Search and Rescue Mission
Locate the proper Emergency Support Function Annexes from the National Response Framework
Resource Center for this Session Long Project. The areas of interest are:
�Fire
�Search and Rescue (SAR)
�Public Safety
Also, refer to previous readings and required websites.
During a natural or man-made disaster, fires happen, people go missing, and people may commit criminal
acts or become threats to public safety. One only has to remember the Hurricane Katrina episode. Your
Emergency Response Plan includes your local fire and police departments. Memoranda of Understanding
have been drafted so their functions are clearly delineated. Search and rescue falls under your fire
Scenario: A major blizzard dumped 2.5 feet of snow, leaving your town in disarray. Such a storm is rare in
your town. As Incident Commander, you have spearheaded a successful two-day coordination of
essential services that include alternate use of transportation (e.g., procurement of five snowmobiles for
police) and the establishment of alternate communications. However, 75% of major highways and
secondary roads need to be plowed, but there are only five town plows available. The majority of citizens
need to have access to supermarkets and hospitals. List what you will do first. Then discuss your plan of
attack. Reference specific pages in the National Response Framework.
DISASTER MANAGEMENT 2
Search and Rescue Mission
From the previous reading, search and rescue known as SAR is the search for provision
of aid or assistance to individuals who are in imminent danger or distress. However, this rescue
programme is aimed at assisting various people whose lives may be in danger in various parts,
location, and times from every corner of the country. Therefore, the general field of search and
rescue may include many specialties, characteristically determined by the specific type of terrain
of the search conducted. They include ground search and rescue, mountain rescue, urban search
and rescue in towns and cities, combat search and rescue, which happens in the battle fields, and
air-sea rescue that takes place in water.
A case where there is fire outbreak in the city and a large blizzard has blocked the major
roads leading to the city would involve the entire search and rescue plans. That is, urban search
and rescue, ground search and rescue, and air search and rescue. The first point of rescue mission
is the communication that serves to create awareness to the public. Krolik (2013) says that the
first point is prevention and then curing. The safety of the public becomes a matter of concern
and the people who are out of the vicinity who may intentionally or unintentionally come to the
scene are prevented. In this case, the mobile services are applied. Rescue teams such as the Red
Cross society can provide food and medical services so the people to avoid further movement
that can would increase the number casualties. Underwood (2010) posits that containing people
in a safe place is the first step of rescue. Then the ground search and rescue is applied by using
plows to tilt the land providing opening for fire personnel. However, following the few numbers
of plows, a rescue plan is revised and the air search and rescue plan is applied to work together
with the ground search and rescue.
DISASTER MANAGEMENT 3
The ground search and rescue missions that take place in urban areas should not be
bemused with urban SAR; in this case, there is extraction of materials and people from affected
buildings and other entrapments. The team can also employ sniffing dogs in cases where the
plows have opened necessary routes. As opening the routes by the few plows might take long,
the rescue team employs air search and rescue where helicopters are used to save lives and ferry
the fire brigade team to the site. The helicopters are usually non-amphibious equipped with
hoists.
As the air and ground search and rescue work to stop the disaster, the team also applies
urban search and rescue to work in the city. The city is much completed and all the multi-
disciplinary forces are needed. This includes personnel from medical services, police, and fire
departments. The urban search and rescue team have rescue knowledge on broken natural gas
lines and live wires that are known to spread the effects of fire (Underwood, 2010). The
personnel from the medical services attend to those who are seriously injured. Rescue
communities such as World Food Organization and government services ensure the individuals
at risk of movement are attended to by providing them with food and shelter. Finally, after the
rescue mission, the area is marked out of bounce and the specialists given the go forward for
investigation so that the primary cause is realized to avoid such predicaments in future.
DISASTER MANAGEMENT 4
References
Krolik, M. (2013), Exploring A Rights-Based Approach To Disaster Management. Australian
journal of emergency management, The , 28(4)44
Underwood, S. (2010) Improving Disaster Management. Communication Of The ACM, 53(2),
18-20
