Technical Rescue Awareness - Wabash Independent …members.wabash.net/~lfender/ncfpd_web/TRA/TRA Powerpoint.pdf · January, 2001 Technical Rescue Awareness 3 General • NOTE –

January, 2001 Technical Rescue Awareness 1

Technical Rescue Awareness


General

• Course Requirements & Standards – Follows guidelines OSFM & NFPA 1670 – Provide a means to identify and properly react

to uncommon, dangerous and difficult rescues – Further training is required for actual rescue

operations and practices


General

• NOTE – This course DOES NOT contain hands on training – The AHJ is responsible for training per NFPA 1670

• Operations and Training at Technical Rescue Incidents – The AHJ must instruct members in EMS


General • Course content

– Structural collapse • Various types of building collapse

– Rope rescue • Various rescue situations require rope work

– Confined space • Rescues in confined spaces, vats, sewers, silos, etc.

– Vehicles & Machinery • Roadway extrication and industrial rescue / extrication


General

• Course content – Water

• Ice, surf, dive, and swift water – Wilderness search and rescue

• Search patterns and situation analysis – Trench & excavation


General

• OSFM requirements for certification – Certified Firefighter II – 100% attendance of the 8 hour awareness

course – Passing the state written exam by 70%


General

• Each AHJ needs to have an action plan and policies in place to handle technical rescues

• AHJ has complete control over all resources requested

• Authority to stop all rescue attempts


General

• AHJ must conduct risk and hazard analysis – Information to make informed decision – Likelihood of incident – Where it might occur – Effects on the community

• AHJ required to establish SOP’s / SOG’s


General – Awareness Level

• Basic initial company response – First on the scene in course of duty – Identify type of incident – Start initial company operations – Generally NOT considered rescuers

– Operations Level • Basic technical response

– Deal with most non-complex situations

– Technician Level • Considered expert in the field

– Deal with complex and difficult situations


General

• Safety at a technical rescue – Personnel accountability system (PAS)

• Account for all members at incident

• Evacuation procedures / guidelines – Every member must know SOG’s / SOP’s – Each sector must know its actions if evacuation

order is given


General • PPE

– Each AHJ is responsible for determining appropriate level of PPE


General

• Hazard & risk assessment (size-up) – Continuous – Every technical rescue, no matter what

magnitude, can change in a second – Initial size-up will set ground work for entire

incident


General • Size-up

– Scope, magnitude, nature of incident – Location and number of victims – Risk / benefit analysis

• Will the end result justify the means – Pre-plans

• Will address more than one way to get to an area – Environmental factors

• Loss of life – Extreme heat and cold


General

• Size-up (con’t) – Patient contact

• Your safety is paramount • Can you see or hear patients? • Hailing, tag lines, radios, con-space systems • Does the patient know where they are?

• Availability / needed resources – What resources do you have available?


General

• Incident Management System / Incident Command System – In order to manage the incident command and

control must be established – Sectors (minimum)

• Command – Responsible for entire incident

• Safety – Should be trained to level of incident


General

• IMS / ICS – Sectors

• Rescue – Establish rescue plan – Inform all sectors of plan – Insure the plan is carried out

• Optional Sectors – Logistics, staging, public info, rehab, suppression, EMS, others – Others outlined in NFPA 1561 Standard for FD Incident Management

RESCUE


General

• Scene control / initial company operations – Control zones

• Hot, warm, cold – Witness interviews

• Who, what, where, when, why from all people in area – Patient contact

• Control who talks to victim and what victim hears – Bystander interaction

• Control zones will keep non-essential people out of harms way


General • Scene control / initial company operations

– Police assistance • PD is a valuable resource

– Machinery / Vehicles • Find someone with expertise (machines) • What are the actions of a full cycles machine? • Use apparatus to block traffic, not personnel

– Utilities • Have their emergency numbers available on all apparatus


Structural Collapse


Structural Collapse

• Awareness level functions 1. Size-up

– Gather information • Swiftly & unemotional • Structural safety

– Important to pass on initial observations to technical rescue team

– Must realize there are many tasks to accomplish


Structural Collapse 1. Size-up (cont.)

