New Bail Out System For Those Who Want to Jump

[thecutman]

www.ritrescuesystems.com/product_detail.php?id=125


Sold by MES

[thelurker]

Have you tried it out? I saw this in an ad and I was thinking about looking it up. Any idea of a price point?

[thecutman]

Lurker,

I am going to a Class II harness/ bailout TTT with this system in a few weeks. I will let you know then. I know the salesman and he has used it numerous times. He likes it better than the Petzyl Exo set up. ?? Gotta try it first then I will let you know.

It is also a different belt. Like the Gemtor but again I won't know till I try it out. I have tried the Gemtor so we will see??

[thelurker]

thanks, let me know. I'm still looking for a decent/affordable system.

[WebBoss]

Apr 30, 2008 21:16:19 GMT -5 @thelurker said:

thanks, let me know. I'm still looking for a decent/affordable system.

Respectfully... For What?

Just prior to my moving home (for good) PGFD did several evaluations and demonstrations for these systems and they were very much geared towards what we would call mid-rise type occupancies.

See, the areas where these systems were primarily designed for are mostly 4+ story buildings, and alot of those being residential. This poses a significant threat to the firefighter, and this is something I was able to witness first hand.

Around these parts the biggest threat we have is bailing out of a 3 story McMansion, and you're better off with a 40' piece of pocket rope or webbing and your halligan at that point. (IMO)

Maybe Chris Collier can enlighten us a little more, but the FDNY system actaully takes up a good amount of real estate on the gear, and I know you just like I already have a problem where space is at a premium in the front seats of the rig. ;D

[cmcollier]

I have only used the FDNY bail out system so I can't really offer much comparison. The system we use is hooked up to your gemtor harness. The system uses a Petzel EXO descender with a hook and 50 feet of rope. The bag is about 8"x8" and about 2 inches thick. It hangs on your right side off of the harness. It is a little heavy (about 8 lbs I believe) but that sure beats having to jump. I don't know for fact but it would make sense that these devices were designed for midrise residential buildings. If there is any way you can get one, regardless of what types of buildings you respond to, take it! Even if you only have to bail out of the second or third floor I'd much rather have it than not. When I worked in Wildwood I had a patient on the boardwalk one night that fell from standing, hit his head on the ground, and died. If that can happen from standing it is certainly possible to die jumping from a second or third floor window. If you jumped out the second floor window from my bedroom in my parents house you would land on an air conditioner unit, not the best cushion. The benefit of these systems vs. a piece of rope and a halligan is speed. You can deploy the system in a matter of seconds. Setting up your rope and halligan may only take a few extra seconds, which in a bailout situation probably wont exist. With the Petzel EXO descender when you bail out you hang still until you pull the lever on the device to lower yourself. If you lose your grip on the rope, no big deal. You can dive out the window, collect your thoughts for a second, and then lower yourself to a position of safety.

Unfortunately, John Bellew and Curtis Meyran died because they did not have one of these systems on Jan 23, 2005. Jeff Cool, Joe DiBernardo, Eugene Stolowski, and Brendan Cawley were all severely injured because they did not have one. Don't make their deaths in vein, get a PSS, train on it, and go home safe so your families don't have to go through what theirs did.

[thelurker]

because I would rather be safe than sorry.... nothing over 3 stories in CinnCity...but no reason to scoff at it. If I run out of air because I am not practicing ROAM, then this will let me get down or at least closer. and since i am deathly afraid of falling, I would rather carry around a few extra pounds of gear.

[thecutman]

Lurker,

I attended the TTT class on the class II harness and different descending devices. We practiced with the RIT FIRE . AL, The CMC Escape Artist, A few other RIT Descenders and the old three wraps around the Biner. Most of the guys that had the Gemtor liked this harness better due to the comfortability of the harness. The FIRE. Al and the CMC Escape Artist were both just as smooth as one another and they are light weight. The added benefit of the FIRE. AL is that it uses tubular webbing and it takes up less room in to store.

Overall both systems were excellent bail out systems. The old three wraps around the biner is ok too. However these systems are pre-rigged, you grab the crosby hook and hook whatever it may be, keep tension on the rope and go. There is nothing else but learning the descent/control functions for the system. They are both easy to restore.

If you want more information on them email me.

[thelurker]

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