Firefighter I Ropes and Knots
Chapter 7 Test
Name: / Date:Directions: Write the correct letter on the blank before each question.
Objective 1:
Compare and contrast the characteristics of life-safety rope and utility rope.
1. Which of the following is a characteristic of utility rope? (264)
A. Must conform to NFPA® 1983
B. Must be block creel construction
C. Used to support rescuers during training
D. Used to hoist equipment and secure unstable objects
2. Which of the following statements about life-safety rope is MOST accurate? (264)
A. Life-safety rope must be block creel construction.
B. There are not standards set forth for life-safety applications.
C. Life-safety rope should only be used during actual incidents.
D. Life-safety rope can be made using a variety of construction types.
3. Which of the following statements about utility rope is MOST accurate? (265)
A. Utility rope does not need to be inspected regularly.
B. There are standards set forth for utility rope applications.
C. Utility rope is not used to hoist equipment over 50 pounds (23 kg).
D. There are industry standards concerning the physical properties of utility rope.
Objective 2:
Summarize criteria for reusing life-safety rope.
4. Life-safety rope should be destroyed immediately if: (265)
A. it is over three years old.
B. it has been used more than twice.
C. it is over two years old and has never been used.
D. it fails to pass inspection or has been impact loaded.
5. Why must rope subjected to impact loading have an entry made in its log? (265)
A. Because after three entries rope must be destroyed.
B. Accounting must verify equipment is being used to justify costs.
C. Because some rope will visually show impact loading and some will not.
D. Because there is no way to determine by inspection if the rope has been impact loaded.
6. Which of the following is the definition of "destroying" life-safety rope? (265)
A. Burning it so it does not resemble rope any longer
B. Not using it for any purpose, such as utility rope
C. Sealing the rope in a container and disposing of it
D. Altering it in such a manner that it cannot be mistaken for life-safety rope
7. Which of the following is NOT a criteria to consider before life-safety rope is reused in life-safety situations? (264)
A. Must not be visibly damaged
B. Must not have been impact loaded
C. Must not have been used in any technical rescue
D. Must not show abrasions or have been exposed to high temperatures
8. Which of the following is a criteria to consider before life-safety rope is reused in life-safety situations? (264)
A. Has been purchased in the past three years
B. Still has original purchase tags on the rope
C. Is deemed acceptable by the last person that used it
D. Has not been exposed to materials that can deteriorate rope
Objective 3:
Describe rope materials.
9. Which of the following is a characteristic of synthetic rope? (265)
A. Preferred for life-safety applications
B. Made of short overlapping strands of fiber
C. No longer accepted for use in life-safety applications
D. Was the primary type of rope used for rescue until the last half of the 20th century
10. Which of the following is a characteristic of natural fiber rope? (265)
A. Preferred for life-safety applications
B. No longer accepted for use in life-safety applications
C. Has excellent strength and is easy to maintain
D. May feature continuous fibers running the entire length of the rope
11. Which of the following statements about synthetic rope is MOST accurate? (265)
A. Synthetic rope contains fibers made of hemp or cotton.
B. Synthetic rope should only be used for utility purposes.
C. Synthetic rope is easily susceptible to mildew and rotting and is difficult to maintain.
D. Synthetic rope has excellent resistance to mildew and rotting, excellent strength, and is easy to maintain.
Objective 4:
Describe types of rope construction.
