Ropes and Knots
Having been through quite a few drills designed to teach the types of ropes and knots encountered in the fire service, it almost seems inevitable and even on cue that the instructor starts off with “I am not good at tying knots”. This disclaimer is a horrible way for an instructor to start any lesson, but particularly on the topic of ropes and knots and for a couple reasons. First, it doesn’t instill confidence in the firefighters in the room that you know the topic and are proficient enough to teach it, but more importantly that they can learn from you. Set yourself up for success by setting yourself up as the expert.
A much better approach would be to describe knot tying for what it is, a “perishable” skill, meaning that it is easily gained and easily lost and the only way to truly master knot tying to proficiency and mastery is to practice, practice and then practice some more. Let’s face some facts, even instructors that are proficient and love knot tying don’t walk around with rope hanging out of their pockets, so how much practice is necessary is certainly individual.
As the instructor though, you want to emphasize that you have practiced extensively for this drill, after all that is your job; but also emphasize that practicing doesn’t have to be super time consuming. For example, have a piece of rope in an end table drawer so you can tie a few knots watching the ballgame, or while social media surfing, take in a few videos on hoisting certain tools just as a visual reminder. It doesn’t take long, but is better if it becomes part of a routine.
With knot tying however, even though you have established yourself as the expert as you should, it will inevitably happen that you are going to screw up a knot while demonstrating, but this is NOT a bad thing because it allows you to properly demonstrate how to troubleshoot. The reason firefighters don’t practice knots is because after a few screw-ups they get frustrated and nobody wants to engage in an activity that gets them ticked off, so in addition to teaching a specific knot, you also have to demonstrate how to restart. Accordingly, anyone learning to tie knots, specifically firefighters due to the hands-on nature of the job, will find their own way to tie a specific knot and that is just fine. This is especially true if someone is left-handed, although quite honestly, I am a southpaw and never really noticed much difference. Seriously…."start off with a loop…” a loop in a rope looks just like well… a loop in a rope whether I’m left or right handed.
So, what would an actual rope and knot drill look like or consist of? There really are three parts; the lecture part, demonstration and then practical. Start with the lecture using PowerPoint or some other visual presentation to provide some the necessary background information using the following outline:
1. NFPA standards (1983)
2. Life safety rope vs utility rope
3. Parts of a rope - internal/external and along the length (running, standing, working end)
4. Rope inspection/rope logs
5. Types of Rope - synthetic vs natural fiber (pros and cons)
6. Bights, loops and round turns
7. Types of knots currently used in the fire service
8. Test for understanding - where on Engine 31 is our utility rope?
Next is the demonstration part. This is where models and examples of different kinds of ropes are brought out and possibly distributed. I am always hesitant to pass around items while I am talking since it divides the attention of the audience and can break concentration. As far as the type of ropes, I am more concerned about passing around a life safety rope unless it has already been downgraded to utility rope or has otherwise been taken out of service. The demonstration portion is also where the instructor shows off how to tie all the applicable knots and possibly even play some how-to videos, but understand that the latter has little value unless each student has a length of rope in their hands and can follow along.
The last part is the practical where the firefighter/students get to practice. Because knots really need to be supervised closely, breaking up into smaller groups is better so that mistakes can be caught and corrected. This is easily accomplished by using the company officers and chiefs for stations with each one teaching one knot, and you as the instructor circulating to keep it all in line. After ten minutes, rotate each group so everyone gets a turn tying each fire service knot with an officer who is as proficient as you are. It is therefore necessary to get to know the officers and their strengths relative to tying a specific knot. Another way to provide a practical during drill is to have a relay race with several teams practicing hoisting any number of tools against the clock and each other.
Any lesson plan for this drill would have to include an extensive list of materials, including but not limited to:
1. Lengths of six-foot rope for each firefighter
2. Ax
3. Halligan
4. Pike pole
5. Uncharged hose line
6. Charged hose line
7. Roof ladder
8. Rope bag with enough utility rope
9. Life preserver to practice throwing to a victim
Emphasis should be on the following knots:
1. Clove hitch
2. Half hitch
3. Figure eight
4. Figure eight on a bight
5. Figure eight follow through
6. Water (rescue) knot - to be tied with gloves
7. *handcuff knot (only if used in accordance with department SOPs)
8. *bowline knot (only if used in accordance with department SOPs)
As an instructor, remember that you set the tone for the class. There really isn’t a better vehicle to demonstrate that than ropes and knots because as mentioned at the onset most everyone thinks they are bad at tying knots. Set a positive atmosphere and let it filter through the class and watch as everyone learns how to tie knots effectively.
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