Most agencies want five-eighths-inch rope due to the strain placed on the ropes. To start with the rigging up top, we needed three bags of 150-foot ropes (rope lengths must be determined by the operational location). We wanted to work with a double track line system that could be operated using just the equipment available in our standard heavy technical rescue kit. There are several systems that use specialized equipment such as the Kootenay pulley, but for our training scenario, we decided to go with a simple system that would ensure safety. Army's Mountaineering Field Manual has a single track line/double tag line system that is easy to set up and operate, but requires additional safety precautions.

There are several versions of the high line that can be set up. The technique is time consuming to implement and complicated to learn, but is worth having and keeping in the rope-rescue tool kit. It can be used to move victims or equipment across natural terrain features such as gorges and ravines, large or fast-moving bodies of water, and contaminated areas. It can be used to extricate victims from or move resources into high-rise structures where elevators and stairways are not an option. It can be used for both high- and low-angle applications.

The high line system has several uses in rope rescues.

Rope rescue high line download