12. Which of the following is a characteristic of static rope? (267)
A. Used for most rope-rescue incidents
B. Used when long falls are a possibility
C. Designed for high stretch without breaking
D. Not considered practical for rescue or hauling applications
13. Which of the following is a characteristic of dynamic rope? (267)
A. Used for most rope-rescue incidents
B. Used when long falls are a possibility
C. Designed for low stretch without breaking
D. Used for rescue, rappelling, and hauling
14. Which of the following NFPA® 1983 categories of life-safety rope is intended to support the weight of one person and is ⅜-inch (9.5 mm) in diameter or greater, but less than ½-inch (12.5 mm)? (267)
A. Throwline
B. Escape rope
C. Light-use life-safety rope
D. General-use life-safety rope
15. Which of the following NFPA® 1983 categories of life-safety rope is intended to support the weight of two people and is 7/16-inch (11 mm) in diameter or greater, but less than or equal to ⅝-inch (16 mm)? (267)
A. Throwline
B. Escape rope
C. Light-use life-safety rope
D. General-use life-safety rope
16. Which of the following NFPA® 1983 categories of life-safety rope is used to tether rescuers during water rescues and is 19/64-inch (7 mm) in diameter or greater, but less than ⅜-inch (9.5 mm)? (267)
A. Throwline
B. Escape rope
C. Light-use life-safety rope
D. General-use life-safety rope
17. Which of the following types of rope is intended to be used one time only and then destroyed? (267)
A. Throwline
B. Escape rope
C. Light-use life-safety rope
D. General-use life-safety rope
18. Which of the following types of rope construction is composed of a braided covering or sheath over a core of the main load-bearing strands and is used as sport rope and rescue rope? (267)
A. Laid
B. Braided
C. Braid-on-braid
D. Kernmantle
19. Which of the following types of rope construction is constructed by twisting yarns together to form strands and is almost exclusively used as utility rope? (268)
A. Laid
B. Braided
C. Braid-on-braid
D. Kernmantle
20. Which of the following types of rope construction is constructed by uniformly intertwining strands of rope together and is most commonly used as utility rope? (268)
A. Laid
B. Braided
C. Braid-on-braid
D. Kernmantle
21. Which of the following types of rope construction is constructed with both a braided core and a braided sheath, is very strong, and is most often used in utility applications? (268)
A. Laid
B. Braided
C. Braid-on-braid
D. Kernmantle
Objective 5:
Summarize basic guidelines for rope maintenance.
22. How often should unused ropes be inspected? (269)
A. At least annually
B. At least every two years
C. At least every three years
D. Inspection is not needed.
23. What should be done with rope if imbedded shards of glass, metal shavings, wood splinters or other foreign objects are found in it during inspection? (269)
A. The rope should be taken out of service.
B. A note made on the rope to use with caution.
C. The rope should be thoroughly cleaned and reused.
D. The foreign objects should be removed, and the rope should be cleaned and then reused.
24. Which of the following statements about rope maintenance is MOST accurate? (269)
A. Only life-safety rope needs to be inspected.
B. Visually inspecting ropes is adequate for inspection.
C. Ropes do not need to be inspected after light use.
D. All inspections should be documented in the rope log.
25. Which of the following types of rope is somewhat difficult to inspect because the damage may not be obvious and any damage to the outer sheath indicates probable damage to the core? (269)
A. Laid
B. Braided
C. Braid-on-braid
D. Kernmantle
26. Which of the following types of rope should be untwisted and checked internally for soft, crusty, stiff, or brittle spots; for areas of excessive stretching; for cuts, nicks, or abrasions; for chemical damage; for dirt or grease; and for other obvious flaws? (270)
A. Laid
B. Braided
C. Braid-on-braid
D. Kernmantle
27. Which of the following types of rope should be inspected for the sheath sliding on the core and for lumps that indicate core damage? (270)
A. Laid
B. Braided
C. Braid-on-braid
D. Kernmantle
28. When a piece of rescue rope is purchased, it must be: (270)
A. permanently identified.
B. put in only one individual's name.
C. tested to ensure it meets standards.
D. cut into smaller, more usable pieces.
29. Recommended methods of washing and drying rope: (271)
A. are standardized.
B. are left to individual firefighters.
C. vary with each manufacturer.
D. are not relevant since rope is durable.
30. Which of the following statements about cleaning natural fiber rope is MOST accurate? (271)
A. Natural fiber rope must be hand washed with cold water.
B. Natural fiber rope can be cleaned in washing machines or rope-washing devices.
C. Natural fiber rope can be effectively cleaned a variety of ways with water and soap.
D. Natural fiber rope cannot be cleaned effectively because water cannot be used in the cleaning process.
31. Which of the following statements about cleaning synthetic fiber rope is MOST accurate? (271)
A. Bleaches and strong cleaners are most effective.
B. If synthetic rope is stiff after washing, it should be discarded.
C. The only way to clean synthetic rope is by hand washing.
D. Cool water and mild soap are least likely to damage synthetic fiber ropes.
Objective 6:
Explain procedures for storing life-safety rope.
