Appendix A - Ropes

Question 1

T/F: Most water rescue rope is made from polypropylene, which gives it flotation, but also provides good working strength.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

What is the purpose of NFPA 1006, Standard for Technical Rescue Personnel Professional Qualifications?
A. To teach swimming techniques for rescue workers
B. To provide guidelines for fire suppression techniques
C. To require rope training for water rescue technician-level personnel
D. To outline boating safety procedures

Answer 2

C

Question 3

What is a common feature of most water rescue rope?
A. It is made from cotton and sinks quickly
B. It is heavier than most climbing ropes
C. It floats on water and is often made from polypropylene
D. It cannot be used with Prusiks or pulleys

Answer 3

C

Question 4

What is the breaking strength of a 7-mm water rescue rope?
A. 9000 pounds
B. 2900 pounds
C. 1000 pounds
D. 4500 pounds

Answer 4

B

Question 5

Which size of tubular webbing is most commonly used in rope rescue?
A. 0.5 inch
B. 3 inches
C. 1 inch
D. 4 inches

Answer 5

C

Question 6

Which knot is described as one of the easiest and quickest to tie, often used with carabiners?
A. Grapevine Knot
B. Bowline
C. Figure Eight on a Bight
D. Water Knot

Answer 6

C

Question 7

What is the Figure Eight Follow Through knot primarily used for?
A. Attaching webbing to anchors
B. Creating a loop at the end of a rope
C. Tying around solid objects for anchoring or lifting
D. Tying two ropes together

Answer 7

C

Question 8

What is the primary purpose of the Water Knot?
A. Attaching a pulley to a rope
B. Tying webbing into loops or anchors
C. Creating an adjustable loop
D. Making a quick-release system

Answer 8

B

Question 9

What is the Grapevine Knot typically used for?
A. Creating a figure-eight loop
B. Tying two ropes to a carabiner
C. Connecting two ends of a Prusik line
D. Building a pulley system

Answer 9

C

Question 10

What is the Prusik Bend used for?
A. Tying two webbing pieces together
B. Securing a rope to a boat
C. Attaching pulleys to ropes or creating a backup
D. Creating a highline trolley system

Answer 10

C

Question 11

T/F: A general rule is that the diameter of the Prusik lines used must be two-thirds to three-quarters of the diameter of the larger rope they are attaching to.

Answer 11

True

Question 12

T/F: Side loading is a common weakness of both steel and aluminum carabiners.

Answer 12

True

Question 13

T/F: Tension checks apply the full load to the system to identify weak points.

Answer 13

False (They apply a small amount of load to check for problems)

Question 14

T/F: Brake bars allow more friction control than figure eight plates.

Answer 14

True

Question 15

T/F: Automatic belay devices cannot be reused once locked onto a rope.

Answer 15

Automatic belay devices cannot be reused once locked onto a rope.

Question 16

T/F: When choosing an anchor point for a water rescue or recovery, trees closest to the water are the most suitable.

Answer 16

False
Anchoring to a tree further from the waters edge will typically provide a better anchor.

Question 17

What is one reason to use multiple or load-sharing anchors in a rope system?
A. To make the system heavier
B. To prevent tangling of ropes
C. To reduce the number of anchors used
D. To provide a measure of safety if one anchor fails

Answer 17

D

Question 18

According to the material, what is an important consideration when using pickets as anchors?
A. Soil type affects how well they hold
B. They should always be driven at a 90-degree angle
C. Pickets should not be connected
D. The number of pickets used is not important

Answer 18

A

Question 19

When using a vehicle as an anchor, what is a key safety rule?
A. Ensure the vehicle is not started or moved
B. Only use the front bumper for anchoring
C. Pull the vehicle in reverse before anchoring
D. Turn off the vehicle’s lights

Answer 19

A

Question 20

What is the purpose of a back tie?
A. To secure pickets in sandy soil
B. To tie equipment onto the vehicle
C. To combine two anchors for stability
D. To lash ropes together

Answer 20

C

Question 21

What does the term “Change of Direction” refer to in rope systems?
A. Switching to a different vehicle anchor
B. Using a pulley to redirect the pull angle
C. Changing the rescue team’s position
D. Replacing one anchor with another

Answer 21

B

Question 22

What does a basic change of direction in a rope system affect?
A. Reduces the effort required to lift a load
B. Changes the direction of pull or lower
C. Increases mechanical advantage
D. Changes the system’s load capacity

Answer 22

B

Question 23

What is the primary purpose of a “dead man” technique when dealing with ropes?
A. To decrease the load being lifted
B. To anchor a person to the system
C. To signal that the rope system is unsafe
D. To stop the rope from pulling through the pulley

Answer 23

D

Question 24

In rope rescue systems, what is the function of a friction device?
A. Prevents knot formation
B. Helps to control the load
C. Adds mechanical advantage
D. Provides backup safety

Answer 24

B

Question 25

What should be added just ahead of the pulley for safety in a lowering system? A. Mechanical advantage pulley B. Anchor line C. Manned safety system D. Safety pulley

Answer 25

C

Question 26

What is the purpose of using Prusik loops in a rope rescue system? A. To serve as a backup anchor B. To grab the mainline and assume the load C. To decrease the load’s friction D. To increase rope length

Answer 26

B

Question 27

What is an advantage of using two friction loops on the same side of the mainline with a Prusik? A. Increases safety if one loop fails B. Improves the smoothness of descent C. Decreases equipment usage D. Speeds up the rescue process

Answer 27

A

Question 28

What is the primary purpose of a Prusik minding pulley? A) To attach anchors to the mainline B) To allow the Prusik loop to slide freely in one direction and grab in the other C) To replace the Prusik loop entirely D) To add tension to the rope

Answer 28

B

Question 29

In a Prusik system, how much slack should be present in the Prusik loop? A) 6 inches B) No more than 24 inches C) No more than 12 inches D) Exactly 18 inches

Answer 29

C

Question 30

What is the main purpose of a 3:1 advantage system (Z-rig) in water rescue? A) To reduce the need for a mainline B) To allow more rescuers to be used C) To tension a static line across water D) To create an automatic braking system

Answer 30

C

Question 31

What is one of the safety precautions when using a 3:1 advantage system? A) Use only one rescuer for tension B) Never use pulleys or carabiners C) Use NFPA-certified pulleys and limit to 3–4 rescuers D) Always keep the system loose to avoid failure

Answer 31

C

Question 32

In a highline system, what is the purpose of the reeve control line? A) To lower the system into water B) To support the tag lines C) To move the rescuer across and raise/lower them D) To act as a backup in case of failure

Answer 32

C

Question 33

What is the role of tag lines in a highline system? A) Support the reeve line B) Assist in hoisting equipment only C) Provide slack to the mainline D) Control side-to-side motion on the track line

Answer 33

D

Question 34

What makes a highline system particularly challenging to rig? A) Lack of equipment B) Difficulty in crew communication C) Weight of the load and distance to span D) Complexity of the Prusik loops

Answer 34

C