Search and Rescue

Since search and rescue is a primary function of the fire service, firefighters have a responsibility to the public, fire victims, and fellow firefighters to know how to perform safe and effective searches. A primary cause of firefighter fatalities during search operations is the failure to recognize rapidly changing fire conditions and the disorientation that can easily occur in low visibility situations.

Employing a specific search technique, such as an oriented search strategy, can mitigate these factors and others that put the lives of citizens and firefighters at risk. This course outlines the basics of search, reviews the different types of search methods, and focuses on oriented search as a way for firefighters to most effectively and efficiently search a residential structure.

Featuring: Skip Coleman, Deputy Chief of Operations, Toledo Department of Fire and Rescue, Toledo, OH