32. Which of the following statements about storing life-safety rope is MOST accurate? (272)
A. Rope should be stored where there is no ventilation.
B. The best method for storing life-safety rope is to leave it uncoiled.
C. Rope can be stored in the same compartments as gasoline-powered rescue tools.
D. Rope should be stored in compartments that are clean and dry but have adequate ventilation.
33. Which of the following is the best method for storing kernmantle rope and other life-safety rope? (272)
A. Leave it uncoiled
B. Drape it over a hook
C. Place it in a storage bag
D. Place it in a large plastic tub
Objective 7:
Describe webbing and webbing construction.
34. Which of the following statements about webbing is MOST accurate? (273)
A. Most webbing is durable and does not need any maintenance.
B. Most webbing is made from the same materials as natural fiber rope and is hard to maintain.
C. Most webbing is made from materials that are not used in rope construction, so maintenance is unique.
D. Most webbing is made from the same materials as synthetic rope, so the same precautions and maintenance procedures apply.
35. Which of the following statements about webbing construction is MOST accurate? (273)
A. All webbing has a solid, flat design and a spiral weave design.
B. The spiral weave tubular webbing is stronger and more resistant to abrasion than the chain weave.
C. The chain weave tubular webbing is stronger and more resistant to abrasion than the spiral weave.
D. There are two types of webbing construction that look exactly the same when viewed at the ends.
Objective 8:
Describe parts of a rope and considerations in tying a knot.
36. Which of the following parts of a rope is the free end that is used for hoisting, pulling, or belaying? (274)
A. Running end
B. Working end
C. Standing part
D. Lifting part
37. Which of the following parts of a rope is that which is tied to the object being raised, lowered, or stabilized? (274)
A. Running end
B. Working end
C. Standing part
D. Lifting part
38. Which of the following parts of a rope is that section between the working end and the running end? (274)
A. Tight end
B. Loose end
C. Standing part
D. Lifting part
39. Which of the following statements about tying knots is MOST accurate? (274)
A. A properly dressed knot cannot fail.
B. All knots should be dressed after they are tied.
C. Safety knots should not be tied in the tail of the rope.
D. Knots in utility ropes do not need to be dressed.
Objective 9:
Describe knot characteristics and knot elements.
40. Which of the following knot elements is formed by simply bending the rope back on itself while keeping the sides parallel? (275)
A. Loop
B. Bight
C. Round turn
D. Cross turn
41. Which of the following knot elements is formed by crossing the side of a bight over the standing part? (275)
A. Loop
B. End
C. Round turn
D. Cross turn
42. Which of the following statements about knot characteristics is MOST accurate? (274)
A. A rope's strength can increase or decrease when bent.
B. A rope’s strength is not affected whenever it is bent.
C. A rope’s strength is increased to some degree whenever it is bent.
D. A rope’s strength is reduced to some degree whenever it is bent.
Objective 10:
Describe characteristics of knots commonly used in the fire service.
43. Which of the following knots eliminates the danger of the end of the rope slipping back through the knot and causing the knot to fail? (275)
A. Bowline
B. Half-hitch
C. Clove hitch
D. Single/double overhand safety knot
44. Which of the following knots is easily tied and untied, and is good for forming a single loop that will not constrict the object it is placed around? (276)
A. Bowline
B. Half-hitch
C. Clove hitch
D. Single/double overhand safety knot
45. Which of the following knots is not regarded as suitable for use in anchoring a life-safety rope and its principal use is to attach a rope to an object such as a pole, post, or hoseline? (276)
A. Bowline
B. Half-hitch
C. Clove hitch
D. Single/double overhand safety knot
46. Which of the following knots is always used in conjunction with another knot or hitch and is particularly useful in stabilizing tall objects that are being hoisted? (276)
A. Bowline
B. Half-hitch
C. Clove hitch
D. Single/double overhand safety knot