sct app a - 1 national urban search & rescue response system structural collapse technician...

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National Urban Search & Rescue Response System

Structural Collapse Technician Training


Appendix A Search Capabilities

Jan09

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TERMINAL OBJECTIVES The student shall understand the

capabilities of the US&R Task Force Search Team.

The student shall be prepared to function as the Rescue Specialist member of a Search Team

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ENABLING OBJECTIVES Discuss the Rapid Recon process

Understand the advantages and disadvantages of the various search methods and tools used by a US&R Task Force

Understand the basics of search strategy for the Detection and Location of Victims

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INTRODUCTION Search & Rescue needs close interaction of

all Task Force elements

Search starts early and continues to the end of the incident

Search consists of Detection and LocationMany tools and methods are available

Some are better at either Detection or Location – Some do well at both

Need to understand the advantages and disadvantages of each tool

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SEARCH STRATEGY & PRIORITIZATION

Search used in the past to prioritize a multi-building incident – too slow

Structure Triage – also too slow Intended to pre-prioritize bldgs for search teams

New Rapid Recon ProcessRecon Team, Followed by Search Teams

Time of incident vs. Occupancy may be critical

Prioritization may be done by others or by Task Force

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Original RECON TEAM Search Team Manager

Two Canine Search Specialists

Technical Search Specialist

Medical Specialist

Structural Specialist

Hazmat Specialist

Two Rescue Specialists

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Structural Collapse Technician Training NEW, RAPID RECON – 3 Phases Assessment Team

Struct & Hazmat Spec + Tech Info Spec & Search Tm Mgr Quick Assessment of a few buildings at a time Initial prioritization

Victim Detection Team STM, 2 - K9 Teams, Tech Search, 2 - Rescue, Med Spec,

Struct Spec, Hazmat Spec Victim Detection & detailed Hazard Assessment

Victim Location Team STM, 2 – K9 Teams, Tech Search, 2 – Rescue, Med Spec,

possibly Struct & Hazmat Spec (from detection Team) Victim Location, Initial Treatment, & start rescue

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SEARCH TEAM EQUIPMENT Electric hammer drills

Electronic viewing equipment

Electronic listening equipment

Atmospheric monitoring equipment

Marking materials

Structure Evaluate equipDistance, laser range finder

Height, clinometer

Recording devices

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SEARCH TEAM EQUIPMENT Bull horn for hailing - air horn for signaling

Medical pack

Personal gearWater

Safety equipment

Canine

Search & Recon equipment needs to be loaded in position to be unloaded among “First Off” items

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PHYSICAL VOID SEARCH Advantages

No special equipment requiredPeople easily trained to support effort

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PHYSICAL VOID SEARCH Disadvantages

Limited access to voids May be dangerous Will not locate unconscious, weak, young

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AUDIBLE CALL-OUT Advantages

No special equipment requiredPeople easily trained to support effortSearchers can inform victim of responseCan be used with listening device

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AUDIBLE CALL-OUT Disadvantages

Will not locate unconscious, weak, youngSound of knocking may be too weak for

audible detection

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VISUAL SEARCH DEVICESMostly used for location Flexible Fiberscopes

Rigid Borescopes

Video Search Cameras

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FLEXIBLE FIBERSCOPES

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FLEXIBLE FIBERSCOPES

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RIGID BORESCOPES

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FIBERSCOPES & BORESCOPES Advantages

Finds position & condition of victim

Useful to verify other search tactics just prior to starting rescue operations

Used to monitor victim during rescue

DisadvantagesDifficult to use in extended holes due to

flexible cable, limited length of rigid scope, and limited light sources

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SEARCH CAMERAS Video camera

Video Cable

Video display

CRT - older

LCD - newer

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Original unit

Pole mounted 1 3/4” camera

7” BW/CRT

Mic/Speaker

Built-in light source

SEARCH CAMERAS SearchCam

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Newer UnitPower controls

Articulating head

Variable LED light

Two-way audio

Extendable probe

2- LED screen ports

Interchangeable batteries

SEARCH CAMERAS SearchCam

SearchCam® 2000 Courtesy of Search Systems Incorporated

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Structural Collapse Technician Training SEARCH CAMERAS Zistos WalkAbout

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Dual Thermal Head

Thermal Video

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Manual articulation

LED light head

LED screen

Rechargeable battery

Waterproof

Flexible

Lower cost

SEARCH CAMERAS Snake-Eye

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SEARCH CAMERAS Advantages

Easily understood Possibility to record picture Useful to verify other search tactics just prior

to starting rescue operations Used to monitor victim during rescue

Disadvantages Size, cost, and power requirements Straight line of sight

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INFRARED/THERMA IMAGING

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INFRARED/THERMAL IMAGING Advantages

Equipment often locally available

Can be used to survey large, open, dark areas

DisadvantagesCannot detect heat difference through solids

Sources other than human can be detected

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Structural Collapse Technician Training ELECTRONIC LISTENING DEVICES

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Sensor Attachment

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ELECTRONIC LISTENING DEVICES Advantages

Able to cover large area as a Detector

Can triangulate on victim position

Capable of picking up faint noise/vibration

Used in conjunction w/other search tools to verify find

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ELECTRONIC LISTENING DEVICES Disadvantages

Unconscious victims not detected

Ambient nose level may need to be lowered

Victim needs to create noise pattern

Limited range (acoustic=25ft, seismic=75ft)

Can be used to locate victims, but may be relatively slow

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ELECTRONIC LISTENING DEVICES All Task Forces have these devices

Listen to acoustic or seismic vibration

Normally deploy two or more sensors

Hailing device used to get victim response

Can Detect if live victim is in structure

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ELECTRONIC LISTENING DEVICES May Locate proper layer in pancake collapse

Takes time to Locate victims - move sensors

Compared signals only good if sensors are matched and anchored in similar materials

Sensors best in solid/dense materials

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ELECTRONIC LISTENING DEVICES Can use two sensors to Locate victims

by keeping strong signal in place and moving other in circle.

