1. Professional

SPECIAL OPERATIONS

IF YOU ARE NOT A PROFESSIONAL RESCUE PERSON PLEASE READ THIS.

Special Operations consist of water rescue, scuba diving, repelling, high-angle rescue, confined-space rescue, structure-collapse rescue, and auto pin-in extractions.

Imagine a homeless person whacked out on a pint of muscatel falling down a deep shaft or silo. Not your kid, or some big shot’s relative or even a senator, but some one we generally define as not contributing anything to the society in which he lives. In short, it doesn’t matter for whom: rich man, poor man, a theoretical physicist, a bum. Here come Special Operations with all their stuff and manpower.

Some of the tools needed are: a rigging system, climbing rope, carabineers, pulleys, hitches, straps, webbing, and harness’, prusik cords, releasing hitches, beam clamps, nylon webbing, swivels, delta carabineers, rigging plates, brake back bars, pick off straps, duct tape, Gibbs ascenders, swivels, access cord, safety lines, air bottles and masks.

Countless dollars are expended, even if the person has died. Few civilians realize the amount of energy expended, all this to say nothing of the thousands of hours of training and above all, the risks for the rescuers.
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Crop and Rotate Edit file information DELETE THIS FILE<br />
Chicago Fire Dept. Special Operations Chief Mike Fox<br />
at a confined space rescue drill as part of a course offered by the Illinois Fire Services Institute April 10-14, '06.
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Crop and Rotate Edit file information DELETE THIS FILE
Chicago Fire Dept. Special Operations Chief Mike Fox
at a confined space rescue drill as part of a course offered by the Illinois Fire Services Institute April 10-14, '06.

  • a section of the rope and pulley system used to raise and lower firemen in a silo for a confined space rescue drill in class given by Illinois Fire service Institute, April 10-14, '06.
  • Bringin' 'em up<br />
CFD Squad jocks hauling up one of their number from inside a 60 ft. silo during Confined Space Rescue class given by IFSI 4/10-14/06 (photo Tony Budvaitis Squad 1)
  • Tony Budvaitis Squad 1 after coming up from confined space rescue drill
  • Crop and Rotate Edit file information DELETE THIS FILE<br />
Chicago Fire Dept. Special Operations Chief Mike Fox<br />
at a confined space rescue drill as part of a course offered by the Illinois Fire Services Institute April 10-14, '06.
  • CRW_8120
  • Rigging<br />
Part of rigging used to secure ropes used to lower CFD Special Operations firemen of Squad 1 into 60 ft. empty sugar silo at closed Brach's Candy plant in class conducted by the University of illinois Fire Services Institute April 10-14, '06.
  • View from the top<br />
of 60 ft. sugar silo at confined space rescue drill as part of a class conducted by Illinois Fire Service Institute for CFD Special Ops personnel (Squads 1, 2, 5, 7 (photo by Tony Budvaitis, Squad 1)
  • At the bottom<br />
Here, CFD Squad 1 firemen, John Scheurich (l) and Jim Stepien at the bottom of a 60ft silo during Special Operations drill run as part of a class conducted by the University of illinois Fire Services Institute April 10-14, '06. The object was to properly secure a 175 pound practice mannequin for simulated rescue.
  • Securing the Victim<br />
CFD Squad 1 firemen John "Scooter" Scheurich (l) and John Haring preparing a 175 lb. mannequin for ascent in a 60 ft. silo as part of a drill in a week-long class conducted by the University of Illinois Fire Services institute (IFSI), April 10-14, '60.
  • Preparing the "Victim" for Rescue<br />
Special Operations Squad 7 Engineer Ron Zymali (l) and Capt. John Collins of CFD Squad 1 adjusting special victim harness, knon as a "halfback harness", used in a confined space rescue drill conducted by the U. of Illinois Fire Service Institute April 10-14, '06.
  • "Victim"<br />
A very unwieldy 175 lb. mannequin, with floppy arms and legs, at the bottom of a silo used in Special Operations confined space rescue class for the CFD Squad firemen conducted by the U.of I. Fire Service Institute April 10-14, '06.
  • Raising the "Victim"<br />
Capt. John Collins of CFD Special Operations Squad 1 adjusting special "halfback harness' used in a confined space rescue drill conducted by the Illinois fire Service Institute April 10-14, '06.
  • Confined Space Rescue<br />
CFD Squad 7 Engineer Ron Zymali being lowered with what is known as a "halfback harness" used to hoist victim, in this case a 175 lb. mannequin, in "Confined Space Rescue" class conducted by the U. I. Il. Fire Service Institute April 10-14, '06.
  • Coming up<br />
Special Ops firemen don't come up by themselves after a rescue, rather they are pulled up with an ingenious rigging system consisting of, among many other things, climbing rope, carrabiners, pulleys, hitches, straps, webbing, and the strength of the men operating them. All this combines to reduce the load to 1/3 a man's actual weight. The opening is about 30" in diameter. (photo by Tony Budvaitis, Squad 1)
  • Comin' out<br />
from inside a 60 ft. silo during Confined Space Rescue class given by IFSI 4/10-14/06 (photo Tony Budvaitis Squad 1)
  • Special Ops support group<br />
Bring up the rescuers...<br />
The ascent up a 60 ft. silo is achieved with an ingenious system of ropes and pulleys among many other things. The weight of a man is thus cut by 2/3. Here CFD Squad 1 Firemen: at left stepping over plank Bob McCrea, pulling the rope, Tony Budvaitis, and to the right, Special Operations Chief Mike Fox are doing the pulling. This, as part of a drill in a week-long class.<br />
conducted by the University of Illinois Fire Services institute (IFSI), April 10-14, '06.
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