A Practitioner's Study: About Rope Rescue Rigging Paperback – February 14, 2014

This book is definitely not a "how-to" for rope rescue but instead offers incomplete snapshots of various aspects of rope rescue, as though compiled from a series of course notes. Some of what is depicted is unnecessarily complex and in some cases, could be unsafe (i.e. belaying the rescue subject off the chest harness of the rescuer, p.133). Unfortunately, it also perpetuates much of the slang that continues to creep into the rope rescue discipline instead of plain English, which would better suit rescuers (I often wonder what the benefit is of the slang when the plain English interpretation has to follow it in parentheses).There are a number of typos, incomplete descriptions and contradictions that show it could have used another round of proof reading. It also confuses mass, weight and force and confuses factors and margins. Some important details are missing, such as the formula shown on p.101, where it fails to note that the formula is only valid when both anchor legs are equally loaded. There are also a small number of factual errors, for example it states "One radian is equal to pi, or 180°", though I was wondering why the formula in question wasn't just adjusted to accommodate degrees. Some empirical research is cited as proof in support of a number of assertions, though no details are offered about the research methodology.It does provide some interesting opinion on some of the new gear and techniques out there. I would not recommend it for a rescuer still getting familiar with their craft but for an instructor it would be worth adding to their collection.

Nice cover, but content pretty much a word document depicting a mixture of thoughts and experiences. Not really a study, more a basic course reference which is inconsistent in its pitch - one minute very simplistic, then next using physics formula. Its purpose comes across confused - is it a case study, course manual, physics course, rigging guide or what? It is also contradictory, one minute pushing evidence based practices, then in other sections being opinion without any empircal basis. It does not come across as professionally published like the CMC Rope Rescue or High Angle Rescue Techniques manuals. The benefit though is seeing rope rescue through another instructor's perspective and there are a few gems to take away. Certainly okay to have on the bookshelf, but I would not use it as a prime reference for my courses. That said, well done to any rope rescue instructor who puts the time into such an effort and publishes their thoughts to improve safety practices and techniques in this field. Well done Pat.

Another run of the mill book on rope rescue

I know the author always has some in site

Pat is one of the most dedicated and knowledgable riggers on the planet. This is an up to date culmination of the work advancements and concepts in all high angle disciplines. Highly recommended to any individual who works/trains at height.

Good instructional used it to study at home for my rope rescue class

Great source of information, even for seasoned Rope Techs. This book is fantastic, and I'll definitely be recommending it to my peers.

This book is a GREAT addition to any library. The no nonsense approach is greatly appreciated.

Some mistakes in the Section 3 "Thecnician Level", a somewhat disorganized presentation, sometimes verbose and selfreferential, other times unclear. All things considered, a fairly good book, which you can learn from some basic concepts on rope rescue rigging.

Interesting and informative.

Just got this book and started to read it. Great so far, I am not a firefighter but I am involved in rope rescue and confined space standby. This is a great resource to remember the skills and use them for practice.

Another great guide by Pat Rhodes. Very thorough and lots of useful information

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