Site Security and Rescue Operations Theory

1. Site Security and Rescue Operations Theory Developed as part of the National Emergency Services Curriculum Project

2. Mission of Civil Air Patrol Ground Teams • To find, identify, and render lifesaving first aid while safeguarding and assisting authorities. • Safeguarding is the procedures or actions taken to preserve evidence at an accident/crime scene • When a missing person is found dead, the site should be treated as a crime scene • Assistance to Law Enforcement officials is outlined in CAPRs 60-3 and 900-3

3. NTSB Accident Guidelines • Rescuing survivors is a priority to scene preservation

4. NTSB Guidelines Continued • Guard the wreckage from further damage • Nobody should be allowed inside the wreckage area except those personnel necessary to survivor removal, fire fighting, and the possible removal of mail and cargo when it could possibly be further damaged • Items removed from the wreckage must be kept locally for examination by NTSB or accident investigators • Drawings and photographs should be taken of the entire crash area, documenting actions on site

5. NTSB Guidelines Continued • Advise the county coroner or medical examiner of the situation • Fatalities should be held for autopsy and toxicological exams PRIOR to post mortem actions • CAP members should not remove the deceased without the proper federal, state or local authority. It is not recommended that younger cadets or those that may be otherwise naive or new to the situation be involved in victim or survival removal

6. NTSB Guidelines Continued • Identify the position of fatalities, especially if they must be moved to get to survivors • Try to photograph the original position of deceased occupants prior to removal from wreckage, but remember not to interfere with victim removal to get to survivors. • Tag or otherwise identify the location of each body, making note of the location in the wreckage, or on the ground

7. NTSB Guidelines Continued • News media coverage • Accredited news media may be permitted to enter and photograph the wreckage area as long as the wreckage and scene is not disturbed, and extrication is not interfered with • Remember that CAP personnel cannot physically restrict entry according to regulation • Make Law Enforcement personnel aware of this, and if not immediately available notify intruders of statutes and take their picture for records

8. NTSB Guidelines Continued • Notify the local authorities, NTSB, and the FAA if they have not been already • Local law enforcement may not know who to contact at the FAA • NTSB may not send anyone – it could be handled by the FAA who will forward their investigative results to NTSB for final analysis

9. NTSB Responsibilities • Determine the probable cause of the accident • Publicly report all civil aircraft accidents in the United States of America

10. DOs from the NTSB • Make sketches or drawings and take pictures • Record major disturbances to the scene that you cause

11. DOs from the NTSB Continued • Tag disturbed and/or altered items with the following: • Name & Organization of person tagging item • Telephone number of contact (Mission Base or Incident Commander) • Date of action taken • Time action was taken • Brief description of action taken

12. DON’Ts from the NTSB • DON'T: • Disturb switches or aircraft controls • Remove fatalities (Unless federally authorized) • Disturb the scene, unless necessary to preserve life • Take souvenirs

13. CAP Ground Team Actions • CAP ground teams should only take those actions necessary to: • Save lives • Protect the public • Protect the wreckage from further damage • What does wreckage look like? A sample is on the next slide.

15. CAP Ground Team Actions Continued • The first team to arrive at the site of a small aircraft accident should break up into three sub teams to secure it: • Leader Team • Medical Team • Hasty or Support Team

16. Leader Team • Ground Team Leader • Supervises all actions • Ensures actions taken are within regulations, standards, and safety margins • HAZMAT Rule of Thumb • Security Zones (See next slide) • Responsible for the following of NTSB rules at the accident or local laws and regulations at the site of missing person found dead (could be a homicide)

17. HAZMAT Safety Zones

18. Leader Team Continued • Team Communications Officer • Maintains communications with mission base via relay or direct transmission • Remains in contact with hasty team and incoming support teams

19. Leader Team Continued • Runner/Log Person • Makes drawings or sketches and/or takes pictures of the scene to note initial positions, and changes made to preserve life (See next two slides) • Record the position of all aircraft switches, knobs and instruments or survivor’s equipment upon arrival at the scene, and changes made during extrication • Coordinate incoming personnel, ensuring that order is maintained • If the agency responsible for air crashes or police agencies are on the scene, they will most likely handle site management, photos, etc.

20. Recommended Minimum Photos Taken at Crash Site • Take Photos in a logical order • Photograph perishable evidence early (ice melting off of the wings, victims moved to get at survivors, etc.)

21. Recommended Photos Continued • The same principles applied to aircraft photography can be applied to taking photos of a missing person site • If taking photos at night or in poor lighting conditions, use a flash if at possible and/or add light with flashlights • Keep a log of photos taken, in order noting anything out of the ordinary

22. Medical Team • Head Medic • Responsible for all members coming in contact with the victims or survivors to include the wear of proper medical protective gear, and proper treatment • Responsible for requests for evacuation and extrication of victims, survivors, personnel and equipment • Responsible for the accounting of all passengers that were supposed to be aboard or missing persons part of party being searched for

23. Medical Team Continued • 2 to 3 Support Medical Personnel • Perform lifesaving first aid under the direction of the Head Medic • Report any hazards or problems with the wreckage that may endanger rescue personnel or survivors further. It should be noted that all personnel need to be situationally aware, but these few members of the team will most likely be the ones hurt if not careful

24. Hasty or Support Team • Made up of the assistant team leader, a communicator, and a first aider or other team personnel depending on the tasks assigned by the team leader • May do a hasty search of the area for any missing passengers • May set up a perimeter around the site and control incoming personnel • May aid in the extrication of survivors

25. Scene Management • Once the proper authorities arrive on scene (varies from state to state) they will assume control of the scene. • Offer help- but they may or may not need it. • You may brief the authorities on scene information, but maintain possession of your logs. • Authorities may request copies of mission documentation through CAP HQ.

26. Position Importance • All of the positions referenced in the previous slides are important, and nobody should feel degraded if not in a leadership position

27. Site Security Tasks • Ground Team Member • O-0801: Man a Surveillance Post • Ground Team Leader • O-0802: Plan and Organize Site Surveillance • O-0803: Supervise a Site Surveillance Shift • O-0804: Sign over a Site

28. QUESTIONS? THINK SAFETY!