Emergency Management Heavy Rescue After

¶ … Emergency management [...] heavy rescue after an earthquake. Heavy rescue differs from search and rescue in many ways. Heavy rescuers are training in methods to search through collapsed buildings in ways that protect themselves while locating people trapped in these buildings. Emergency managers need to know when to call in heavy rescue after an earthquake or other natural disaster.

To address the need for heavy rescue, the emergency manager needs to know there is a trained heavy rescue crew in the area. If there is not, they need to request a crew from another area, and then ensure that a crew is trained in their area. Heavy rescue teams include search dogs, paramedics, rescuers, and communications specialists, and they are all trained in dealing with collapsed structures. As an emergency manager, you should recognize the need for heavy rescue when buildings collapse and you should have a plan in place to bring in a heavy rescue team if an emergency, such as an earthquake, occurs.

You need to manage heavy equipment necessary to lift heavy pieces of building to search for survivors. Some heavy rescue teams have their own equipment, but in most cases, you will need to bring in your own heavy equipment to work in the search. That means you will need to have agreements in place with heavy equipment companies that will allow you to call in the equipment you need at a moment' notice. Time is of the essence in these rescues, so you will need to be sure to have agreements in place early on. This equipment includes cranes and hydraulic jacks that can lift very heavy building pieces.

Another important aspect of heavy rescue is keeping well meaning good Samaritans away from the site. While they may have the best intentions, they often actually hinder the rescue efforts, and one important step is to keep them away from the rescue process. That is because they many have the best intentions, but they are not trained for heavy rescue. They could injure themselves, and they can get in the way of professional rescuers.

Another immediate concern after an earthquake is fire. In addition to managing the heavy rescue teams, you need to make sure that the issue of fire is addressed. Fire crews need to be on high alert, and they need to be ready to respond as soon as possible. You need to make sure you have trained citizen volunteers to manage fires in the event of an emergency. One Web site notes, "Citizen volunteers trained as Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) members will be vital, because they can catch tiny fires early and assist the lightly trapped to safety" (Chiles). You need to make sure you have a competent incident commander in each rescue area that can coordinate rescue efforts and make sure they understand how many people could potentially be trapped.