SEARCH AND RESCUE

BY MUHD SHAFIQ RIDZUAN BIN MOHD FADZIL

Search and rescue (SAR) is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger

what is SAR?

For Others=Canadian Forces: "Search and Rescue comprises the search for, and provision of aid to, persons, ships or other craft which are, or are feared to be, in distress or imminent danger.

United States Coast Guard: "The use of available resources to assist persons or property in potential or actual distress.

United States Defense Department: A search is "an operation normally coordinated by a Rescue Coordination Center (RCC) or rescue sub-center, using available personnel and facilities to locate persons in distress" and rescue is "an operation to retrieve persons in distress, provide for their initial medical or other needs, and deliver them to a place of safety.

Back to the Past

At 1656, one of the Netherland merchant ship, which is the Vergulde Draeck wreck at the coast of Australia. Survivors sent for help, and in response three separate SAR missions were conducted, but there is nothing but failure.

The Vergulde Draeck (Gilt Dragon) was a Dutch East India Company ship of the seventeenth century. She sailed from Texel bound for Batavia (now Jakarta), under Pieter Albertsz and was carrying trade goods and eight chests of silver worth 786,000 guilders/euro. On 28 April 1656 the Gilt Dragon was wrecked just south Ledge Point, 107 km north of what is now Perth, Western Australia.

Vergulde Draeck

Types of SAR

Mountain rescue

Ground search and rescue

Urban search and rescue

Combat search and rescue

Air-sea rescue

Mountain Rescue

Mountain rescue refers to search and rescue activities that occur in a mountainous environment,  The difficult and remote nature of the terrain in which mountain rescue often occurs has resulted in the development of a number of specific pieces of equipment and techniques. Helicoptersare often used to quickly extract casualties, and search dogs may be used to locate them.

Ground Search and Rescue

Ground search and rescue is the search for persons who are lost or in distress on land or inland waterways. Traditionally associated with wilderness zones, ground search and rescue services are increasingly required in urban and suburban areas to locate persons with Alzheimer's disease, autism, dementia, or other conditions that lead to wandering behaviour

Combat Search and Rescue

Combat search and rescue (CSAR) are search and rescue operations that are carried out during war that are within or near combat zones

Urban Search and Rescue

Urban search and rescue (abbreviated as USAR, also known as Urban SAR, or US&R in the United States)involves the location, extrication, and initial medical stabilization of victims trapped in confined spaces. Structural collapse is most often the cause of victims being trapped, but victims may also be trapped in transportation accidents, mines and collapsed trenches.

Air-Sea Rescue

Air-sea rescue (ASR or A/SR, also known as sea-air rescue or SAR )is the coordinated search and rescue of the survivors of emergency water landings as well as people who have survived the loss of their sea-going vessel. ASR can involve a wide variety of resources including seaplanes, helicopters, submarines, rescue boats and ships.

International Water

International waters are divided into various regions according to the SOLAS convention. Each compartment has its own organisation which responsible for the compartment.

Malaysia Maritime Search

And Rescue

MARITIME SARThe employment of available personnel and facilities in rendering aid to person in distress arising of an incident which happen at sea, near or on the coast which involves lives, property and environment and originate from vessel or craft. 

Definition

PolicyMARITIME SAR POLICYThe Maritime SAR Policy is containes in the Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1952 and 1960 which make it a legal obligation for the saving of lifes, property and the enviroment within Malaysia Maritime SAR Region of responsibility. The Safety of Lifes at Sea Convension (SOLAS), 1974 was ratified by Malaysia in 1983 and this ratification Malaysia is obliged to provide Maritime SAR facilities. 

By virtue that SOLAS is part of the Merchant Shipping Ordinance, the Marine Department is entrusted to provide Maritime SAR for all vessels and persons of all nationality within the Malaysia SAR Region of responsibility. 

