Emergency Search & Rescue Procedures

Immediately following a terrorist attack you may be called upon to help remove or rescue casualties trapped in collapsed buildings.

WARNING! Rescue sites will often be unstable and hide many dangers: broken glass, protruding nails, weakened floors or stairs, downed electrical wires, escaping gas, broken sewer and water pipes. Structures that appear to be solid may not be.

Firefighters and EMS personnel are the only people who are trained and equipped to attempt such rescues. They are used to managing emergency sites, know where their co-workers are located at all times, know how to locate possible casualties within the building and how to reach them in the event of an accident (explosion, building collapse). If you are assisting the first responders, you must follow their instructions to the letter.

If you must begin rescue operations before trained emergency personnel arrive, safety must be foremost in your mind. You won't help anybody by becoming a casualty yourself!

The objective of all rescue work is to get casualties out of danger as quickly as possible and assist them with medical services, where necessary. When casualties outnumber the rescuers the objective is to use available time and resources effectively to assist as many casualties as possible.

In rescue or multiple casualty situations a climate of confusion may overshadow everything else. It is essential that those charged with helping injured people remain calm and act quickly but carefully, always attentive to potential hazards to either themselves or other people in the area.