USAR: Level 1 Urban Search and Rescue

"USAR Level 1" is a comprehensive and technically based First Responders package that sets the benchmark for Urban Disaster Response. It has been designed to interface with existing Second Responder training packages currently in use world-wide and is therefore the logical tool for fire-fighters, Civil Defense Operatives and NGO rescue personnel. First Responders trained in "USAR Level 1" will be able to operate in a collapsed building environment, have an appreciation of the hazards and risks involved, will be able to enter, traverse, extract surface casualties and exit whilst using safe systems of work. Further, they will be able to correctly assess building and casualty triage for on-coming Second Responders. The approach is user-friendly and systematic; the theoretical, practical and psychological aspects forming a holistic template, enabling First Responders to act positively and progressively from first arrival to incident close down. The eBooks have been mastered using Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) and embedded in a stand alone Creamer both for security and registration purposes. The Creamer offers a Note Pad facility where readers can type into and save their notes. It is Internet linked to the resQmed study program for the sharing and collection of information. Although this facility is optional, the eMailer in the collection and sharing of information section can be used as a help line and the attached note file deleted as required. Although Adobe Reader has its own set of controls, all eBooks have their own active Contents and full Index pages with an individual control panel that give instant access to all relevant sections.

Table of Contents:
CONTENTS USAR - Level 1 information; Section 1 - Legislation; Section 2 - USAR Level 1 Theory; Urban search and rescue; Damage to buildings; Types of collapse; Internal floor collapse patterns; Hazards; Signs of collapse; The six phases of a collapse plan; Evidence and scene preservation. Section 3 - Psychological effects of USAR; Critical incident stress; Closure; Concept of triage. Section 4 - Practical application of USAR; Personal protective equipment; Search techniques; Extraction of surface casualties; Building and victim marking methods

About the Author :
Myles O'Reilly - Myles or 'Buzz' as he is known was a serving Watch Commander within the London Fire Brigade for 14 years and was recently employed as a Community Safety Station Officer within a County Fire and Rescue Service. His career has now taken him to Country Fire Services, Australia and as the outgoing Director of ReSART he is committed to establishing an Australian branch. In his career he has undertaken roles from the incident ground up to and including strategic command level. One of these roles was within the Command Support Center, where amongst other functions was the responsibility of mobilising the United Nations Disaster and Co-Ordination Teams [UNDAC] and the United Kingdom Fire Service Search and Rescue Teams [UKFSSART]. Pat O'Keeffe - Pat O'Keeffe worked for 30 years as a fire fighter in the London Fire Brigade; 23 years of those years as an Operational Station Officer. In 1981 he became a Member of the Institute of Fire Engineers. In that time, Pat took a special interest in Urban Search and Rescue and in 1999, at the behest of the London Fire Brigade, he wrote a Standing Operating Procedure for the Hong kong Fire Service on Collapsed Buildings; for which he received a letter of gratitude. Currently, he is the Head of Operations of ReSART, the Recon Search and Rescue Team. Amongst his other talents, Pat fought as a Professional Kick Boxer 28 times, is a 6th Dan Black Belt in Karate-jutsu and a published author in both fiction and non-fiction. He is member of the Crime Writers Association.