– Identify the scene • Size of structure • Occupancy type

– Structure type – Collapse mechanism

• Weather • Exposures • Time of day • Location of victims


Structural Collapse 1. Size-up (cont.)

– Scene control • Isolate bystanders, family, personnel • Banner tape, cones, PD • Set up collapse zones

– Mitigate existing hazards • Gas • Electric • Water • Haz-mat


Structural Collapse

1. Size-up (cont.)

– Perform re-con • Complete survey of all 4 sides, top and bottom of

building if possible • Note possible entry points • Verify contact with viable victims

– This stage most hazardous to 1st due companies • Overwhelming urge to assist victims in need • Secondary collapse is high concern


Structural Collapse

2. Triage Criteria – Perform risk / benefit analysis – Occupancy

• Potential total number of occupants • Activity done in building

– Structure type • Materials • Access difficulty • Potential hazard mitigation


Structural Collapse

2. Triage criteria – Collapse mechanism

• How building failed • Types of voids • Victim survival

– Time of day – Prior intelligence

• Information from public, local authorities, 1st responders, etc. related to trapped victims


Structural Collapse

2. Triage criteria – Search & rescue resources available

• Beyond what is readily available – Heavy machinery, etc.

– Structural condition of the building • Can search and rescue ops proceed with minimum

stabilization effort


Structural Collapse • Destructive forces

– Earthquakes • Shaking • Greatest effect on weak, heavy structures dynamically coupled

to their site

– Wind • Damage

– Wind velocity – Airborne missiles – Tidal surge – Atmospheric pressure difference

» Effects mostly light, un-engineered buildings » Causes high uplift / blowout forces


Structural Collapse

• Destructive forces – Floods

• Riverine – Flash type, high water rise, high velocity – May produce wall of water effect – Slow, unconfined flow over low lying broad area

• Coastal – Caused by severe storms and high tide – Hurricanes Forces - step up surges and high winds


Structural Collapse

• Destructive forces – Floods

• Damage from flooding caused by hydrostatic lateral pressure/lifting

• Hydrodynamic forces due to velocity and wave heights

• Debris impact from waterborne objects


Structural Collapse

• Destructive forces – Snow and heavy rain

• Cause roof collapse due to overload • Occurs in long span, flat roof construction • Beams or trusses fail

– Partial collapse

• Snow – More complete collapse

» Failure of vertical supports


Structural Collapse

• Destructive forces – Construction problems

• Often caused by lack of lateral bracing & vertical shoring

• Failures during: – Concrete pours – Placing large beams / trusses – Lifting large concrete slabs – Overloading with stockpiles – Un-engineered alterations



– Explosions • Natural gas build ups • Deliberately set bombs

– Weakest part blown out to reduce pressure » Light weight wood & steel » Roof, wall skins, windows

– Reinforced concrete buildings » Contain blast » Greater loss of life » Columns badly damaged, floors collapse

– Pre-cast concrete » Large members become disconnected » Progressive collapse


Structural Collapse

• Destructive forces – Structural decay

• Collapse of older building and bridges • Most devastating when vertical supports fail

– Multi-floor collapse

• Un-reinforced masonry – Exterior walls on older buildings may be standing – No bracing by pancaked floors – Walls could fall in or out


Structural Collapse

• Destructive forces – Fire

• Wood/metal roof collapse – Burn through – Pull exterior masonry/concrete walls in – Leave standing unsupported

• Steel left standing after a fire – Reduced strength – Loss of heat treatment

• Concrete – Damaged due to spalling – Sheer walls crack due to floor expansion



– Transportation accidents • Structural collapse

– Impact – Spillage of large quantity of materials


Structural Collapse

• Roles within the response system – Initial spontaneous response

• Unskilled neighbors, community response teams, and passers-by

– Heroically help remove lightly trapped/injured victims – Act far beyond their level of skill – Save ¾ or more of victims – Survival rates are high

