight of rope through the large hole and wrap around over the ears. This way that you have posted is not wrong but im just letting you know that there is other ways of tieing off a rescue 8. Very good video also. Thanks

[inter10per]

@usardave Technically the ears on a rescue 8 are there to prevent the rope from sliding into the girth hitch when tying off (when it's most likely to occur), so you're both right.

[pptx100]

can you use something as a makeshift descender

[joezbackwith2gatz]

I have done some climbing before but never the right way and your videos are very helpful... Thanks

[jawbone83]

does it matter which way you put the bight into the device? from thte bottom or the top?

[pasto76]

there is no loose grip in the vid, I was clowning on the really bad spelling by other posters.

[ep400pilot]

When I am free hanging on the rope, I have found that as I am bringing my right (brake) hand over for the first loop, it helps to grab the brake side of the rope with my left hand. With a two handed grip, I can bring the rope around for the first loop without slipping at all.

I have found that this works for me, anybody else has an opinion? Am I doing anything wrong?

(on a slope, when I am resting my feet and the friction needed is not so high, I do it one handed as shown in this video).

[JamesStickel]

Good points. I appreciate the help. I'll have to try this out next time I'm on the rope.