SEARCHING
RANDOM THOUGHTS ON…
SEARCH, TO BE effective, must be an immediate, aggressive, and systematic examination of an area under difficult conditions to locate victims, the seat of the fire, its extension, and other vital data. It must be done as rapidly and safely as possible and is truly a test of your imagination, skill, aggressiveness, courage, and responsibility. Here are just a few of the tips I have learned along the way.
Horizontal venting for life is different than venting for fire. The latter is controlled and systematic to enhance and support the extinguishment effort—that is, the movement of the handline through the fire occupancy. Venting for life may disturb the extinguishment or be contrary to it. Horizontal openings should be made (or ordered) by the searching firefighters anytime they will keep the search operation going. This is not to say that you should break all the windows. But if taking a window will prevent aborting a search, then do it. It increases visibility, is your nearest emergency exit in most cases, and makes you feel better. It also lets the outside teams know of your whereabouts and your progress.
It’s OK to abort a search! You must believe this. It’s hard for me to listen to the “machos” tell the kids, “Never quit a search—never.” Collapse, flooding, explosive or radioactive atmospheres, heat, flame, running out of air, and a hell that surpasses your personal level of courage and stamina are all reasons that are good enough to abort a search—for the moment. Training and experience coupled with size-up information will raise your personal level of expertise and effectiveness. The only thing about quitting a search effort is that it must be communicated. How and where you went and what you searched is vital operational data, especially to the command function. Other means of entry, relief by fresh personnel, and additional ventilation will enhance the effort, and the report “primary search completed” can be given. If you believe it’s OK to abort, then you can report more easily what you were not able to search.
A few “nevers and always” can be silver bullets in your search “gun”:
Never search without a tool. This includes officers! I lost two good friends over the years because they thought officers should carry only handlights. One was caught in a hallway two floors above an extending fire. He could not force a door or breach a wall to safety to get out of the inferno. The other got caught in bicycles and burned to death. The tool is also an extension of your probing arm. With one hand on a wall and the other probing, you can account for almost all dwelling unit rooms.
Always have a reference guide. The wall will serve in most cases. A piece of rope tied to a doorknob will serve in larger, open areas or in those “iffy” situations.
Never let the fire deter you. Search is the most basic firefighter responsibility: It must be done. If you can’t go one way, go another! An outside ladder is a good choice for entry; down from above by rope is another. Breaching is also effective (if you’re 16 inches-oncenter wide or less). Breaching a partition wall from an adjoining room or apartment can get you past the impassable and also give you a refuge area. Breaching low from outside a private dwelling is also a relatively easy task.
Always wear full protective clothing. This should include a personal alert alarm also. It makes no sense for the searching firefighter to enter an atmosphere with the same level of protection that the victim had.
Never search without a good light. I know that if you’re searching a fire occupancy or above, visibility (light or not) is not a luxury that you’re afforded. But what about that soft mass you feel? Is it a baby or a pile of rags, a doll or an animal? Firefighters have terminated many searches only to find they have removed a rag doll and left a human being inside. Getting your handlight and face close to the object will give you your answer when in doubt.
