In most fire departments in Canada, the overwhelming majority of rescue incidents are vehicle extrications. These incidents are the result of automobiles, motorcycles, trucks, trains, or aircraft colliding with each other or hitting bicycle riders, pedestrians, animals or stationary objects. Because a victim who is trapped in or by a vehicle may be seriously injured, proper extrication procedures are essential to prevent further injury and to speed the victims removal. It is also critical that firefighters coordinate with emergency medical personnel who are providing first aid to the victim.
Firefighters participate in a variety of technical rescues as member of a team. NFPA 1670 "Standard on Operations and Training for Technical Search and Rescue Incidents" defines technical rescue as, "The application of special knowledge, skills, and equipment to safely resolve unique and/or complex rescue situations." Technical rescues can include freeing victims from collapsed buildings, trench cave-ins, caves or tunnels, electrical contact, water and ice, industrial machinery, and elevators.
Firefighting and rescue operations must sometimes be carried out in confined space locations that are below grade or otherwise without either natural or forced ventilation. OSHA defines a confined space as having the following characteristics:
Virtually every jurisdiction has the potential for water rescue and recovery operations. These situations can occur in swimming pools, ponds, lakes, rivers, streams, drainage canals, and other bodies of water such as low-head dams and water treatment facilities. Areas subject to sustained freezing temperatures also have the potential for ice emergencies. It is important to highlight the distinction between Rescues and Recoveries when it comes to drownings and other water related incidents. Rescues are a situation where a victim is stranded or floundering, or has been submerged fro a short period of time. In these cases, the potential for saving the victim is real. Recoveries are situations where a victim has been submerged for such a long period of time that he or she is most probably deceased, and the goal of the operation is to recover the body.
To fulfill the obligations as a firefighter, you must be capable of performing basic rescue and extrication operations as a member of a team. You must be capable of conducting fire ground search and rescue operations and vehicle extrication operations. You must also be capable of participating in a variety of technical rescue operations such as those involving collapsed structures, trench cave-ins, confined spaces, caves and tunnels, electrical contact, water and ice, industrial machinery entrapments, and stalled elevators.
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