» Victims are only lightly trapped – FD, EMS, PD may help organize and participate

» Usually ends after 1st night


Structural Collapse • Roles within the response system

– Planned community response • Trained community response teams

– Call out and visual searches » Locate and rescue non-structurally collapsed trapped

– Some lifting of objects » Furniture » Loose bricks

– Mitigate small hazards » Extinguish small fires » Turn off gas » Observe/refer haz-mat


Structural Collapse • Roles within the response system

– Void space rescue • Performed by emergency rescue services

– Prioritize site(s) to make better risk analysis • Rescue using existing cavities

– Ducts – Plumbing shafts – Basements – Small cut openings in walls or floors

• Some shoring – Protect safe havens – Protect victims/workers

• This phase may start 1st day – Not until efforts are organized


Structural Collapse

• Roles within the response system – Technical, urban search & rescue

• Trained technical rescue specialists – Aided by equipment – Sites re-evaluated – Re-searched – Prioritized for 10-day long effort – Extensive cutting, shoring etc. – Use of cranes


Structural Collapse

• Collapse types – Lean-to – V-shape – A-type – Pancake – Cantilever



Structural Collapse

• Marking systems – Building marking system – Structure marking system – FEMA task force SAR marking system


Structural Collapse • Building marking system


Structural Collapse • Structure marking system

– Ground floor is 1, Second is 2, Third is 3, etc. – First floor below grade is B-1, Second is B-2, etc.


Structural Collapse • FEMA task force SAR marking system

– 2’x2’ Orange Box – Structure relatively safe for USAR operations



– Structure significantly damaged – Shoring/removal of hazards may be required



– Structure not safe for normal USAR operations – Extensive safety measures must be taken before

entry



– To the right of the box: • Date • Hazards • Time • TF Id

28 JUN 03 NATURAL GAS

1432HRS NE-TF1


Structural Collapse • FEMA search assessment marking system – Single slash upon entry

into structure – TF id, date & entry time – Indicates an ongoing

search PA – TF1 18 SEP 00

1800


Structural Collapse • FEMA search assessment marking system

18 SEP 00 2130

– Crossing slash upon exit – Upon exit, date & time

noted in top field – Additional information

placed in open areas of “X”

PA – TF1 18 SEP 00

1800



18 SEP 00 2130

– Right - hazards – Bottom - # of victims

PA – TF1 18 SEP 00

1800 RATS

8 L 3 D



18 SEP 00 2130

– When new search is completed, cross out previous and complete new search assessment marking

PA – TF1 18 SEP 00

1800 RATS

8 L 3 D



18 SEP 00 2130

– When search is terminated prior to completion:

– Place filled circle at center of slash

– Place box below slash & note areas searched

– Use “F” to id floors – Use “Q” to id

quadrants – If only exterior

searched, write “No Entry” in box

PA – TF1 18 SEP 00

1800 RATS

8 L 3 D

F 1 – 4 F 5 Q A/B

Or NO ENTRY


ROPE


Rope

• Standards – NFPA 1983

• Fire Service Life Safety Rope and System Components – Performance standard for rope & hardware

– NFPA 1670 • Operations & Training for Technical Rescue Incidents

– Identify & establish levels of functional capability

– NFPA 1006 • Rescue Technician Professional Qualifications

– Minimum job performance requirements


Rope

• Rope rescue – Providing aid to those in danger where the

use of rope and related equipment is needed to perform safe rescue


Rope

• Types of rope rescue – High angle

• Vertical rescue – Victim and rescuers have all

weight supported by rope

– Slope evacuation • Low angle

– Weight of rescuer on ground – Victims weight on litter tender or

rescuer


Rope

• Uses for rope rescue – Basic foundation for most rescue disciplines

• High / low angle • Confined space • Trench • Water • Wildland S & R


Rope • Rope rescue hazards

– Falls / elevation – Trip hazards – Uneven, wet ground – Entanglement, pinching hazards

