FUNDAMENTALS ON ROPE RESCUE TECHNICIANS TRAINING FRRTT

ANCHORING

Definition of Terms:
Anchors are the means of securing the rope and
other elements of the high angle system to something solid.

Anchor point a single secure connection for an

anchor.

Anchor system is a multiple anchor point rigged in

such a way that together they provide a bombproof anchor.

Bombproof high-angle slang for an absolutely,

positively immovable object such as a huge boulder, a large tree or a fire engine.

PLACEMENT AND STRENGTH OF ANCHORS

1. The ability of an anchor to withstand the necessary forces depends on many factors, including the condition, structural nature and location of force of an anchor point. 2. Anchors should be set in a way that they are in line with the loads direction of pull. 3. Ideally, anchors should be established close to and directly above the subject to be rescued, hence a directional is added. 4. A directional is a technique for repositioning a rope at a more favorable angle.

5. The general rule is to use at least two separate anchors tied together into your anchor system. If one anchor fails then you still have one

Things to consider in choosing an anchorage point:

1. The first thing to do is to determine the load you intend to carry. 2. Is this anchor going to be used for one person to rappel on, or will it anchor 600lbs load & a haul system to raise it?

Note : The angle

size between the anchors has an affect to the amount of force applied on each anchor.

CAUTION:
Regardless of what kind of anchor is selected, rescuers must be aware that virtually any anchor or system can be overloaded or fail if enough pull is supplied.

What is a kilo Newton (kN)?

The Newton [N] is the derived SI unit of force. One Newton is the force required to give a mass of 1 kilogram an acceleration of 1 meter per second per second. It is named after the English mathematician and physicist Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727). With a prefix of kilo gives Newtons a multiplication factor of 1000 (or 103) hence a kN is a 1000 Newtons.

To work out force you multiply mass and acceleration (f=ma).

For example imagine a 100kg person hanging free on the end of a rope being acted on (accelerated) by the force of gravity. Force (N) = Mass (kg) x Acceleration (m/s2) = 100kg x 10 m/s2 = 1000kg. m/s2 = 1000N = 1kN

TYPES OF ANCHOR SYSTEMS:

1.

Single point system

2. Multi Point System

SINGLE POINT SYSTEM

Types: Tensionless anchor a quick and easy anchor
provides a dependable anchor with a minimum of equipment. It should be applied as low on the anchor point as possible.

Two-Bight anchor - a simple but effective anchor is

very easy and quick to construct, it sometimes called a three-bight anchor.

Multi-wrap anchor is very similar to the

tensionless anchor except that the multiwrap can be constructed of webbing or rope.

MULTIPOINT SYSTEM
Load-Sharing Anchor - are used when there
may be some doubt that one anchor point is sufficient to carry the expected load. These systems allow the load to be distributed between two or more anchor points. These systems work well as long as the direction of pull remains constant.
Note: If the direction of pull changes, the entire load can shift to one of the anchors.

Types of Self-Adjusting Anchor

- Two-Point System. Is used if two adjacent anchor points are available and will support the anticipated load. Note: In two-point anchor systems, an angle between
the anchor points and the point of attachment to the load wider than 90 degrees multiplies the force on each anchor. At 120 degrees each anchor must support the actual weight of the load.

- Three-Point System. Is used if three adjacent anchor points are available and needed.

SUSPENSION:
Rope tied around an anchor point serve as shock-load absorber.

Purposes : To protect the anchor point from heavier load.

To maintain the strength and stability of the anchor point particularly during training because of repeated loading. To create a means of anchoring the hardware, usually the carabiner to attach the system.

Types of suspension:

Clove Hitch at Center Catch

this suspension is very similar to a multi wrap anchor described earlier except an application of CLOVE HITCH of double rope and locking the ends of the rope is required. Two wraps from the middle of the bunch are pulled in the direction of the load, and this snug the other wraps around the anchor point. 2 types : a. Single b. Multiple

Unlike

Clove Hitch Anchor

the tensionless anchor, this simple but effective

anchor is very easy and quick to construct also in a minimum of equipment. It may be constructed more efficiently to a several bombproof anchor point behind. Part of the standing part of the rope is wrapped a clove hitch of double rope, creating a bight that could optionally fasten a carabiner then snapped onto the standing part or by creating a single hitch on it. A series of construction may be applied to a several anchor point behind.

2 options in locking:
a. snapped carabiner b. single hitch.

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