Search and Rescue Training

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Shawn Donovan on July 30, 2010 at 7:56pm

If they've been through an academy then in the gear. If not then start in a dark area of the firehouse. Couple simple runs and then as they develop work up to blacked out mask on air with hazards. Simple drills on runs are good too. "Left or right search?", "How would you continue your search here?" etc... It has to be a habit. Muscle memory. Then I guess the end goal would be search and rescue drill with a dummy, notification and removal.
Just my 2 cents. I've got a couple more if you want them.

Permalink Reply by Marques Bush on July 31, 2010 at 7:40am

Let it flow. Waiting on Brick to hit us with the heavy. Wink Wink Brick.

Shawn Donovan said:

If they've been through an academy then in the gear. If not then start in a dark area of the firehouse. Couple simple runs and then as they develop work up to blacked out mask on air with hazards. Simple drills on runs are good too. "Left or right search?", "How would you continue your search here?" etc... It has to be a habit. Muscle memory. Then I guess the end goal would be search and rescue drill with a dummy, notification and removal.
Just my 2 cents. I've got a couple more if you want them.

Permalink Reply by Jeff Schwering on July 31, 2010 at 8:58pm

Start them in gear, all of the folks we hire have the academy, but level of expierience varies widely. Basics are just that! I need them to show me from the ground up. Full gear, 2 man teams w/ a rope, right hand search to start, keep them on the lead man's boot, probie leads always, no blacked out mask! As the progress, complicate the drill, put them on air, black out the mask, left hand search, etc. as Shawn said muscle memory! My job as a boss is to start small, then get ugly, not just on the probie, on the company and then my senior man has his turn with me on a search, with the probie watching!

Permalink Reply by Nick Miller on October 28, 2010 at 12:00am

Same here...we always perform in gear. Muscle Memory....you hit it right on the head, Shawn. As far as searches.....depends...MASS AREA or AGGRESSIVE SEARCH TACTICS. Of course we change it up from time to time.