• Hands caught – Falling objects – Utilities – Weather / atmospheric hazards – Untrained responders – Hostile by-standers / victims – Location


Rope

• General safety considerations – Pre-plan

• Potential rope rescue locations • Identify hazards

– Prepare for incident • Training • SOG’s / SOP’s


Rope

• First due company operations


Rope • First due company ops

– Size-up • Scope, magnitude, nature of incident • Location of incident • Risk vs. benefit analysis

– Rescue or recovery? • Scene access • Environmental factors • Available / needed resources • Ability to contact victim

– Without endangering rescuers or victims


Rope

• First due company ops – Secure the general area

• 300’ area or more – Make area safe for rescuers

• Control / limit traffic • Control / limit access • Identify all hazards

– Reduce or remove them

– Notify qualified rescue team per SOG’s / SOP’s


Confined Space


Confined Space

• Confined spaces – OSHA law

• 29 CFR 1910.146 – IDOL

• Adopted OSHA law – Law identifies two types of spaces

• Non-permit • Permitted


Confined Space

• Confined space – Non-permit

• Large enough and so configured to bodily enter • Limited or restricted means of entry and exit • Not designed for continuous human occupancy


Confined Space

• Confined spaces – Permit required confined space

• A confined space that contains one of the following: – Contains or has the potential to contain hazardous

atmosphere (IDLH) – Contains a substance that could engulf the entrant – Contains inwardly converging walls/floors that could trap

the entrant causing asphyxiation – Other recognized serious health or safety hazard


Confined Space • Confined spaces

– Alternate entry procedures

• Only hazard posed is actual or potential hazardous atmosphere

• Must demonstrate continuous forced air ventilation to maintain space for safe entry


Confined Space

• OSHA statistics – Confined space deaths

• 60 – 80% of deaths are would-be rescuers • Up to 90% of deaths are due to atmospheric

problems

• Reasons to enter confined spaces – Inspections / maintenance – Rescue – Training


Confined Space • Hazards

– Bad atmospheres – Falls / trips / slips – Other hazards determined by AHJ – Utilities

• Electric • Gas • Pneumatic • Mechanical

– Drowning / engulfment – Excessive temperatures – Lack of special training & equipment

• SCBA / SABA


Confined Space • First due company ops

– Size-up • Determine best access to space • Make contact with victims if safe to do so • Attempt to determine # of victims • Interview attendants / acquire copy of permit

– Secure area around space • Control / limit traffic & sources of vibration

– Shut down vehicles and equipment • Control / limit access to general area by unnecessary personnel


100’

200’

300’


Confined Space • Identify hazards

– Remove or reduce their impact • Lock out / Tag out

– OSHA 29 CFR 1910.147

• Notify qualified rescue team – Don’t get pushed into someone else’s emergency

• Law requires owner of space to provide rescue team • This does not always mean FD is obligated • Owner of space must have agreement with FD to do

rescues


Confined Space

• Initial rescue actions – Monitor atmosphere in space – Ventilate the space

• Reduce atmospheric hazards • Reduces environmental hazards

– Retrieve victims by non-entry rescue • Pre-rigged devices


Vehicles & Machinery



• Size-up – Environmental conditions

• Extreme heat & cold • Rain, sleet and snow • Darkness



• Size-up – Patient injuries

• Mechanism of injury • Trauma

– Head, face, hand and arms » Windshield, airbags, steering wheel, A/B post, rear

view mirror, roof, auger, roller, conveyor, belt etc. – Chest, stomach and hips

» Steering wheel, airbag, door, seat belts, etc. – Legs and feet

» Steering wheel, dash board, door, etc.



• Size-up – Patient injuries

• Internal – Organs, spine, brain, blood vessels, etc.

• External – Head, neck, shoulders, arms, hands, legs, feet, back, hips, etc.

