Abstract: A self-retracting lanyard having a housing; a rotatable drum in that housing; a line for winding about that drum; and an improved braking mechanism for preventing the drum in that housing from ratcheting due to line rebounding after a fall arrest event. The braking mechanism has a plurality of pawl lockout elements for flexibly engaging with a stationary component of the lanyard to keep at least one pawl in a locked position during reverse rotation of the drum thereby preventing ratcheting from occurring.

Abstract: An integral rescue device preferably worn by a firefighter that includes a shock absorbing descender attached to the rescue device, a support line passing through the shock absorbing descender, an anchor connection attached to a first end of the support line in the vicinity of the shock absorbing descender, and an assembly for holding the support line. The assembly preferably includes a plurality of holders in which intermediate loops of the support line are retained near the terminus of each of the intermediate loops. In a preferred embodiment, the shock absorbing descender is attached to a waist belt of a self-contained breathing apparatus carrier with a support line passing through the shock absorbing descender, an anchor connection attached to a first end of the support line in the vicinity of the shock absorbing descender, and an assembly for holding the support line.