Overall co-ordination of Maritime SAR organisation

Co-ordination with other Malaysia SAR organisation and authorities

Liason with international SAR organisations

Establishment of standards for facilities, equipment, staffing, training operation and procedures

Financial arrangements, budget estimate, procurement and disposition of stores and equipment

Marine Department Responsibilites

Preparedness PhaseThe SAR Team Rescue Group must:-Meet all respective standards according to national and INSARAG requirements.

-Have training in confined spaces, collapsed reinforced concrete structures, high angle rope rescue and tunneling operations, and basic training in search and medical issues.

-Have additional training in operating in adverse weather conditions, haz mat environments, all other climactic conditions and team safety.

-Breaking and breaching operations.

-Shoring operations.

-Lifting operations.

-High angle rope rescue operations.

-Tunneling operations.

-Personal protective equipment requirements.

Transit Phase

The equipment stock must meet international transportation regulations (i.e., ADR, RID, IATA(international air transport association), etc.).

Operation PhaseAssistance with Search Activities

-Prior to locating trapped victims, Rescue personnel provide a significant search resource.

-The Rescue personnel may be used to assist the canine and electronic search personnel with safety assessments at collapse sites, gain access to difficult areas, conduct shoring and bracing operations, deploy equipment, etc.

-These personnel may also conduct physical search operations.

-Apart from canine and electronic search personnel, Rescue personnel should be the only resource used for physical search inside void areas, as they are the most capable of identifying overall hazards in these areas and are trained in operating in confined spaces.

Rescue StrategyRescue Strategy

Rescue operations follow the search phase and are focused on extricating the greatest number of victims in the shortest amount of time, prioritizing technical rescues that cannot be addressed by local resources.Rescue operations are conducted under the five following phases:

PHASE ONE: Assessment of the collapse area. The area is searched for possible victims (surface and/or buried) and the evaluation of the structure's stability and potential danger to rescue personnel is performed. All utilities must be evaluated and controlled for safety.

PHASE TWO: Removal of all surface victims as quickly and safely as possible. Extreme care must be used during this phase to ensure that rescuers do not become victims. Personnel should not be misled by the outward appearance of a structure - what appears to be a settled pile of debris could, in reality, be lacking any genuine support and a secondary collapse could occur without warning.

PHASE THREE: All voids and accessible spaces created as a result of the collapse must be searched and explored for live victims. An audible call out system can be used during this phase (refer to the SAR Team Search Guidelines). Only trained canine or specially trained rescue personnel should be used in voids and accessible space searches.

PHASE FOUR: Selected debris removal, using special tools and techniques, may be necessary after locating a victim. It may be necessary to remove only certain obstructions that are blocking access to the victim. Information concerning a victim's location prior to the collapse can be helpful during the selected debris removal phase. Information gathering on other possible victim locations can greatly enhance the operation.

PHASE FIVE: General debris removal is usually conducted after all known victims have been removed. Exceptions would be: 1) when information is obtained that indicates the possibility of other victims not originally accounted for and, 2) when large amounts of debris are impairing or obstructing operations. The decision to use heavy equipment during this phase must be given serious consideration, especially when the possibility exists that there are still live victims in the debris.

Rescue prioritization is based on:-A mission assignment from the LEMA or the UN OSOCC.-Any search intelligence/recommendations.-The degree and difficulty of each opportunity.-The possible end result of each opportunity.-Any safety and security considerations.-The capabilities and limitations of available resources (personnel, equipment, site accessibility, etc.).

Rescue PlanA rescue plan will ensure that all the Rescue team efforts are brought to bear in a systematic and coordinated manner, utilizing the most up-to-date intelligence about victims and buildings.The rescue plan should include:

-Identified objectives.

-All search results.

-Any resources assigned.

-Any safety and security issues.

-The capabilities of assigned resources.

-The limitations of assigned resources.

-Any other support resources.

-All communications requirements.

-Implementation of the rescue plan should include:

-Personnel briefings.

-The commencement of rescue operations.

