USAR

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USAR
A presentation by Area Director Gary
Littlewood Manager, Technical Rescue Queensland
Fire and Rescue Service.
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PRESENTATION OVERVIEW

• Explanation of Urban Search and Rescue (USAR)
• Roles and Responsibilities
• Description of the command structure for a major
  incident

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What is USAR?
Definition of USAR USAR IS A SPECIALISED
TECHNICAL RESCUE CAPABILITY FOR THE LOCATION AND
RESCUE OF ENTRAPPED PEOPLE FOLLOWING A
STRUCTURAL COLLAPSE
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HISTORY OF USAR

• Origins in London in response to the blitzes of
  WWII
• In the last decade, about 196 million people
  annually are effected by natural and
  technological disasters
• Until the Indonesian Tsunami, earthquakes had
  been known as the most lethal natural disasters

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RECENT INTERNATIONAL INCIDENTS

• Kobe Earthquake
• San Francisco Earthquake
• Taiwan Earthquake
• Indonesian Tsunami

• Oklahoma City Bombing
• Turkey Earthquake
• India Earthquake
• New York 911

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RESPONSE PROTOCOLS

• USAR capability is a resource available to
  Incident Commanders
• USAR taskforces do not self activate
• Taskforces are responded and are self sufficient
  in the field depending on no local resources

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RESPONSE PROTOCOLS

• In most States Fire Services are responsible for
  USAR development and response
• Where State Fire Services require assistance, it
  can be sought from other States
• QLD and NSW have a recognised international
  deployment capability

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RESPONSE PROTOCOLS

• Each State will develop their own response
  protocols
• For example, Qld have four response categories

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RESPONSE PROTOCOLS QLD

• USAR ALPHA
• This is a basic category level for incidents that
  occur within a 1½ hour response of the Greater
  Brisbane Area
• USAR BRAVO
• This category provides response to incidents that
  occur within QLD, but are outside the designated
  initial response zone for deployment of USAR
  Alpha response
• USAR CHARLIE
• This category provides response to an interstate
  incident occurring outside of the designated
  Bravo response area within Queensland. Response
  to an incident of this type requires Queensland
  Government approval
• USAR DELTA
• This category is the international response
  capability provided by Queensland.

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Category of USAR Technicians

• Category One USAR
• Category One USAR operators are trained as first
  responders to structural collapse incidents
• Category Two USAR
• Category Two USAR technicians are trained to work
  at incidents
• involving major structural collapse
• Category Three USAR
• Category Three USAR staff are concerned with the
  management of the USAR taskforce, and liaison
  with the local,
• interstate or national emergency services

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 RECONNAISSANCE TEAM   

• Recon teams are small composite units that can
  respond more rapidly than USAR task forces.
• It is ideally suited to investigate and prepare
  the site for the responding taskforce
• The Recon Team may also provide advise on request
  by the Police Forward Command in determining
  whether further USAR response is required.

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USAR TASKFORCE STRUCTURE

• The Taskforce consists of about 64 personnel and
  is reliant heavily on both external and internal
  expertise
• Fully mobile,equipped and self sufficient for 10
  days before resupply is needed.

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TASKFORCE MEMBERS

• Management Team
• 2 Taskforce Leaders
• 2 Operations Officers
• Operational Team
• 4 Team Leaders
• 28 Rescuers
• 4 Paramedics

• Support Team
• 2 Equipment Officers
• 4 Hazmat Operators
• 4 Logistics/Planning Officers
• 3 Communications Officers
• 1 Clerical Assistant
• 1 Doctor
• 2 Structural Engineers
• 2/4 Search and Rescue Canine Handlers

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OPERATIONAL TACTICS

• Depending on the type of incident the taskforce
  may be split into 2 teams on a 12hr rotating
  shifts
• Maintains 24hr operational capability
• Alternatively, taskforce may blitz the incident

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COMMAND and CONTROL

• AIIMS Incident Control System is utilised by all
  Australasian Fire Services
• Introduced into Australia after Ash Wednesday
  fires
• Designed to be a uniform system throughout
  Australia

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COMMAND and CONTROL

• ICS will be used for USAR incidents as well as
  any other major emergency incident

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BENEFITS OF ICS

• Common system used by all fire services in
  Australia
• User managed, Agency specific orientated
• Standardisation, Flexibility, Wide Use and
  Economical
• Roles not just for Emergency Service personnel
• Safety, Health and Welfare
• Delegates responsibility
• Enhances changeovers
• Systematic management development as incident
  escalates

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FOUR FUNCTIONAL AREAS
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INCIDENT CONTROLLER

• Assume control and assess the incident
• Plan combat of the incident and approve any plans
• Allocate tasks and request taskforce if required
• Maintain safe practices
• Appoint staff
• Report to the responsible agency
• Review Incident Action Plans
• Liaise with supporting personnel
• Manage the media
• Maintain a log of activities

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PLANNING

• Process information relating to the current and
  predicted incident situation and resource needs
• Maintain location and deployment records
• Provide management support
• Liaise with technical specialist
• Conduct Planning meetings with Incident
  Management Team
• Develop alternative control objectives and
  strategies
• Co-ordinate the development and dissemination of
  the Incident Action Plan
• Organise incident de mobilisation

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OPERATIONS

• Develop the Operational portion of the Incident
  Action Plan
• Brief personnel or taskforce
• USAR taskforce reports to Operations Officer
• Establish and maintain Assembly and Staging areas
• Determine the need for and request additional
  resources
• Assemble Strike Teams and Task Forces
• Initiate recommendations for the release of
  resources
• Report special events/accidents
• Maintain a Log of activities

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LOGISTICS

• Plan the organisation of Logistics
• Allocate tasks to Logistics personnel
• Participate in the preparation of the Incident
  Action Plan
• Process request for additional resources
• Ensure that a communications plan is prepared
• Estimate future service and support requirements

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INCIDENT CONTROL SYSTEM (ICS)

• The ICS depends on the intelligence and
  information available to the Incident Management
  Team
• Where a USAR incident has occurred, information
  will be requested from people present
  including-Building Plans-Where people were
  last seen?-Electrical Plans-Hand drawn sketches
  of the building layout-Descriptions of sections
  of the building e.g. colour of walls, carpets,
  furniture location.

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ICS

• On site personnel from the building involved will
  become integral members of the Incident
  Management Team providing information to the
  Incident Controller, Logistics, Planning and
  Operations

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Questions?