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msar-riders - Re: [MSAR] Home Land Security

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Subject: Mounted search and rescue

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  • From: "BC911" <usark9@warpdriveonline.com>
  • To: "Mounted search and rescue" <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [MSAR] Home Land Security
  • Date: Thu, 25 Mar 2004 19:13:11 -0700

Title: Message
As Jorene has pointed out, recognizing danger is a BIG deal in USAR. Knowing if a building is even safe to enter is one of the things we are trained to recognize.
When we are deployed on our wilderness team, we are looking for different things, mostly the lost person. In USAR, we are trying to perform a task that is dangerous at best. Disaster is a hole different ball game.
 
In FEMA Canine Search Specialist school, we were taught to recognize certain signs that a building might not be safe. In the real thing, the structures are unstable and even after a Structural Engineer has cleared it to search, the scene might change and we need to know some of the signs to look for. Still, as a CSS, I am NO engineer and we always train with someone watching our backs for potential hazards.
 
I just wouldn't want people taking a CERT class thinking that they are now USAR professionals.
On a USAR team, we have real live structural engineers and HazMat Technicians that check out a collapsed structure before we even search it. We have over 60,000 pounds of cache (equipment) to handle almost every situation along with almost 70 people that are trained and cross trained to use that equipment. Now you know why it takes so long for a USAR team to get on scene and more reason for local SAR teams to get as much education as possible.
 
I am all for SAR teams taking disaster first responder classes. I have never been to a disaster that there weren't untrained volunteers showing up to help. Even though they had very good intentions, and some may have even saved some lives, with more training just think about how much more help they could be and unnecessary accidents could be avoided.
 
Get as much training as you guys can. Take the CERT class, find a good disaster first responder class. The more training you can get, the more valuable you are going to be to your local IC.
Learn how to recognize a HazMat situation. Take a HazMat Awareness class. In a disaster, there are many things to think about before you go running into a building.
Is the water on?
Is there a gas leak?
Is there electricity still on?
 
When buildings fall down, it creates a lot of dangers that you may not even think about.
 
In a wilderness search we are looking for tracks, dropped gum wrappers, or anything that might belong to the lost person.
 
At a disaster scene, we are looking at the parking lot to see how many cars are there as a clue.
 
We have check lists that we go over on scene and we practice it in out evaluation process. That interview covers what kind of structure was it? A school? an apartment building? a store?
What time of day did it happen? If it was a school and it happened at midnight, it most likely was not occupied, or maybe a few workers were in there, but we know that there weren't a school full of kids.
If it was an apartment building at high noon, there are going to be fewer people in there than if it happened at midnight. and so on. 
Utilities are a biggie. Are they secured? By whom?
Has it been searched before? By whom? When? Results?  (learn building markings)
 
Point is, don't get in over your heads. If it is something like 9/11, let the professionals handle it. If a tornado comes through your town, help out keeping in mind your level of training and abilities.
 
Don't become part of the problem! If you are injured, you not only take out a resource (you), but you take other resources away from what they are doing to help you.
 
The CERT class is a start, but don't stop there. Get as much training as you can if you expect to respond to a disaster.
 
BTW, In a first responder situation, you can bet that I have my medical jump kit with me as well as my USAR certified K-9 ~ ~ ~
It's not likely you will find me directing traffic.
 
 
B. Diane Whetsel EMT I
NASAR SAR Tech II
Search Dogs Southwest, wilderness and HRD
FEMA/DHS Disaster Canine Readiness Evaluator
FEMA/DHS, NMTF I, Canine Search Specialist
911BC, Search and Recovery
 
If there are no dogs in heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.
~~Will Rogers
 
 



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