1. Unit 5 – Light Search & Rescue

2. Unit Objectives
Identify sizeup requirements for potential search and rescue situations.
Describe the most common techniques for searching a structure.
Use safe techniques for debris removal and victim extrication.
Describe ways to protect
rescuers during search
and rescue.

3. Search and Rescue Operations
Size up
Helps determine a safe action plan
Use the 9-step size-up model
Search involves:
Locating victims.
Documenting location.
Rescue involves:
Removal of victims
Debris removal

4. Use Caution – Think Before You Act
The first response to trapped victims is by spontaneous, untrained, and well-intentioned persons who rush to the site of an incident in an attempt to free the victims.

5. The Would-Be-Rescuer
Don’t become a statistic!

6. Decision To Attempt Rescue
Risk involved to the rescuer
You are no good to the operation if you get hurt.
Greatest good for greatest number of people

7. Goals of Search and Rescue
Rescue greatest number in shortest amount of time
Rescue lightly trapped victims first
Yell “if you can walk, walk to my voice”

8. Effective Search and Rescue
An effective S-n-R involves:
Effective sizeup
Rescuer safety
Victims safety

9. CERT Search and Rescue Sizeup
Gather Facts
Assess Damage
Consider Probabilities
Assess Your Situation
Establish Priorities
Make Decisions
Develop Plans of Action
Take Action
Evaluate Progress

10. What is your size-up?

11. Gather facts accurately.
Step 1: Gather Facts
Consider the:
Time of event and day of week.
Type of structure.
Construction type.
Weather.
Hazards.
Gather facts accurately.

12. Step 2: Assess and Communicate Damage
CERT mission changes if:
Damage is light.
Damage is moderate.
Damage is heavy.
Consider structure type and age.
Never enter a structure with heavy damage!

13. Search and Rescue
Slight Damage

14. Search and Rescue
Moderate Damage

15. Search and Rescue
Heavy Damage

16. Step 3: Consider Probabilities
Identify potentially life-threatening hazard
How stable is the situation?
What else could go wrong?
What does it all mean to the search and rescue effort?

17. Step 4: Assess Your Situation
Take what you have learned from 1-3 to determine:
1. Whether the situation is safe enough to continue.
2. The risks that rescuers will face if they continue.
3. What resources will be needed to conduct the operation safely.

18. S-n-R Resources
Personnel
Tools
Equipment

19. Step 5: Establish Priorities
What should be done?
In what order?
Your safety is always the first priority and will dictate some of the other priorities. For example removing or mitigating known hazards must be completed before teams begin to search (turning off the power).
Think through the situation logically. Look at the “big picture”, avoid tunnel vision.

20. Step 6: Make Decisions
Deploy your resources to do the most good, while maintaining a high margin of safety.
Remember:
Safety to each CERT member
Life safety of the victims
Protection of the environment
Protection of property

21. Step 7: Develop An Action Plan
Focus the operation on established priorities and decisions.
Provide documentation to be given to responding agencies when they arrive.
Provide documentation that can be used after the incident.

22. Step 8&9: Take Action, Evaluate Progress
Remember size up is on-going! Any information gathered during these last two steps needs to be fed back into the decision-making process for possible revision.

23. Safety Considerations
Make rescuer safety your primary concern.
Use a buddy system.
Be alert for hazards.
Use safety equipment.
Rotate teams.
Teamwork=Success

24. Conducting Search Operations
Inspect area by:
Employing search techniques based on size up.
Locating potential victims.

25. Void Types
Pancake
Lean-to V
Individual

26. Pancake Void

27. Lean-to Void
Victims have the greatest chance of survival!

28. V- Void

29. Individual Void

30. Search Methods Call out to victims. Use a bull horn
Use systematic search pattern.
Stop frequently to listen.
Triangulate.
Mark searched areas to document results.
Report results.

31. Triangulation
Triangulation enables rescuers to view a single location from several perspectives. Three rescuers, guided by a victim sounds, form a triangle around the area and direct flashlights into the area. The light shining from different directions will eliminate shadows that could otherwise hide victims.

32. Triangulation

33. Infrared Cameras
Infrared cameras can be found on most Norfolk fire apparatus and a few TV station helicopters to ease night time searching.

34. Search Marking Indicates rescuer location
Prevents duplication of effort

35. Conducting Rescue Operations
Primary Functions:
Creating safe rescue environment
Lift objects out of the way.
Use tools to move objects.
Remove debris.
Triaging or stabilizing victims
Removing victims

36. Creating a Safe Environment
Goals:
Maintain rescuer safety.
Triage in lightly and moderately damaged buildings.
Evacuate victims quickly from moderately damaged buildings-minimize injury.
Work in teams of 3!

37. Precautions to Minimize Risk
Safe Environment:
Know your limitations both physically & mentally
Follow safety procedures.
If possible assign a Safety Officer
Remove debris by use of:
Leveraging.
Cribbing.

38. Cribbing & Leveraging Debris

39. Removing Victims Types of victim removal include:
Self-removal or assist.
Lifts and drags.
Chairs, doors, blankets or rugs
Allow victims to extricate themselves when possible.

40. Victim Removal Depends upon:
General stability of immediate environment.
Number of rescuers available.
Strength and ability of rescuers.
Condition of victim.

41. Carries

42. Drags

43. CERT in action

44. The End