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Urban Search & Rescue: Techniques and Procedures for Victims Location

Learn about different search categories, hailing system procedures, physical search options, and contact with victims in urban search and rescue operations.

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Urban Search & Rescue: Techniques and Procedures for Victims Location

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Presentation Transcript

  1. US&R Search Terms and Procedures

  2. Relevant Victim Location Information • Building use • Type of occupancy • Expected number of occupants • Time of day and day of week • Type of collapse • Associated hazards • Possible victim locations

  3. Sources of Information • Pre-incident site plan • Size-up and reconnaissance information • Verbal reports • Rescued victims, co-workers, witnesses, relatives • Contractors and building engineers

  4. Types of US&R Search • Hasty Search (Primary Search) • Rapid assessment • Assists in size-up • Helps determine priorities • Extensive/Grid Search (Secondary Search) • Thorough systematic search • Redundant search • Verification of victim location with alternate resources • Confirms “exact” victim location

  5. US&R Search Categories • Categories • Physical search • US&R canine search • Technical search • Effectiveness of various categories of search types

  6. Physical Search • Deployment of personnel for physical search • Advantages • Resources readily available • No high tech equipment/procedures needed • Can use volunteers • Visual sighting provides victim location verification

  7. Physical Search • Disadvantages • Only for surface victims • Best during only daylight hours • Dangerous for search personnel • May miss some victims

  8. Hailing System Procedures • Surround search site with personnel • Call for silence • Personnel call out one by one – use clockwise rotation • After each call out, ALL personnel listen for response and point to direction of sound • Triangulate on victim location – may have multiple “fixes”

  9. Hailing System • Advantages • Resources readily available • No high tech equipment/procedures needed • Triangulates on victim location • Can be used day or night with relative safety

  10. Hailing System • Disadvantages • Effectiveness diminishes after time due to victims decreasing ability to respond • Additional search tactics may be needed to pinpoint the exact location of the victim • May not locate all victims in collapse

  11. Physical Search Procedures • Organize personnel to search area • Requires team leader • Establish good communications with IC • Use buddy system • Use building plans to plot progress and direct teams • Use hailing procedure if appropriate • Use proper search marking procedures • Enter if structure is sound

  12. Physical Search Options • Search in organized manner • Don’t skip any rooms unless areas is unsafe • Small Rooms or areas • “Go right - stay right” method • Large rooms or areas • Line - search method

  13. Contact with Victims • Encourage victims not to give up • Explain situation • Assess victim position, entrapment and medical condition • “Interview” victim about other occupants • Leave rescuer(s) with victim if safe • Continue search until all victims are accounted for • Report to IC with findings

  14. US&R Canine Search • Specially trained and certified canine and handler teams • Caution using other non-certified canines form PD or wilderness environment • Possible harm to handler, victims or canines to trained for urban collapse environments

  15. Canine Search • Advantages • Can cover large areas in a short time span • Used for both Hasty and Extended grid searches • Can detect deeply buried victims who are able to or not able to respond themselves • Can differentiate between live or dead victims

  16. Canine Search • Disadvantages • Very limited number or available teams • Can be temperamental • Canines affected by weather and physical condition • Additional search modes may have to be used to confirm victim location

  17. Technical Search • Three primary types • Electronic listening devices • Visual search devices • Other electronic devices • Requires trained users • Expensive • Some instruments very delicate

  18. Listening Devices • Advantages • Very sensitive to deeply buried victims • Can cover large areas and pinpoint location of victims • Less sophisticated devices may be used by public works departments

  19. Listening Devices • Disadvantages • Usefulness of device diminishes with victims condition • Best when ambient noise is low • Should be used with hailing method • Does not locate all victims

  20. Visual Search Devices • Video and Optical • Advantages • Provides conclusive verification of victim location • Some devices can access openings ¼ inch wide and extend up to 10 feet deep • Flexible • Doesn’t require verification

  21. Visual Search Devices • Disadvantages • Requires skilled operator • Limited field and depth of view • Limited reach • Does not locate call possible victims

  22. Other Search Devices • Thermal sensing devices • Can see through smoke but not walls or even heavy dust • Infrared and UV sensing devices • Sees light radiation • Used for covert surveillances – not for US&R • Electromagnetic wave detection – Radar • Can detect heartbeat and respirations through 10 feet of concrete and steel debris

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