Assessing damage to the Building
There are no hard and fast rules for assessing damage. However, the damage categories will serve as a reference point for defining your primary search and rescue mission.
Light Damage:
• Superficial or cosmetic damage.
• Broken windows.
• Fallen or cracked plaster.
• Minor damage to contents of structure.
Moderate Damage:
• Visible signs of damage.
• Decorative work of damage.
• Many visible cracks in plaster.
• Major damage to contents of structure.
Heavy Damage:
• Obvious structural instability.
• Partial or total collapse.
• Titling.
• Building off foundation.
Assessing Resources
The very first step in search and rescue operations is to identify local resources available to assist in rescuing victims, which include personnel, equipment and tools.
Rescue Operation
Once the decision is made to initiate search operations within a specific structure or area, Search and Rescue members must systematically inspect the area for searching and rescuing the victims – but take care
• The safety Search & Rescue Team members.
• Life safety for victims and others.
• Use of search & Rescue techniques appropriate to the operation.
• Protection of the environment.
• Formation of Teams
Make at-least two teams with two or more members.
Be equipped with complete safety and rescue equipments.
Proper distribution of responsibilities for collecting and carrying the equipment to the disaster site.
Distribution of responsibilities at the affected area.
Signals of communication decided beforehand.
Search Methodology
• Gather at a safe location to assess the building.
• Shut off all the Utilities of the building.
• Mark the building with the “X” before entering it.
• Use force if necessary to get to a victim.
• If you suspect a leakage of Gas in the building exit immediately & leave all doors open.
• Walk slowly and carefully at every step.• Mark every primary unit separately.
• Complete the search and try to get back to the X sign.
How to Mark the Search Area?
BEFORE you enter MARK search areas with a “X”.
• Write date & time of the search (on top quadrant)
• Write the name of the responding agency (in left quadrant)
• Write number of victims rescued & still inside (right quadrant)
• Write degree of search, full or partial (bottom quadrant).
• Use a zero “0” if no victim is found.
• Put a box around the “X” if it is not safe to conduct search and rescue efforts.
While searching the trapped victims!
• Call Out: Begin the search by shouting something like, “If anyone can hear my voice” If any victims respond, give them further directions such as “Stay calm & wait”.
• Listen Carefully: Stop frequently and just listen carefully for tapping sounds, movements or voices.
• Be Systematic: Use a systematic search pattern to ensure that all areas of the building are covered.
• Bottom-Up/Top-Down: Searching from the bottom of the building up and/or from the top down is well suited to multi-story buildings.
• Right Wall/Left Wall: Moving systematically from one side to the other is well suited to single-floor structures and avoids repetition.
• The wall is the rescuer’s lifeline: If you or your partner becomes disoriented, reverse your steps, staying close to the wall until you get back to the doorway.
• Throughout your search: Maintain voice contact with your partner so you do not get separated.
Evaluate Progress
• This is the most important step from a safety standpoint.
• The rescuers must continually monitor the situation to prevent any harm to the rescuers.
• Also, they determine if their plan is working, and if not, how it can be changed to make it work.
Emergency Evacuation
Evacuation is the process of identifying a threat to public safety, warning people of the danger, instructing them on what action to take to ensure their safety, moving all or part of the population in the affected area to a place of safety.
Some evacuations involve a small number of people; some involve a very large number.
In the event that evacuation becomes necessary, use the following steps:
LIGHT SEARCH AND RESCUE PART 3
