IFSTA ESSENTIALS OF FIREFIGHTING CHAPTER 7
ROPES AND KNOTS EXAM STUDY GUIDE 2026 –
COMPLETE CONCEPT REVIEW & PRACTICE
MATERIALS (LATEST EDITION)
1. What is the primary standard that specifies design, construction, and performance
requirements for life safety rope?
A) NFPA 1981
B) NFPA 1971
C) NFPA 1983 ✓
D) NFPA 1500
2. What is the minimum tensile strength for a general-use life safety rope?
A) 4,500 pounds
B) 6,000 pounds
C) 9,000 pounds ✓
D) 15,000 pounds
3. What is the minimum tensile strength for a light-use life safety rope?
A) 4,500 pounds ✓
B) 6,000 pounds
C) 9,000 pounds
D) 3,000 pounds
4. Which type of rope is constructed by twisting fibers together to form strands, which are
then twisted together to form the rope?
A) Braided rope
B) Kernmantle rope
C) Laid (twisted) rope ✓
D) Static rope
5. What is the term for the core of a kernmantle rope?
A) Sheath
B) Pile
C) Kern ✓
D) Mantle
,6. What is the primary advantage of synthetic fiber ropes over natural fiber ropes?
A) Lower cost
B) More resistant to mildew
C) Higher strength-to-weight ratio ✓
D) Better feel when tying knots
7. Which synthetic fiber is known for its high strength, good resistance to abrasion and
chemicals, and is commonly used in life safety rope?
A) Polypropylene
B) Nylon ✓
C) Polyester
D) Manila
8. Which part of the kernmantle rope provides the majority of its strength?
A) The sheath
B) The mantle
C) The label
D) The core ✓
9. What should be used to protect life safety rope from sharp edges?
A) Rope bag
B) Edge roller or rope pad ✓
C) Carabiner
D) Hose strap
10. Which knot is primarily used to attach a rope to a solid object (e.g., a pole or beam)?
A) Bowline
B) Clove hitch ✓
C) Figure eight
D) Becket bend
11. Which knot forms a secure loop at the end of a rope that will not tighten under load?
A) Clove hitch
B) Figure eight on a bight ✓
C) Overhand safety knot
D) Sheet bend
12. What is the primary purpose of a "safety knot" (overhand) when finishing a bowline or
clove hitch?
A) To make the knot prettier
,B) To prevent the working end from slipping back through the primary knot ✓
C) To increase the rope's strength
D) To identify your own knot
13. Which knot is used to join two ropes of unequal size?
A) Square knot
B) Clove hitch
C) Sheet bend ✓
D) Figure eight follow-through
14. The "working end" of a rope is defined as:
A) The entire length of the rope.
B) The part of the rope used for hoisting.
C) The part of the rope used to tie a knot or form a loop. ✓
D) The end placed around an anchor point.
15. What is the purpose of a "tag line" during hoisting operations?
A) To pull the main rope
B) To guide and control the raised or lowered object ✓
C) To serve as a backup life safety line
D) To mark the rope's length
16. When hoisting a pike pole, how should the head be oriented?
A) Butt end down, head up ✓
B) Head down, butt end up
C) Horizontally
D) It does not matter
17. Which type of rope is intended solely for utility purposes and never for supporting
people?
A) Life safety rope
B) Utility rope ✓
C) Dynamic rope
D) Escape rope
18. How should a life safety rope be cleaned?
A) With a strong solvent or bleach.
B) In a commercial washing machine with detergent.
C) With a mild soap and lukewarm water, then air-dried. ✓
D) By scrubbing with a stiff brush.
, 19. What is the primary reason for keeping a rope log?
A) To track its cost.
B) To provide a record of use, inspection, and maintenance for life safety rope. ✓
C) To identify its color.
D) To know who used it last.
20. When inspecting a life safety rope, what should you do if you find any cuts, abrasions,
discoloration, or soft spots?
A) Mark it with tape and continue to use it.
B) Immediately remove it from service. ✓
C) Wash it and re-inspect.
D) Use it only for utility purposes.
21. How often should life safety rope be inspected?
A) After every use and on a weekly basis. ✓
B) Once a year.
C) Only after a major incident.
D) Monthly.
22. Which device creates a mechanical advantage (e.g., 2:1, 3:1) for lifting or moving heavy
loads with rope?
A) Carabiner
B) Brake bar rack
C) Rope grab
D) Rope system (simple, compound, or complex) ✓
23. What is a common use for a clove hitch in the fire service?
A) Tying webbing together.
B) Hoisting a charged hoseline.
C) Attaching a rope to a pike pole for hoisting. ✓
D) Forming a loop for a harness.