» Bruises, fractures, lacerations, amputations



• Scene conditions – Vehicle stability

• Maximize contact surface between car & ground • Support key points on machines

– Prevents further injury to victim

– Hazardous materials • Identify • Control • Remove



• Scene conditions – Electrical hazards

• Vehicles – Batteries

• Utilities – Power lines

• Machines – Lock out / tag out – Multiple sources



• Scene conditions – Fire

• Fuels – Crowd control – Hydraulic bumpers

• Shocks, hood/hatch pistons, suspension – Survey scene

• Eight-sided approach



• Identify & notify resources – Safe & effective operation

• Police – Crowd control – Traffic control – Preserve scene

» Accident reconstruction » Investigation



• Identify & notify resources – Fire department

• Maintain scene safety – Extinguish fires – Prevent fires – Spills / leaks

» Fuels » Haz-mat

• Maintain vehicle safety – Fuel system – Electrical system

• Assist EMS / extrication



• Identify & notify resources – EMS

• Patient assessment • Packaging • Assess patient disentanglement & extrication • Patient handling • Transportation



• Identify & notify resources – Extrication personnel

• Vehicle stabilization • Create safe access for EMS • Safe disentanglement of patient • Assist EMS


Vehicles & Machinery • Identify hazards

– Air bag systems • Logos

– SRS, SLR, airbag, side airbag, knee impact airbags, head impact airbag, head curtain bag, etc.

• Electrical drain time – After battery disconnected

» 30 seconds – 30 minutes – Safety distances

» Keep space between rescuers / patients » 5” – side airbags » 10” – drivers airbag » 18” – passengers airbag



• Identify hazards – Fuel systems

• Gasoline • Diesel

– Large quantities

• Compressed natural gas or LPG • Electrical systems

– Electric cars / industrial machines » Battery acid



• Identify hazards – Hydraulic shocks

• Absorbing bumpers • Hood / hatch back pistons • Suspension

– Battery locations • Under hood (high or low) • Under back seat • Trunk • Wheel wells



• Identify hazards – Seat belt pretensioners

• Low and mid B post • C post low • Inner front and rear seat bucklers

– Gears, chains, pulleys, augers & conveyor belts • Power source

– Electric, motor, air or hydraulic – Lock out / tag out

• Rugged construction • Chemical hazards • Stored potential energy • Full cycle machines



• Identify hazards – Gears, chains, pulleys, augers & conveyor belts

• Remote areas – Delay getting to patient

• Disassembly of machines – Maintenance personnel

» Very helpful



• Initial company operations – Scene safety

• Protection of rescuers #1 priority • Control access

– Initial access to vehicle or machine – Initial stabilization

• Cribbing



• Scene control – Traffic control

• Rescuer safety – Crowd control

• Crowds restrict rescuers’ activities – Machines

• Shut off power – Main disconnect(s)

» Lock out / tag out



CAUTION! Beware of stored potential energy or full cycle machinery

Example: machinery that continues to move after power is removed


WATER


Water

• Need for water rescue awareness – Most FD’s have some body of water – Potential for flooding – Many water incidents require resources beyond

capability of FD • Operations and technician trained • Proper PPE • Technical rescue equipment


Water

• NFPA 1670 – Water related disciplines

• Dive • Ice • Surface • Swift water


Water

• Hazards associated with water rescue – Firefighter (human) nature

• Action oriented – Need to do something now

• Make rescue attempts without proper training or equipment


Water • Environmental hazards

– Extreme temperatures • Cold

– Hypothermia, frostbite, equipment malfunctions » Effects ability to think clearly & fine motor

skills • Heat

– Hyperthermia, overheating in PPE – Underwater survival time lost in hot temperatures

» Exhaustion, dehydration


Water

• Environmental hazards – Weather

• Rain, snow, high winds, fog – Accelerates hypothermia – In still water, body heat is lost 25 times greater than in still

air at the same temperature

– Aquatic environment • Animal life, fish, insects • Plant life, seaweed • Biohazards, bacterial, viral


