Western Wayne County
Fire Department Mutual Aid Association
  • March 19, 2024


    Member Login
    Username:

    Password:


    Not registered yet?
    Click Here to sign-up

    Forgot Your Login?
    Site Search
    Site Map
    RSS Feeds
    UnionActive IBEW Newswire
     
    Join the Newswire!
    Updated: Mar. 18 (20:59)

    Online Book Signing
    IBEW Local 125
    At&t Northbrook Illinios Job cuts
    International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local Union 21
    Local Union 659 Women’s Committee Annual Gathering Saturday April 13th
    IBEW Local 659
    Check your email
    IBEW local 2325
    Updated Referral rules coming April 15, 2024
    IBEW Local 191
    Jackie Dorrough Appointed IBEW 21 Recording Secretary
    International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local Union 21
     
         
  • MISSION

    To respond to natural and man-made disasters; to provide search and rescue, medical support, communications, and damage assessment.

    PURPOSE

    Urban search-and-rescue (US&R) involves determining the location, implementing rescue (extrication), and initial medical stabilization of victims trapped in confined spaces. Structural collapse is most often the cause of victims being trapped, but victims may also be trapped in transportation accidents and collapsed trenches.

    View training photos in our gallery

    http://www.wwmutualaid.com/index.cfm?zone=/unionactive/gallery_view.cfm


    Apr 02, 2012

    Apr 02, 2012

    Sizeup

    Gather facts and make decisions on the course of action. For example, what types of structures are involved, the extent of damage, the layout of the building(s) involved, what hazards are present (such as downed power lines, natural gas leaks, flooding, animals, hazardous materials, or a structure susceptible to additional collapse during the rescue), and what rescue personnel and equipment are available. Structural damage can be categorized as light, moderate, or heavy. Sizeup is an ongoing process which should continue during all phases of search and rescue so operations can be modified as needed.

    Search

    Searchers should use a buddy system or two-in, two-out system and have backup teams available. Techniques for searching for potential victims are based on identifying possible locations of victims, or areas of entrapment. Areas of entrapment inside damaged structures are called voids. There are several types of voids, such as the pancake void (multiple floors of a building have collapsed diagonally onto each other), and the lean-to void (a single wall or floor has collapsed diagonally against another wall). Voids can also include spaces where victims may have entered for self-protection during a disaster - such as under desks or in bathtubs or closets. Once the potential areas of entrapment have been identified and the potential number of victims sized up, search operations should commence in an orderly manner, beginning with verbally calling out for victims to identify their location if possible, and searching using a systematic search pattern. Possible search patterns include triangulation (using three searchers approaching a potential area of entrapment from three different directions), a right/left search pattern (one team searches the left side and one team the right side of a building), or a bottom-up/top-down search pattern. Searchers should stop frequently to listen for noises or attempted communication from victims; often this can involve all searchers stopping activity at specified periods of time to listen. In situations where multiple structures are searched such as after a hurricane, the outside of buildings can be marked using the FEMA or INSARAG marking systems to indicate buildings which have already been searched, the results of the search, and to avoid duplication of search efforts.

    Rescue

    Trapped victims are removed and medical aid rendered as necessary. The triage system can be used to prioritize medical aid with those needing immediate attention aided first. Removal or stabilization of debris is often necessary to remove victims. This can be accomplished using leveraging to lift the object, or cribbing (constructing a rectangular wooden framework known as a box crib underneath the object to be stabilized). Leveraging and cribbing can be combined. Victims who are ambulatory can then self-extricate, or victims can be removed using lifts, drags, or carries. Removal of victims should be done so as to avoid any further injury: Where any neck or back injury is suspected, the cervical spine should be immobilized first before attempting to move victims, and dragging should be avoided in situations where the presence of debris (e.g., broken glass) would cause further injury by doing so.




    Page Last Updated: Nov 05, 2019 (06:37:00)
  • Western Wayne Co. Fire Dept Mutual Aid Assoc.

    Copyright © 2024.
    All Rights Reserved.

    Powered By UnionActive



    145284 hits since Mar 25, 2012


  • Top of Page image