SEARCH, RESCUE AND EVACUATION

Search, rescue and evacuation processes need to be carried out immediately after a

disaster strikes a certain area or building. These are the most immediate critical operations

that are usually performed by the local volunteers, voluntary organisations and the

emergency agencies. Light Search and Rescue is a procedure carried out at primary

stages, initially to find out persons with injuries in lightly damaged buildings, or even

without any injuries and needing assistance, and to help them exit. If the condition

worsens and the local groups are not able to control the situation, then the specialist

groups within emergency agencies have to be called in for professional help, and at times

even the Defence Forces including the Army, the Navy, the Air Force and the Coast

Guard are called on for help.

Primarily, Search and Rescue Operations are undertaken to save the maximum possible

number of victims who are trapped in an area affected by a disaster. The basic aim of

all such operations is to ensure the survival of the maximum possible number of affected

people. A plan is worked out with the help of local people through surveys and then

appropriate steps are taken by the various teams involved to carry out the operations.

Besides physical rescue, the aim is also a systematic and organised approach in a post

-disaster situation riddled with chaos and confusion.

SIGNIFICANCE OF SEARCH AND RESCUE

Search and rescue, often known by the acronym SAR, is the process of identifying the

location of disaster victims who may be trapped or isolated, and bringing them to safety

and providing them with medical attention after a disaster strikes.

Search and rescue generally involves the local people who are well versed with the local

terrain and can be instrumental in searching and accessing the trapped victims. SAR teams

rely on sniffer dogs that are specially trained to smell out human beings trapped under the

rubble. Heavy machines such as cranes and earthmovers are used to remove heavy

rubble; and special equipment to delicately remove fallen structural elements and reach out

inside heaps of rubble with visual or sound equipment for locating survivors.

In case of floods and cyclones, boats and helicopters are used to carry out the search

and rescue operations by forming teams and carrying out SAR operations in the entire

area systematically, each team covering its assigned sectors.

After the search, rescue and evacuation, some important steps are required to be taken

in order to provide relief to the evacuees.

Prime amongst these are:

 Medical Aid

 Water and food

 Shelter

 Temporary subsistence supplies

 Health and sanitation

 Information, and

 Security.

PHASES OF SAR

SAR is carried out for different categories of affected people depending on the

complexities of the processes involved. This is illustrated as follows:

1) The immediate stage is searching and rescuing people with injuries among people

trapped in the affected area that we see at first sight.

2) The second stage is the rescue of persons whom we are able to contact but are

unable to reach. These are people who may be trapped under heaps of rubble from

a collapsed building, or people stuck on trees or high-rise buildings, or trapped inside

basements.

3) The third stage includes searching those areas where survivors are likely to be

trapped generally. These are called likely survival points.

4) The fourth stage is the last stage in which debris leading to likely survival points is

cleared.

LOGISTICS AND METHODS

SAR kits should ideally be kept in central locations in areas of vulnerable buildings. Local

trained personnel can make use of these kits should a disaster strike the area. A typical

SAR kit will comprise the following items:

 Evacuation map of the building or area

Hammer

Screw driver (6" flat)

 Axe

 24" Crow bar

 Spade

 Pickaxe

 50-foot rope

 Torch

 Spare battery cells

 Hard shoes or Gum Boots

 Helmet

 Hand gloves

 Dust Mask

Simple Rescue Methods

Rescue can be carried out ideally by using rescue equipment but also by ordinary

methods when equipment is not available.

For rescuing an affected individual, there are two types of methods: Single Person

Methods and Two Person Methods.

A) Single Person Methods

Firemen’s Lift

This method is used when the affected person is unconscious and only one rescuer is

available for carrying out rescue work. In this method, the rescuer first makes the affected

person lie on his or her the abdomen. Then he uses both his hands to lift the affected

person by his armpits. He holds the right hand of the affected person with his left hand

and with his free hand he holds the affected person’s right leg. Now the rescuer lifts the

affected person with both his hands and positions him or her in such a manner that his

or her waist lies just above the neck of rescuer.

 Human Crutch

This method is used when affected person has an injury in one of his/her leg. In this

method, the rescuer first ties the injured leg of the affected person with his opposite leg

with a handkerchief. If the affected person’s left leg is hurt, the rescuer will tie this leg

with his own right leg. The rescuer holds the affected person’s waist with his hand and

then they both can walk slowly with the rescuer supporting the affected person’s injured

leg with his own leg.

 Pick a back

This method is used when the affected person has an injury in his or her leg and is not

able to walk long distances, but can support himself or herself with his or her hand. In

this method, the rescuer first gets down on one knee and allows the affected person to

saddle on his back. The rescuer then holds the affected person at the thighs and the

affected person encircles the rescuer’s neck for support.