More difficult to Locate victim in collapsed structures containing different materials w/different degrees of fracture

Second operator should be used to confirm

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CANINE SEARCH

West Coast,

Undisciplined,

Document

Shredding Type

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K9 can be used in physical search, but are mostly used for their noses not to stand on their Tippy-toses’es

CANINE SEARCH

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CANINE BASICS Dogs use keen sense of smell to differentiate

scent find marijuana in gas tank

Can be trained to detect/indicate the difference between live victim, dead, food, other animals

Essential to deploy only well trained canineK9 needs to have been trained to work in the

collapsed structure environment. K9 normally Detect and Locate victims

simultaneouslyDetection may require Interpretation by a well trained

Handler

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DISASTER CANINE TRAINING Requires special

training beyond Normal SAR K9Alert system - Bark

& Dig

Agility

Direction & control

Collapsed structure environment

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DISASTER CANINE TRAINING Requires at least 2

years to Train a Disaster Dog200+ FEMA Certified

K9

Need min of 4 K9 per TF x 3Total for 28 TFs =336

Many TF have adequate numbers of K9

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CANINE SEARCH STRATEGY Search Mgr, Tech Search Spec, and

Canine Spec survey site to determine overall strategy

Need to consider:

Time of day & temperature

Type & direction of wind

Size of search area & type of collapse

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CANINE SEARCH STRATEGY Site normally divided into small sectors

Trained to bark & dig at scent source

Search Mgr needs to draw crude map to record location of finds, etc

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CANINE SEARCH TACTICS From safe zone, 1st Canine Search Team

deploys to free search sector

If no alerts, directs canine in fine grid search

Search Mgr & 2nd Canine Search Team observe from different vantage points

If 1st Canine Search Team has alerts or not, 2nd Canine Search Team will repeat & verify 1st team’s results

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Structural Collapse Technician Training CANINE SEARCH TACTICS (continued)

Alert is marked only after confirmation by a 2nd team.

Remaining sectors are searched & marked until entire are is covered.

Scent channels around solid slabs, etc & canine will indicate where scent is emerging, not necessarily where victim is precisely located.

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Structural Collapse Technician Training CANINE SEARCH TACTICS (cont.) Scent tends to raise evenly through broken

rubble & lighter structures Continued re-searching of structure as it is

accessed/uncovered will give best results

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WORKING CONDITIONS

Best:

Dawn, dusk

Cool weather

Light winds

Stable rubble

Light rain

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Structural Collapse Technician Training Sometimes Conditions Are NOT going to be Good

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WORKING CONDITIONS Difficult

Hot weather (above 90F)

Mid-day with temps above 80F

Strong wind and no wind

Snow/ice made slippery footing/hides

surfaces

Firefighting foam & other chemicals

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CANINE PROS Advantages:

Search large area in shortest timeCan gain access to hidden areasCan work in dangerous areasCan detect unconscious victims

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CANINE CONS Disadvantages:

Rest periodsUse of two to confirmPerformance may

varyUncertified to certifiedBasic to advancedHandler to handler

Scarce resource

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ELECTRONIC & CANINE SEARCH COMBINATION Mexico City 1985 Quake had success

using crude electronics with K9.

Most common combo is to use electronics to Detect and K9 to Locate.

In large pancake concrete collapse, electronic may be able to indicate which level contains victim, canine to pinpoint on that level.

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Structural Collapse Technician Training ELECTRONIC & CANINE SEARCH COMBINATION (continued) During hot daytime canine do not work well &

electronic may be able to direct canine to proper sector, etc.

For badly broken structures, canine may be most effective for initial search.

For structures w/large concrete slabs or steel structures, electronics may be most effective.

If both search tools are available they should be used to confirm each other.

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WORK SITE PRIORITIZATION Search tactics will be determined

only after assignment is known.

Type of initial search (canine, electronic, call-out, other) will then be determined:Electronic search is slower but may be

more effective than others

Canine can cover large areas but need verification & adequate scent

Call-out may be most positive

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WORK SITE PRIORITIZATION In some cases, physical, canine, &

electronic search may be conducted in the same, large structure

Once general area of trapped victims is determined, fiber-optics or video camera viewing may be used: Determine exact position & condition.

Cameras may be used for initial victim Location by cutting grid of holes thru conc. or wood floor

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SUMMARY The Search Task may require the Detection and

Location of many victims.

Proper use of all available search tools will enable the most favorable outcome.

The Task Force will be assigned to the most difficult & time consuming structures.

The search function must be able to Detect and Locate viable victims before committing the TF to a prolonged rescue effort.

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SUMMARY (continued) All need to understand the limitations &

advantages of each search tool.

Interaction between hazard assessment and search deployment must be close & efficient.

Assessments should be performed thru-out operations since aftershocks & debris/structure removal can expose new hazards & new search opportunities.

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K-9 DEMONSTRATION

Training Alert at Demolished Stadium

Site

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Overall Site View

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Structural Collapse Technician Training K-9 is deliberately directed to work in structure above victim K-9 Finds Scent

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After finding scent, K-9 goes in opposite direction to more safely get to victim

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K-9 now carefully moving in

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Structural Collapse Technician Training K-9 attempting to penetrate into victim location

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Now Video will illustrate

Live Victim Find in Real Time

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sct app a - 1 national urban search & rescue response system structural collapse technician...

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