Search/Triage/Rescue Equipment & Supplies

After the outside of all school buildings have been inspected for safety by a trained team of school employees and entry has been approved, Search teams can be deployed.

A Search team treats for life threatening injuries (airway obstruction, severe bleeding, & shock) and assesses and reports who is still in the building and hazards that impact the rescue of victims or the safe use of the structure. Unless there is an imminent life threatening hazard, the Search team does not rescue. Lives depend upon their quick, thorough and efficient assessment.

Rescue is either a separate team who follows the Search team or the Search team is recycled after the search is completed and reported. The Rescue team removes victims prioritized upon the significance of their injuries and how lightly trapped they are.

Triage is the process of sorting victims by the severity of their injuries. This is done during search, during rescue, and during treatment in the medical station.

 Every Search team and Rescue team member should be trained according to FEMA's Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) protocols outlined in Unit 3, Disaster Medical, and Unit 5, Light Search & Rescue.
 Each Search team and Rescue team should have a triage belt with colored tapes to mark victims. The accurate tagging of injured victims, dictates removal and treatment priority.
 The pouch of the Triage Belt should contain a grease pen, permanent marker, small pad of paper, pen, nitrile gloves, 4 x 4 dressings and some wraps.
 A roll of duct tape and a roll of colored masking tape should accompany the triage tape. The masking tape is used to mark doors that are being searched and have been searched.
 Light sticks provide spark-free light which is important if there is a possible gas leak.
 Safety glasses are recommended over safety goggles. Goggles fog quickly, rendering them useless or worse.
 Hard hats should have chin straps.
 The dust masks should be replaced if they are not the recommended "N95" level of particulate protection.
 Miner's helmet lights can provide a hands-free light source. "Head Lamps" may not work on hard hats. Lights that are directional are best.
 The gloves should fit team member's hands.
 First Aid Kits are not used in Search or Rescue.
 The only medical supplies needed during search or rescue are those to stop excessive bleeding, dressings (4x4 or larger) and wraps (possibly a pressure bandage). These, commonly known as "Blood Stoppers", are packed in freezer quality ziplock sandwich bags as a useable unit of one wrap and a number of dressings.
 A hammer and a crowbar are needed to open jammed doors.
 Search/Triage needs laminated check lists or cheat-sheets for triage, documentation protocols or search techniques and MASTER KEYS to be effective and efficient.
 Laminated Route Maps for each team of two may be critical in efficient and systematic searches.
 The packs could contain water and quick healthy food. Check for expiration dates.
 Sidewalk chalk in the S & R pack may be useful for marking buildings or sidewalks with warnings or other info.
 Batteries stored outside a flashlight or walkie talkie to keep their charge longer, as do batteries that are kept at an even cool temperature. Extra batteries can be stored in an ice chest.
 Flashlights can spark a gas leak, so non-sparking, temperature resistant light sticks are a necessary tool.
 A ladder could be stored in the container which could allow entry to second story windows/doors in case of walkway/stairway failure.
 Stretchers/Backboards

o Cloth stretchers
   When cloth stretchers are contaminated with blood, vomit or the like, they cannot be used again. A plastic cover has no guarantee of staying over the contaminated area.
   These have no stiffening and thus take 4 - 8 people to move one injured person.
   King County recommends that a minimum of 4 people are needed to carry an adult-sized person and a minimum of 2 people are needed to carry a small child.
   Aluminum stretcher poles can be found on the internet.

o Plastic backboards
   Back boards are needed for victims who may have back or neck injuries.
   They can be easily sanitized.
   Sometimes fire departments will donate old ones.
   They can be purchased new.
   Backboard alternatives can be built by parents or school industrial arts teachers.