cribbing n.— «So, last week, crews began the work of raising the 80-foot-long house 8 1/2 feet above flood level. Workers used a technique, called “cribbing,” where they jack up the house one foot at a time. The house was completely raised late...
PJ n.— «The USAF has barely 300 of these operators whose job is to deploy by any means necessary—sea, air, or land—to rescue downed aircrew members and injured special operators. Pararescuemen, also known as “PJs,” are trained skydivers and scuba...
ledged up adj.— «Morris said recreational activities popularly called “canyoneering” or rappelling are becoming more common. However, they occasionally require a rescue when someone gets into a situation that Morris refers to as “ledged up.”» —“...
burp v.— «The firefighters have a technique called “burping the suit” that involves pulling open the neck of the Mustang, then crouching down to force excess air out of the suit. The technique prevents the suit from ballooning once they jump in the...
kangroo duck n.— «Some rescue scenarios would have benefited from tethered or “kangaroo duck” operations, in which a motorized, inflatable raft is quickly deployed with rescue swimmers.» —“Military Spin: A Military View of Katrina’s Lessons” by...
Collyer’s Mansion n.— «In New York City, and along much of the East Coast, a dwelling jammed rafter-high with junk is referred to by rescue personnel, with dismay and no small degree of respect, as a “Collyers’ Mansion.” As in, primary searches...