By Ken Robinson
FireRescue1 Associate Editor
A new pocket-sized device that enables firefighters to bail out of life-threatening situations or rescue others was debuted at Fire-Rescue International.
The DEUS 3100 Firefighter Bailout & Rescue Kit is designed to keep rescue equipment neatly packed and out of the firefighter’s way until deployment is necessary.
Each kit contains a DEUS 3100 device, up to 50 feet of DEUS 7.5 mm fire-resistant rope and the new DEUS Carry & Deploy System, which includes a hip holster, a connecting gooseneck to protect the rope, and a lumbar rope pouch.
The device is the only one of its kind to allow “hands-free all the way to the ground,” according to James Fay, President of DEUS Rescue, who calls it “the fastest, safest, most flexible bailout device.”
Four redundant braking systems automatically limit the speed of descent to prevent free-fall and protect the user.
The firefighter can also adjust the braking system manually for slower speeds or a complete stop.
When bailing out of a structure, having a fast, simple automatic descent can be crucial, Fay said.
“In a bailout emergency, the firefighter is not alone. There may be up to three or four other firefighters behind him,” he said.
“It is critically important to set it quickly and be out of their way. We can get three guys out of the window of a burning building in less than seven seconds.”
Manual systems can require levers to operate and take much longer, he said.
While the goal of the kit is primarily to protect firefighters’ lives, it can also serve as a complete rescue system.
“If you find a family of three, rather than calling in a team, the firefighter has everything he needs to get that family out,” Fay said.
The kit weighs less than two pounds and can attach to any harness.
DUES Rescue aims to save lives by providing the best vertical escape and rescue solutions in the world. You can find them on the web at www.deusrescue.com/.