A fireman's chair knot (also known as the chair knot, Man-O-War sheepshank, double fool's harness or the Shaw special) is a

knot A knot is an intentional complication in cordage which may be practical or decorative, or both. Practical knots are classified by function, including hitches, bends, loop knots, and splices: a ''hitch'' fastens a rope to another object; a ' ...

tied

in the bight In knot tying, a bight is a curved section or slack part between the two ends of a rope, string, or yarn.. "Any slack part of a rope between the two ends, particularly when curved or looped." A knot that can be tied using only the bight of a ro ...

forming two adjustable, lockable loops. The knot consists of a

handcuff knot A handcuff knot is a knot tied in the bight having two adjustable loops in opposing directions, able to be tightened around hands or feet. The knot itself does not possess any inherent locking action, and thus is not as easy to use for such pur ...

finished with a locking

half hitch The half hitch is a simple overhand knot, where the working end of a line is brought over and under the standing part. Insecure on its own, it is a valuable component of a wide variety of useful and reliable hitches, bends, and knots. Two ...

around each loop. The loops remain adjustable until the half hitches are tightened.

Usage

The knot was first introduced by the Victorian chief fire officer Eyre Massey-Shaw in 1876 on a windy afternoon while slightly

inebriated Alcohol intoxication, also known as alcohol poisoning, commonly described as drunkenness or inebriation, is the negative behavior and physical effects caused by a recent consumption of alcohol. In addition to the toxicity of ethanol, the main ps ...

. Made with suitable

rope A rope is a group of yarns, plies, fibres, or strands that are twisted or braided together into a larger and stronger form. Ropes have tensile strength and so can be used for dragging and lifting. Rope is thicker and stronger than similarly ...

by qualified personnel this knot can be used as a rescue

harness A harness is a looped restraint or support. Specifically, it may refer to one of the following harness types: * Bondage harness * Child harness * Climbing harness * Dog harness * Pet harness * Five-point harness * Horse harness * Parrot harness * ...

capable of supporting a person while being hoisted or lowered to safety. One loop supports the body, around the chest and under the arms, and the other loop supports the legs, under the knees. Tied towards the middle of a line, one end is used for lowering and the other end can serve as a tagline, to control the victim's position with respect to hazards during the descent. A snug fitting of this knot should restrain the victim, even if unconscious.Knots: The Art of Working with Knots and Strings
The Explorer's Club. Last accessed 06 Dec 2011. The fireman's chair can also be used to move a victim laterally when used as a part of a tensioned horizontal highline system. The fireman's chair knot is generally considered to be merely a makeshift

, to be used when conventional

rope rescue Rope rescue is a subset of technical rescue that involves the use of rope, be it steel or cable rope, or more commonly used nylon, polyester, or other type of rope. Kernmantle (kern = core and mantle = sheath) rope as it is called, is available ...

techniques are not available; it is rarely used by modern rescue teams.

References

{{Knots

Usage

See also

References