Water • General hazards

– Utilities • Electric, gas, sanitary, communications • Hazardous materials • Personal hazards – water’s edge

– Tripping, falling – Steep, slippery terrain – Drop-offs – Holes – Hidden obstructions

» Cause injury, entanglement


Water

• Dive operation hazards – Barotraumas

• Decompression sickness • Nitrogen narcosis • Oxygen toxicity • Embolism

– Drowning • Fatigue • Lost diver • Loss of air • Anxiety reactions


Water

• Ice operation hazards – Cold injuries

• Frostbite, hypothermia – Thin ice

• Sudden immersion • Entrapment under ice


Water

• Surf operation hazards – Breaking waves

• Generate extreme force – Undertows, tides, current


Water • Swift water operation hazards

– Awesome, relentless power of moving water – Strainers & debris

• Stationary objects – Holes – Obstructions

• Above the water surface • Below the water surface

– Upstream “V” – Downstream “V”


Water

• Swift water operation hazards – Current patterns

• Laminar flow • Helical flow

– Upwelling

• Eddies – Back current

– Heavy downpours • Make quiet streams swiftwater


Water • Low head dam hazards

– The killing / drowning machine • Boil line

– Point where water breaks in two directions • Illusion

– Cannot be perceived from upstream – Do not look dangerous

• Hydraulic – Vertical whirlpool


Water • Water rescue PPE

– Firefighting helmets, boots, and turnout gear are NOT appropriate for water rescue

• Thermal protection – Wet suits / dry suits / exposure suits

• PFD’s (whistle & knife) – Worn by all personnel

» In or near water » On a boat

• Taglines / lifelines • Helmet


Water

• Cold water near drowning – Age of victim – Temperature of water

• Below 70oF • Patient could be below thermocline

– Length of submersion • Under 90 minutes

– Still rescue mode • Quality BLS & ALS treatment


Water

• First due company operations – Size-up

• Scope, magnitude, type of water rescue incident

• Environmental factors – Change in weather conditions – Loss of daylight – Water levels – Current changes


Water

• First due company operations – Size-up – Assessment of hazards – Location & number of victims – Risk / benefit analysis

• Rescue vs. recovery – Access to scene


Water

• First due company operations – Initial tasks

• Scene control • Establish IC • Accountability & safety

– Proper training & equipment

• Evaluate patient condition – Can patient assist with rescue?

• Needed resources


Water


• Secure & interview witnesses – Keep witnesses at scene – Interview witnesses separately – Collect witnesses’ personal information

• Establish last seen point – Triangulate with multiple witnesses – Use a reference object – Hole in ice is great last seen point

» Don’t destroy it


Water


• Evaluate physical evidence – Notes – Clothes – Footprints – Tire tracks – Debris – Oil slick – Bubbles


Water • Water rescue beyond the awareness level

– AHJ must have emergency response plan • Operations & technician level personnel • Police & evidence technicians • Specialized equipment

– Boats, tow trucks, etc. • EMS response

– Ambulance for patient(s) – Ambulance for divers – Aeromedical transport


Water

• Rehab personnel early • Operational plan

– Reach, throw, row, go • Request divers early in an incident

– Victims at the surface may submerge – Keep incident operating in rescue mode


Wilderness Search & Rescue


Wilderness SAR

• National Search and Rescue Plan – Established by US Air Force – 1956

• Executive agent for inland S & R • Covers continental US

– Except navigable waterways


Wilderness SAR

• Core elements – Locate the victim

• Most time spent here – Reach the victim – Stabilize the victim – Evacuate the victim

• Reduced survivability


Wilderness SAR

• SAR Components – Pre-planning

• Organization and management guidelines – Includes callout SOP’s & equipment

– Notification • Have to be notified to handle it

– Planning & strategy • Gathering information to do assessment


Wilderness SAR

• SAR Components – Tactics

• Type of response • Solution to handle problem

– Operations • Field phase where tactical solutions are carried out

– Suspension • Discontinue operation

– Critique • Evaluation of participants, methods and strategy


Wilderness SAR

• Resources – Search dogs

• Cover more area than humans in shorter time

– Trackers – Aircraft – Ground / air search specialist – Rope rescue specialist – Water rescue specialist – Trench rescue specialist – Collapse rescue specialist


