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Residential Primary Search: Making the Grab

Monday, April 07

While the number of structure fires is decreasing, civilian fire deaths are increasing. As a fire service, we must get better at performing and supporting the search on a fireground. We give victims the best chance for survival when an aggressive primary search is completed within the first 10 minutes of fireground operations. This fast-past class concentrates on the fundamentals of searching, good communications, and having a plan. Students will learn ways to maximize their efficiency, have a chance to perform each type of search, learn simple drags for victim removal, and then get real time reps to put it all together. At the end, students will have a good understanding of where victims are likely to be found and the time factor involved in increasing the chance of survival, understand and perform oriented search and split search, complete vent-enter-search, complete a hasty search as part of the initial arriving engine company, and be able to drag a victim head or feet first. 

PPE Required: NFPA-compliant structural firefighting pants, coat, hood, gloves, boots, and helmet. (SCBA and face piece will be provided.)

*Eligible for CEH/CAPCE Credit

Speakers
Grant Schwalbe, Division Chief - Estero (FL) Fire Rescue
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