A jumping chute in rescue operations can save lives, but only when used correctly. A jump-chute is a complicated device that is mainly used by fire brigades.

The jump-chute plays a key role in the evacuation of high-rise buildings and wherever traditional means of escape (i.e. stairs or elevators) are unavailable or pose a threat to safety. It is therefore often the only option for people trapped on upper floors during fires, explosions and other disasters.

The originator was John Tom Scurlock, who in 1973 invented a jump cushion filled with fans, without a pneumatic frame, and patented it a year later. However, when it comes to jumping gears prevailing on the Polish market – with a pneumatic frame – they were invented and patented in 1988 by Peter Lorsbach.

This unusual equipment allows you to jump from a height to a safe, specially designed surface. Thanks to the jump protector, rescuers can evacuate quickly and effectively, minimizing the risk of injury to evacuees. It is an irreplaceable tool, but here’s an important note: its effective use requires appropriate training and experience on the part of the rescue services.

Jumping arresters used in rescue operations are carefully designed to ensure maximum safety. Most jump cushions are in the form of large, inflatable cushions that are able to absorb the force of the impact during landing, which minimizes the risk of injury. Their outer shell is made of a durable and abrasion-resistant material that can withstand even heavy loads and is flame-resistant. The inflatable frame is the supporting frame for the external walls and the landing pad.

The dimensions of jump protection devices may vary, but they are usually adapted to the requirements and specificity of evacuation from multi-storey buildings. A standard jump protection – after inflating – has a diameter of 4 to 6 meters (3 meters is the minimum) and a height of 1 to 2 meters. Choosing the right size depends on many factors, including the height of the building to be evacuated and the number of people needing to be evacuated. In addition, the jump box should allow you to enter a circle with a diameter of 3 meters with a clearly marked center.

The coating of each jumping arrester must be marked with a permanent technique. We are talking about such information as the manufacturer’s data, type, serial number and the year and month of production of a given model, as well as the permissible rescue amount, a simplified instruction manual in Polish and information about the ban on training jumps. If the manufacturer considers that other information is important, it should also include it here.

We have already mentioned that training of the rescue services is needed to correctly position the jump-protection device. In addition, in accordance with the regulation of the Minister of the Interior and Administration on the list of products used to ensure public safety or protect health and life or property, as well as the rules for issuing admission of these products for use, the services have a maximum of 240 seconds to prepare the jump protector for inflation from the transport position.

What is important, the filling time should not exceed 120 seconds, and if the jump protection is filled with fans with an internal combustion engine, then the fuel supply in the tank should be sufficient for at least 1 hour of continuous operation. It will usually take the weight of people jumping on it from a maximum of 16 meters. This equipment can be used for an average of 15 years.

Firefighters use jump cushions in various emergency situations where traditional methods of evacuation are impossible or dangerous. This is most common in fires in tall buildings. When flames and smoke block corridors, stairways and elevators, a jumper can be the only escape route for people trapped on upper floors. In addition, it is also useful during evacuation from buildings at risk of collapse. Then, even if there is no imminent fire hazard, quick evacuation may be necessary.

Ultimately, they can also be used in situations where a person is at risk but cannot leave the building on their own, such as the disabled, seniors or children. The use of a jumping arrester allows firefighters to quickly guide such people to a safe zone.

Source:https://www.bhp-gabi.pl/a145,skokochron-w-dzialaniach-ratowych.html

Supported by Norway through Norway Grants 2014-2021, in the frame of the Programme “Social Dialogue – Decent Work”.