A SIMPLE IDEA
While practicing down firefighter rescue techniques we realized that there are real problems that can arise in a firefighter rescue. As a metal fabricator, Gary had experience finding solutions to all kinds of problems, so he asked the Command and Safety staff during DRD training for a chance to offer a solution to the rescue issues. With approval, Gary set out to design a tool that would allow for safe and easy rescue of a down firefighter while maintaining the integrity of the face piece.
The outcome of that effort is the Jack Strap, which was designed with MSA products in mind, however can be used with any SCBA with brackets. The Jack Strap is designed to clip into the brackets on the side of the SCBA. The SCBA shoulder and waist straps tend to loosen when a firefighter is being dragged during rescue, whether the firefighter is being dragged by the SCBA straps or the DRD. The goal was to keep the backplate of the SCBA and the firefighter closer together so the face piece would stay in place.
What eventually came out of a year of trial, error, and testing is the Jack Strap. It’s a tool that replaces a useless shoulder strap on a Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) bag. The Jack Strap uses heavy-duty carabiners to clip into the SCBA plate brackets. After cinching the strap tight using a cam buckle, the backplate of the SCBA now acts as a mini backboard. There are handles for one or two firefighters to grasp, making dragging easier. On top of that, reflective stitching and tape keeps the Jack Strap highly visible. The Jack Strap brings innovation, simplification, and diversification to RIT deployments and rescues.