Knot tying and knowing which ones to use is a crucial skill in rescue and many other practical uses. Many persons find knot tying difficult to learn. Fortunately, we only need to learn a few basic knots for rescue work.

Rope work is a very essential rescue skill. We use ropes and webbing for all sorts of tasks:

• Safely rescuing swimmers
• Quickly and safely crossing streams
• Placing rescue personnel and/or equipment in precise locations
• Pin extraction
• Vertical work
• Improvised stretchers
• Repair work
• First Aid

I suspect I may have left a few uses out of this list. It is no wonder that all intermediate boaters should carry a throw rope. With few exceptions, knots are necessary in providing this wide variety of uses. Learning which knots to use and how to properly tie them is vital for most of these tasks. Improperly tied knots come undone rather easily which can be a real safety hazard as in a Z-Drag. Alternatively, the wrong knot selection can be nearly impossible to untie when finished with the rescue. Strive to be like Felix Unger (or Adrian Monk) with knots, make them very clean and tight.