1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed toward a safety harness having an integral support line.
2. Description of Related Art
Firefighters traditionally wear outer clothing that is known in the art as turnout gear. Turnout gear includes a large coat and pants that have an inner liner and an outer layer. The outer layer or shell is constructed from materials that are resistant to abrasion, flame, heat, and water. The inner liner is releasably secured to the outer layer to permit the liner to be removed for cleaning and repair purposes. The inner liner is preferably constructed from materials which provide a heat and moisture barrier.
It is known in the art to incorporate a harness into firefighter turnout gear. In this regard, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,036,548; 5,136,724; 4,625,335; 3,973,643; 4,273,216; 4,449,253; and, 4,854,418, the disclosures of which are expressly incorporated herein in their entireties.
Other patents disclose garments which include a harness and a drag line. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,706,858 discloses a hunting vest that incorporates a drag line that may be secured to a deer for dragging the deer. U.S. Pat. No. 3,074,074 discloses a similar device wherein the harness includes a pouch in which the drag line is stored. See also, U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,456. It is noted that, in these references, the disclosures of which are expressly incorporated herein in their entireties, the drag line is secured and accessible at a rear of the garments.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,161,266 discloses a lifeline carrier which is carried in an elongated tubular container that is attached to a back-carried air tank.
In addition to the turnout gear coat and pants, firefighters also wear a helmet, thick gloves, and a large oxygen tank. As can be appreciated, the equipment is heavy and bulky, and there is understandably a great resistance by firefighters to add any further equipment to what is already in use.
Unfortunately, for firefighters entering a burning building, especially a high-rise building, the conventional equipment does not include means to facilitate escape from a window or roof of the building. Moreover, for a firefighter who is injured and incapable of escaping from the building, the conventional equipment does not include means to facilitate lifting, lowering, or dragging the injured firefighter from the building.
In the past, an unsatisfactory solution to this problem has been to carry lengths of rope in a coat pocket or a coil of rope over-the-shoulder. However, in a burning building, it takes too long to find the rope, remove it from the pocket, and secure the rope to something/someone to permit escape or rescue. A coil of rope tends to get snagged on things in the building, or is otherwise inconvenient for the firefighter to carry. Therefore, it is common for firefighters to enter tall buildings during a fire with no means of escape.
Accordingly, when a firefighter is trapped several floors above the ground, he must now go to a window and hope that his colleagues can get a ladder up to him before he is injured by the fire. When a firefighter is incapacitated, he must be physically lifted and carried, or dragged by his coat by a rescuer. Due to the failure of conventional equipment to provide means to assist in escape/rescue of firefighters, many firefighters are injured and killed each year by being unable to escape from upper floors of multi-floor buildings.
Therefore, there exists a need in the art for a means to facilitate escape from upper floors of a building. There also exists a need in the art for a means and method for rescuing incapacitated people from buildings. Finally, there exists a need in the art for firefighter turnout gear that incorporates such escape and rescue means.
The present invention is directed toward facilitating escape from upper floors of a building and rescue of injured people from a building. The present invention is also directed toward an escape and rescue line that is built into a harness assembly. The present invention is further directed toward a harness assembly which is incorporated into firefighter turnout gear.
In accordance with the present invention, firefighter turnout gear includes a harness assembly which is secured around the firefighters mid-section. The harness assembly is removably fastened to an interior of the firefighter turnout gear. The harness assembly includes a harness body and a support line. The support line is movable relative to the harness body, is accessible from an exterior of the turnout gear, and is easily deployed. In accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the support line is incorporated into a module which is inserted into an accommodating chamber in the harness body. In accordance with a further alternative embodiment, the support line is incorporated into a module that also provides an accommodating chamber which receives the harness body.
In further accordance with the present invention, firefighter turnout gear includes an outer layer and an inner liner. The harness assembly is removably secured to one of the outer layer and inner liner. At least one end of the support line extends through an opening in the outer layer and is accessible to a user on an exterior of the outer layer.
In further accordance with the present invention, the support line has a first end with a first carabiner-type clip secured thereto and a second end with a second carabiner-type clip secured thereto. The first end is movable relative to the harness body by pulling the first end and carabiner away from the harness body. The second end is fixed relative to the harness body and is not readily movable relative thereto.
In accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the harness body defines a chamber which receives a support line module. The support line module includes the support line. Once the support line is used, the module is removed from the chamber, and a new module is inserted into the chamber to permit the harness to be re-used while allowing the support line to be easily re-installed into the harness body.
In accordance with a further alternative embodiment of the present invention, the harness body is received in a chamber provided by a support line module. The support line module is releasably secured to the turnout gear, and includes the support line. Once the support line is used, the module is removed from the turnout gear, the harness body is removed from the chamber, and the harness body is inserted into new or replacement module which is then inserted into the coat. This permits the harness to be re-used while allowing a new support line to be easily re-installed in the turnout gear and connected to the harness body.