-The evaluation of operational effectiveness.

-Any plan revisions as appropriate.

The SAR team is composed (generically) of three functional components as well as a management component supported by the safety/security, information and planning, liaison and public information functions.

The core functional elements of the Rescue Group are:

Management

Rescue

Safety

Medical

Rescue Group Composition

The supporting functional elements are:

Structures engineering.

Haz mat.

Logistics.

Doctors.

Heavy lifting.

Local resources.

Interpreters.

Resources Utilization-Rescue operations are conducted following the principles of the five rescue phases.-These phases are based on those tasks that are easily achievable, moving toward those that are more complicated.-The on-site activities begin with the rescue work site set up.

Rescue work site set up includes:-Work site and collapse hazard zone identification.-Operations post.-Medical treatment area.-Personnel staging area.

-Rescue equipment staging area.-Cribbing/shoring working area.-Entry/exit routes.

-A Rescue Squad must be staged in a state of full readiness should an unforeseen occurrence or emergency occur.-Once the size up is completed and the plan of action developed, a Team briefing must be conducted:

-A simple drawing of the site features and rescue -operation should be made that can be quickly done on a writing pad or erasable marker board.-In addition, safety considerations, structural concerns, hazard identification, emergency signaling and evacuation guidelines must be addressed at this time.

Work site management

and coordination

Each work site must have one person designated as officer-in-charge to maintain unity of command. The officer-in-charge has authority over all assigned personnel.

When two or more Rescue Squads are assigned to operate together, one officer-in-charge must be assigned to be in charge overall of the work site (this must be clearly communicated to all personnel involved).

A work site safety officer should be assigned to all operations. The work site safety officer is responsible for acting as a second set of eyes and ears for the officer-in-charge, assisting in the formulation of the rescue plan, and focusing on safety considerations during rescue operations.

It is important that the officers-in-charge and safety officers are clearly identified. (Refer to the SAR Team Identification & Marking Guidelines.)

-The tools, equipment and supplies in the equipment stock should be separated and organized according to their function. The set up and organization of the equipment stock must be addressed before significant rescue operations can be supported together with the maintenance requirements of the rescue equipment

Once the equipment stock is organized, it is imperative that an effective inventory and tracking process be implemented.

The limited number of specialized tools may require them to be shared between one or more rescue sites during simultaneous operations. It is important that everyone coordinate the sharing and movement of these tools between the rescue sites.

Adequate time should be allocated at scheduled shift exchanges for briefings and information exchange to promote continuity of operations.

Management and supervision of local resources is of critical importance to the overall safety and effectiveness of rescue operations.

Operational logs and site sketches should be maintained at all times.

Following extrication of deceased victims, the remains should be processed as directed by the UN OSOCC and/or the LEMA.

 

Malaysian Maritime

SAR Operation Center

Maritime Rescue Co-Ordinating Centres (MRCC)The MRCC is the Operation Centre established by the Marine Department for the purpose of controlling and co-ordinating Maritime SAR operations. 

The MRCCs estiblished in Malaysia are:MRCC PORT KLANGMRCC LABUAN

Maritime Rescue Sub-Centre (MRSC)The MRSC is the Operation Centre established by the Marine Department to control and co-ordinate Maritime SAR operations which is small in nature and require only the facilities available within the region concerned. Each centre has its own area of responsibility. The MRSC established in Malaysia are:MRSC PENANGMRSC JOHORMRSC TERENGGANUMRSC KUCHINGMRSC SANDAKAN

MARITIME SAR UNITSVessels and aircraft for Maritime SAR operations are provided by:Vessels

Marine DepartmentRoyal Malaysia NavyRoyal Malaysia PolicePort AuthoritiesRoyal Custom and ExciseFishery DepartmentMerchant ShipsFishing Vessels

 Aircraft

Royal Malaysia Air ForceRoyal Malaysia PoliceRoyal Malaysia Navy

END- THANK YOU