Bail Out Rope Issue Continues to Evolve

At the NYSAFC 108th Annual Conference & FIRE 2014 Expo, attendees were presented with information from the Department of Labor (DOL) regarding changes to the Bail Out Rope Law and regulations. Dr. Eileen Franko, director of the Division of Safety and Health, Office of Public Employee Safety and Health (PESH), New York State Department of Labor (DOL) addressed attendees during the General Session and later provided an informational session during the conference.

The DOL has instituted a new assessment process for fire departments to determine what emergency escape system, if any, is most appropriate for the department. The assessment is based in part on the types of structures that are in the district, engineering features such as sprinklered buildings, and standard operating procedures such as the use of RIT/FAST teams. Each department must complete an assessment form to identify occupancies and structures within their primary response area that may present challenges to escape if a firefighter is entrapped during interior firefighting operations. Each department must also obtain a copy of the form from other departments to which they regularly provide mutual aid.

When first implemented, this law required all fire departments to utilize the same system for self-rescue – bail out ropes – no matter what the relative risks are for interior firefighters in each department.   After much work by NYSAFC and other fire service organizations, amendments were made to the law and each department is now required to do a risk assessment. After much discussion between the DOL, NYSAFC, FASNY, AFDSNY, and others, the DOL has put forward a sample risk assessment document as well as a video and other resources for fire chiefs to utilize in conducting the risk assessment. We are awaiting DOL approval of a guidance document to give each chief assistance and information when completing the assessment form.

In the meantime, the assessment form is available on the DOL website as a Microsoft Word document, which you can download and complete. If you have questions regarding the completion of the document, please contact the NYSAFC office at (800) 676-3473 or via email.