ABOUT

Line Rescue Units (LRUs), also known as Rope Rescue Units (RRUs), provide specialist technical rescue capabilities for incidents involving height or below-ground environments. These units are designed to assist in the rescue of individuals from heights or confined spaces, such as cliffs, cranes, and gorges. LRU are essential to Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) work at building collapses. Despite having capabilities for the likes of cliffsides, it is generally understood that this is the jurisdiction of Mountain Rescue Teams (MRTs), with urban settings usually being the jurisdiction of the fire service.
 

All fire crews are trained to a basic Safe Working at Height (SWAH) standard, however, LRU crews are trained to perform complex technical rescues requiring the use of ropes, harnesses, and hauling devices, this is known as Level 3+ SWAH skills. Additionally, Level 2 crews cannot transport casualties via rope, meanwhile rope rescue crews may.
 

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) operates four LRUs. For rope rescue deployments, LRU generally require a team of 9 personnel, consisting of five Rope Rescue Technicians (RRT), two Rope Rescue Operators (RRO), and two Rope Rescue Supervisors (RRS). These crewing requirements must be met, and if they cannot the nearest team must be mobilised alongside.