24. Which knot is often used to form a loop in the middle of a rope?
A) Square knot
B) Figure eight on a bight ✓
C) Bowline
D) Half hitch
25. A knot that unties easily is said to have good:
A) Security
ROPES AND KNOTS EXAM STUDY GUIDE 2026 –
COMPLETE CONCEPT REVIEW & PRACTICE
MATERIALS (LATEST EDITION)
1. What is the primary standard that specifies design, construction, and performance
requirements for life safety rope?
A) NFPA 1981
B) NFPA 1971
C) NFPA 1983 ✓
D) NFPA 1500
2. What is the minimum tensile strength for a general-use life safety rope?
A) 4,500 pounds
B) 6,000 pounds
C) 9,000 pounds ✓
D) 15,000 pounds
3. What is the minimum tensile strength for a light-use life safety rope?
A) 4,500 pounds ✓
B) 6,000 pounds
C) 9,000 pounds
D) 3,000 pounds
4. Which type of rope is constructed by twisting fibers together to form strands, which are
then twisted together to form the rope?
A) Braided rope
B) Kernmantle rope
C) Laid (twisted) rope ✓
D) Static rope
5. What is the term for the core of a kernmantle rope?
A) Sheath
B) Pile
C) Kern ✓
D) Mantle
,6. What is the primary advantage of synthetic fiber ropes over natural fiber ropes?
A) Lower cost
B) More resistant to mildew
C) Higher strength-to-weight ratio ✓
D) Better feel when tying knots
7. Which synthetic fiber is known for its high strength, good resistance to abrasion and
chemicals, and is commonly used in life safety rope?
A) Polypropylene
B) Nylon ✓
C) Polyester
D) Manila
8. Which part of the kernmantle rope provides the majority of its strength?
A) The sheath
B) The mantle
C) The label
D) The core ✓
9. What should be used to protect life safety rope from sharp edges?
A) Rope bag
B) Edge roller or rope pad ✓
C) Carabiner
D) Hose strap
10. Which knot is primarily used to attach a rope to a solid object (e.g., a pole or beam)?
A) Bowline
B) Clove hitch ✓
C) Figure eight
D) Becket bend
11. Which knot forms a secure loop at the end of a rope that will not tighten under load?
A) Clove hitch
B) Figure eight on a bight ✓
C) Overhand safety knot
D) Sheet bend
12. What is the primary purpose of a "safety knot" (overhand) when finishing a bowline or
clove hitch?
A) To make the knot prettier
,B) To prevent the working end from slipping back through the primary knot ✓
C) To increase the rope's strength
D) To identify your own knot
13. Which knot is used to join two ropes of unequal size?
A) Square knot
B) Clove hitch
C) Sheet bend ✓
D) Figure eight follow-through
14. The "working end" of a rope is defined as:
A) The entire length of the rope.
B) The part of the rope used for hoisting.
C) The part of the rope used to tie a knot or form a loop. ✓
D) The end placed around an anchor point.
15. What is the purpose of a "tag line" during hoisting operations?
A) To pull the main rope
B) To guide and control the raised or lowered object ✓
C) To serve as a backup life safety line
D) To mark the rope's length
16. When hoisting a pike pole, how should the head be oriented?
A) Butt end down, head up ✓
B) Head down, butt end up
C) Horizontally
D) It does not matter
17. Which type of rope is intended solely for utility purposes and never for supporting
people?
A) Life safety rope
B) Utility rope ✓
C) Dynamic rope
D) Escape rope
18. How should a life safety rope be cleaned?
A) With a strong solvent or bleach.
B) In a commercial washing machine with detergent.
C) With a mild soap and lukewarm water, then air-dried. ✓
D) By scrubbing with a stiff brush.
, 19. What is the primary reason for keeping a rope log?
A) To track its cost.
B) To provide a record of use, inspection, and maintenance for life safety rope. ✓
C) To identify its color.
D) To know who used it last.
20. When inspecting a life safety rope, what should you do if you find any cuts, abrasions,
discoloration, or soft spots?
A) Mark it with tape and continue to use it.
B) Immediately remove it from service. ✓
C) Wash it and re-inspect.
D) Use it only for utility purposes.
21. How often should life safety rope be inspected?
A) After every use and on a weekly basis. ✓
B) Once a year.
C) Only after a major incident.
D) Monthly.
22. Which device creates a mechanical advantage (e.g., 2:1, 3:1) for lifting or moving heavy
loads with rope?
A) Carabiner
B) Brake bar rack
C) Rope grab
D) Rope system (simple, compound, or complex) ✓
23. What is a common use for a clove hitch in the fire service?
A) Tying webbing together.
B) Hoisting a charged hoseline.
C) Attaching a rope to a pike pole for hoisting. ✓
D) Forming a loop for a harness.
24. Which knot is often used to form a loop in the middle of a rope?
A) Square knot
B) Figure eight on a bight ✓
C) Bowline
D) Half hitch
25. A knot that unties easily is said to have good:
A) Security
