Firefighting is not the only activity that firefighters engage in during the course of their work. Firefighters are also often the first responders to a whole host of emergency situations involving the rescue of people in difficult situations. Many of these situations require rope rescue. This involves firefighters using them in various configurations to reach people in danger and to remove people from dangerous situations.

Because of the danger involved in this type of work, it is of primary importance that firefighting personnel have quality equipment and safety gear at their disposal. When performing rescues, personal safety of the firefighters is of utmost importance. An injured firefighter will not be able to help anyone else. Because of this, all equipment that is to be used by the crew should be regularly inspected for wear and replaced as deemed necessary. Those in charge of purchasing safety gear should stay up-to-date with new innovations in the field to make sure that the equipment meets the latest safety standards.

The second most important consideration is rescue speed. Time is of the essence whether a rescue crew is trying to remove someone from a burning building, help someone down from a dangerous height, or release those caught in the debris of a natural disaster. The faster the victims are out, the less likelihood of injury to everyone involved. Many pieces of rescue equipment are designed with speed in mind. Rescue harnesses that auto-adjust to a perfect fit drop minutes off rescue time, and those minutes may mean the difference between life and death.

Multipurpose equipment can be used in a variety of situations to decrease the number of supplies a rescuer needs to bring into an already difficult situation. Ropes are often considered a low technology choice, but with the right knowledge of physics and support gear, they are capable of assisting rescue in more diverse emergency situations than any piece of gear. One can use them to get a stranded mountain climber off the side of a mountain, pull out a fisherman caught in a rough current, or even to remove heavy construction debris from stranded workers in cave ins. In addition to the right equipment, rescue crews need to have adequate training. When situations requiring rescue are not taking place, ongoing training and practice is necessary to keep skill levels high and response time fast. In addition to regularly scheduled training and practice, it is also important to have extra training when any new pieces of equipment are introduced. Having well-organized and experienced teams will guarantee that everyone rises to the occasion when a rescue procedure is necessary, and this in turn substantially increases the probability that endangered lives will be saved.