U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Jacob Dietmeyer, 100th Civil Engineer Squadron Fire Department firefighter from Gurnee, Ill., uses a brake bar rack to adjust his safety rope as he begins his descent from an almost 120-foot-high water tower Sept. 4, during a training session on RAF Mildenhall, England. The brake bar rack is used for rappelling or lowering a load on a rope. The bars on the rack create friction on the rope, making it possible to lower the weight manually. Depending on how much weight is on the rope, the person descending decides how many bars to use to control the descent. The brake bar rack is a vital piece of equipment for the firefighters as it allows them to have the weight of the rescuer on the rope as well as the additional weight of the victim they are going to pick up. (U.S. Air Force photo by Karen Abeyasekere/Released)
Karen Abeyasekere
2013-04-09
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