Wilderness SAR • Calculating search urgency

– Factors • Subject profile • Weather profile • Equipment profile • Subject experience profile • Terrain and hazards profile • History of incidents in this area • Bastard search


Wilderness SAR


Wilderness SAR • Broad types of responses

– Depends on search urgency • Emergency response

– Based on information » Convinced death, serious injury if no help

– Blitz or hasty team » Minimum number of experienced rescuers sent to

locate victims – Followed by support team

» Additional equipment – Narrow margin of safety – Perceptible amount of risk


Wilderness SAR • Broad types of responses

– Measured response • Appropriate information on hand is

insufficient to dictate exact outline of S & R action plan

– Evaluative response • Occurs when reported problem is

unconfirmed • Seems likely to resolve itself


Wilderness SAR

• Lost person(s) report – Interview and obtain information from

• Participants • Witnesses

– Goal = devise an effective course of action

– Each person lost receives a file • Part I - Information critical in determining decisions

of the initiation phase of search • Part II – May be significant later in mission


Wilderness SAR

• Wilderness SAR hazards – Personal

• Blisters, scrapes, scratches, falls, blows, bruises, dehydration, etc.

– Environmental hazards • Insect bites, stings, poisonous plants, exposure,

snow-blindness, altitude illness, lightning, sunburn, animals


Wilderness SAR

• Wilderness SAR hazards – Terrain

• Cliffs, avalanches, standing / moving water, ice, caves, mines, wells, winds, snow, surf, etc.

– Man-made hazards • Booby-trapped stills & drug labs, haz-mat dumps,

attack dogs, etc.


Wilderness SAR

• Establishing probable search areas – Theoretical method

• Using tables that express area as a function of distance traveled by the lost subject

– Reliable point last seen (PLS) – Radius is maximum distance victim could have journeyed

» In given terrain » In time elapsed since last seen


Wilderness SAR

• Establishing probable search areas – Statistical method

• Based on data from case studies – Subjective method

• Historical data • Intuition • Location of natural barriers & clues • Consideration of physical & mental limitations


Wilderness SAR

• Establishing probable search areas – The Mattson Method

• Balances subjective & objective information • Uses individual personnel to view probable search

area • Combines percentage of all individuals • Total percentage from all

– Greatest percentage is where search will start


Wilderness SAR

• Search Tactics – Type I (Detection phase)

• Hasty teams – Type II

• Open grid • Fast & efficient • Search of locales of high probability • Using methods to produce highest results / hour

– Dogs – Planes – Open grid sweeps

» 3-7 searchers spaced 300-600 ft. apart


Wilderness SAR

• Search Tactics – Type III

• Close grid – 30 searchers – Walk a line 15-20 ft. apart – Maybe less for evidence recovery


Wilderness SAR

• Initial tasks of first-in companies – Establish ICS – Evaluate search urgency – Obtain lost person report – Determine type of response – Determine available resources – Determine probable search area


Trench & Excavation


Trench & Excavation

• Trench defined • Deeper than it is wide • Less than 15’ wide • Over 5’ deep

– Shallower with special hazards

• OSHA 29 CFR 1926 – IDOL has adopted


Trench & Excavation

• OSHA requires escape routes

• Air quality monitoring • Other protective

measures in all trenches


Trench & Excavation

• Trench hazards – Secondary collapse is most lethal

• Trench walls collapse is less than 1/10th of a second • 65% of all deaths are cave-ins on would-be rescuers

– Many hazards are hidden and unpredictable – Trench rescues are NOT common occurrences