Staircase drag

This method is used when one has to rescue an unconscious person from a floor higher

than the ground floor. In this method, the affected person is laid down on his back and

his hands and feet are tied with a handkerchief. The rescuer holds the casualty’s armpits

and slowly drags him or her down the stairs head, first.

 Firemen’s Crawl

This method is used when the affected person is trapped inside a smoke filled area and

is unconscious. The rescuer first ties the hands of the casualty and then goes astride the

casualty. The rescuer inserts his head in the loop made by the casualty’s hands. Then by

pushing his hand and foot against the ground, he can drag the casualty to a safer place.

 Tow Drag

This method is used when the affected person is lying in such an area where there is very

little space to carry out the rescue. The affected person may or may not be unconscious.

In this rescue method, the rescuer inserts his feet into the casualty’s armpits and then pulls

the casualty out of the confinement area. After taking the casualty out, the rescuer can

lift the casualty with any appropriate method.

B) Two Person Methods

 Fore and Aft

This method is used when the affected person is having an abdominal injury. For carrying

out this method, two rescuers are required. In this method, the affected person is laid

down flat on his/her back. One of the rescuers holds the casualty from the armpits while

the second rescuer holds the legs. Then they both lift the casualty and in this way they

can shift the casualty to a safer place.

 Two Hand Seat

This method is used when the affected person is injured in one leg. For carrying out this

method two rescuers face each other on either side of the affected person. They both

bend and place their inside arms under the casualty’s back just below the shoulders, raise

him and put their outside arms under his thighs, holding each other’s hands with a hook

grip. The affected person can place his/her hands around rescuers’ necks.

Search, Rescue and Evacuation 215

 Three Hand Seat Method

This method is used when the rescuers need one hand free to support the affected

person’s injured leg. In this method, if the affected person’s left leg is injured, the rescuer

on the right grasps his own left wrist with his right hand & the other rescuer’s left wrist

with his left hand. The second rescuer will hold the right wrist of first rescuer keeping his

left hand free to support the casualty’s injured leg or any other medical equipment.

 Four Hand Seat Method

This method is used for an affected person who is heavy and who can support her/ his

self with his/ her hand. In this case, each of the two rescuers grasps his left wrist with

his right hand, grasping the other rescuer’s right wrist with his left hand.

Carry Chair

This method is useful to lift a handicapped or a very old person. The person to be lifted

is placed on a chair, and then, the chair can be carried to a safer area.

 Knots and Lines

A rope is an important part of SAR operations. It can act as a guideline during searching;

it can be used to lift equipment during rescue work or while carrying out fire fighting, and

it can be used for rescuing people. Various knots and lines are used, which are mentioned

below:

– Over hand knot or thumb knot

It is used as a stopper knot. Sometimes it is also known as first aid knot because it is

used to tie the bandage.

– Figure of Eight

It is used to stop a line running through a sheave or a pulley.

– Reep Knot

It is used to join two ropes of the same diameter or thickness.

– Chair Knot

It is used to lower an unconscious casualty.

– Half Hitch

It is used to hoist round object.

– Claw Hitch

It is used to secure a line to a round object.

– Timber Hitch

It is a simple knot with several loops on it, which is used to hoist any odd heavy object.

– Black Wall Hitch

It is used to secure a line to the shank of a hook.

216 Disaster Management

– Draw Hitch

It is used as temporary fastening when we require the knot to be released immediately.

– Single Sheet Bend

It is used to join two ropes of different thickness.

– Double Sheet Bend

It is similar to single sheet bend but with a double hitch round.

– Carrick Bend

It is used to join two lines without the knots forming an obstruction to pass round an

object.

– Sheep Shank

It is used to shorten the length of a line or to avoid any damaged part of the line.

– Single Bowline

It is used for various miscellaneous purposes.

– Round Turn and Two Half Hitch

It is used to secure a line to round objects.

– Cats Paw

It can be used to hoist a hose or a similar object.

– Running Bowline

It consists of a bowline, with the standing line passing through the bight of the line, to

form a running noose.

– Bowline on Bight

It is used to lower a stretcher or an unconscious person.

 Rescue Using Chair Knot

The following safety precautions need to be taken while lowering a casualty with a line:

 Always use a guideline to prevent the casualty from striking with building wall;

 The line should pass hand to hand, and not through hands;

 The line should run over a wooden block or some sack under the point of contact

of line and building;

 Check the area for required space;

 Insert the shorter loop into casualty’s armpits and longer loop into the casualty’s

knees;

 While lowering the casualty assign someone on watch below the casualty.