Trench & Excavation • Trench hazards

– Types of collapses • Slough-in • Sidewall-in • Shear-in • Spoil-in


Trench & Excavation

• Trench hazards – OSHA guidelines

• Trenches up to 20’ deep & 15’ wide – Excavations beyond these dimensions

» Special engineering by registered professional engineer (RPE)

• Easy to get fooled into entering an unprotected trench – Trapped / injured / ill worker

» Pressure from victim, co-workers, family


Trench & Excavation

• Trench hazards – Rescues are long-term

operations • 4-10 hours • Victims cannot just be

pulled out from under dirt

• Victims must be completely uncovered

• Extensive equipment not readily available


Trench & Excavation

• Trench hazards – Effects on trench stability

• Exposure to elements / gravity • Superimposed loads • Underground utilities • Surface encumbrances • Water

– Undermines trench walls – Drowning hazard



Trench & Excavation

• Soil classifications – Class A

• Most stable, cohesive, clay – Class B

• Somewhat cohesive, not as good as Class A – Class C

• Sandy soils, gravel, wet Soils


Trench & Excavation

• Soil classifications – Analyze soil immediately

after excavated • Re-analyzed periodically

for changes – Wet soils

• Added weight • Loss of friction • Water moves through soil


Trench & Excavation

• Soil classifications – Layered soils

• Trench walls will expose different layers

– Fissured soils • Cracks

– Visible in trench wall – Area around trench

» Cave-in shortly


Trench & Excavation

• Previously disturbed soils – Most stable

• Undisturbed for thousands of years – Least stable

• After is has been dug up – Utilities, roads, building

• Vibrations – Speed up collapse


Stop Vibrations within 300’ of trench

300’


Trench & Excavation

• Dirt – 1 cubic foot averages 100 lbs. – 100 lbs. / square foot – Small cave-in

• 1.5 cubic yards • 4000 lbs.


Trench & Excavation

• Protective systems – Sloping

• Cutting back sides to angle where earth will no longer slide

– Angle of repose


Trench & Excavation

• Protective systems – Shielding

• Very strong metal box • Engineered to withstand

pressure of earth • Protects against moving dirt

– Must be even or above lip – No more than 2’ off bottom


Trench & Excavation

• Protective systems – Shoring

• Support system within trench

– Pressurizes trench walls – Creates arch effect – Not strong enough to stop

moving dirt


Trench & Excavation

• Protective systems – Shoring systems

• Cross brace • Uprights • Walers

– Shoring materials • Lumber • Screw jacks • Pneumatic • Hydraulic

• OSHA charts – Timber & hydraulic

shoring – Dry trench

• 15’ wide • 20’ deep • Bigger must be

engineered by RPE or • Tabulated data from

manufacturer


Uprights

Cross braces

Walers


The weaker, the deeper, and the wider the trench is, the stronger and more numerous the shoring

members must be.


Trench & Excavation

• Initial tasks of first-in companies – Typical first-in company not trained or

equipped – Non-entry options

• Place a ladder in trench for victims to self-rescue – Initiate trench rescue response plan – Establish ICS – Do NOT allow personnel to enter trench

• Secondary collapses


Trench & Excavation

• Initial tasks of first-in companies – Stops all sources of vibration within 300’ – Set up control zones

• Limit access to trench – Set up ground pads to stand on around trench – Move spoils pile at least 2’ back from trench lip – Locate victims position

• Approach trench from ends to recon


Trench & Excavation

• Initial tasks of first-in companies – Mark victims location

• Score ground on both sides • Estimate or measure depth

– Interview co-workers • Victims last position


Trench & Excavation

• Prepare for unexpected injuries

• Fractures • Lung injuries • Head injuries • Spinal injuries • Injuries from lack of O2 • Hypothermia • Crush syndrome

Q & A


Documents

Technical Rescue Awareness - Wabash Independent …members.wabash.net/~lfender/ncfpd_web/TRA/TRA Powerpoint.pdf · January, 2001 Technical Rescue Awareness 3 General • NOTE –