Specialist Rescue Strategy for Open Water - Report Example

Name : xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Tutor :xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Title : Specialist rescue strategy for open water Institution : xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Date :xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx @ 2011 Introduction Search and rescue is the exercise of searching and recovering people in distress, potential distress or missing and delivering them to safety. In the United Kingdom there is an elaborate search and rescue service for any person who has been reported missing or in distress in air, water or on land (David 2000 pp 51-149). A very good model for search and rescue has been provided by an integrated organization of coordinators and units of search and rescue. A workable infrastructure of communications is needed to facilitate the process. Different departments of the government, organizations and emergency services have amalgamated to form the search and rescue organization in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland (David 2000 pp 51-149).Charities and voluntary organizations involved in charity are also included. All the authorities and organizations work in partnership in a cohesive manner in order to attain the national goals for search and rescue. The major duties of the United Kingdom’s search and rescue in to do coordination of maritime rescue on shore lines, inshore and offshore areas. They also do inland and aeronautical search and rescue over the sea and the land (Paddy 2002 Pp. 51-149. ).These responsibilities are accomplished through the relevant organizations and authorities which receive information about aircraft, people and vessels in trouble. These authorities and organizations also carry out communication between the authorities responsible for coordination of search and rescue units. Communication is also carried out between SAR units and also between coordinating authorities. They also carry out the maintenance of SAR units in order to provide help to people, aircraft and vessel in trouble as well as deliverance of survivors to safety or places where they can get further assistance. The responsibilities for search and rescue are distributed between various departments and authorities. The transport department is responsible for maritime and civil aeronautical search and rescue policy. It assesses the maritime and civil aeronautical SAR resources, coordination and response through the UK search and rescue strategic committee. The police have the responsibility of coordinating inland waters and land based search and rescue efforts since their duty calls on them to protect both property and life (Paddy 2002 Pp. 51-149. ). The major incidences that require search and rescue planning include natural disasters like storms and floods, air line crash, war or terrorism and other incidents happening on water surfaces that can threaten the people’s welfare. Major incidences therefore constitute emergencies that need special arrangements to be implemented by emergency services. The incidences normally involve many people in direct or indirect ways. For example when so many casualties are being transported, many police resources will be involved, brigades and fire services, organizers of the support and emergency services and other groups will also be present. In the planning and preparation for major incidents declarations should be given by the relevant authorities like local authorities and emergency services (David 2000 pp 51-149). The equipment being used by personnel involved in search and rescue activities differ depending on place and the particular conditions in the situation. Some equipment are however universal applying to a variety of situations and locations. A whistle for example can be used in all circumstances to attract the attention of the public and other team members. Rescue aids and first aid kits are also universally applicable (Paddy 2002 Pp. 51-149. ). Other equipment used in water search and rescue include glow sticks, ties, tallies for water rescue, radio cases that are water proof, floating lines, poles and hooks floatation devices and dry suits, paddles, helicopters, life boats among other things. There are many rescue techniques that are used to reduce the danger exposed to a life guard and increase the effectiveness of the rescue effort. This is determined by the types of rescue aids being used by rescue personnel. They must have the right equipment to aid in the rescue operations to ensure success. Their efforts to help people in distress are supposed to be done in ways that do not endanger the life of the lifeguard or other people (David 2000 pp 51-149).To make this possible help can be offered from a distance using a pole, throwing a lifebuoy, swimming with a rescue buoy or wading towards the victim and using accessible water craft. Life savers also deal with first aid for victims and therefore they are normally equipped with first aid kits. Some times they can have sophisticated fist aid items resuscitators, medical oxygen, defibrillators, AED and spinal immobilization board. Search and rescue personnel work with effective communication which demands that they should have megaphones, signal flares and two way radios. Colored flags are also important in effective communication with members of the public. They are hoisted on temporary and permanent poles and are used for passing different information. When duty is being carried out over a big area like lakes or beaches land transport may be needed such as quad bikes, off-road vehicles and pick up trucks. Rescue personnel will always require equipment to protect them. This equipment are different accessories and clothing like under suits, dry suits, helmets, footwear, gloves, helmet together with several other protective equipment so the team can be able to deal with any kind of situation in any environment. Rescue teams are exposed to biohazards, sewage and other contaminants when they enter into fresh and salt water (David 2000 pp 51-149). Rescue teams also need craft and engines which comprises of both non powered and powered boats and outboard engines as well as trailers which are used to take the crafts to places of need. They take the rescue teams to the place of operation. They also transport victims of floods with problems of mobility to safe areas. Rescue accessories and equipment is a lot which is composed of specialist equipment used by the rescuers like knives, mudlances, whistles, rope rescue kits, animal cages, personal location lighting and litter basket stretchers. Pre-planning for disasters is done through the identification of rivers and open water stretches by local knowledge (David 2000 pp 51-149).Planning in advance helps to get the relevant information that can help in responding to incidents. The concerned crews must be familiar with routes they need to use in approaching and accessing the sites of the incidences in their areas operation and potential hazards that can be encountered in the course of duty. Commanders of various teams do the identification of water risks and consider the name of the site and the street detail. Operational risk assessments are done and operations information sheets produced or information plans. The identified sites and locations must be used for training by the rescue teams.The search and rescue strategy in the United Kingdom has future plans of ensuring that the available resources are utilized in the best way possible. This is to ensure that there is capability in very effective and efficient manners. It will provide the foundation on which to define the requirements for resources that will be procured by the program. It will ensure that the supplies meet the needed capability (Paddy 2002 Pp. 51-149. ).The strategy should provide clear information on coordination activities in every search and rescue operation in times of disaster like flooding. Another goal is the provision of a scalable approach that can accommodate both expanded and existing asset base. Informing safe, efficient inclusion of local resources like those given by volunteers. The strategy has plans to protect major transport infrastructure elements in times of hazards and extreme weather conditions (Paddy 2002 Pp. 51-149. ).It seeks to improve the resilience of the roads in the United Kingdom during winter through adapting to climatic changes and provision of salt stalk. It also plans to device civil environmental contingencies in times of floods, pollution of water and contamination of foods. Another goal is to deal decisively with an increase in scarcity of water, climate change and drought. “New requirements for local authorities in their local flood risk management strategies will also be formulated.” There will be created joint management plans for environmental resilience over the region. Increase personal and public safety by way of improved multi-agency co-ordination and communication. Cross communication from one emergency service to the next, local authorities as well as several organizations so that they can release necessary information within the shortest possible time (Paddy 2002 Pp. 51-149. ).The branches and agencies of the department of transport have many duties in aeronautical and maritime safety. The maritime search and rescue gets a coordination and response service from the ‘maritime and coast guard agency’ (MCA). It also provides salvage and counter pollution. Search and rescue is done by HM coastguard who initiates and coordinates civil maritime search and rescue. Responsibilities are inclusive of organization, mobilization, and resource tasking in order to attend to people in trouble at sea, cliff or inland water. HM coastguard gives rescue services at shore lines and cliffs. The Aviation Airspace Division (AAD) is responsible for civil aviation SAR in the UK (Paddy 2002 Pp. 51-149. ). The ministry of defense provides SAR equipment for the military in their training, operations and exercises. It also does the coordination of ‘civil aeronautical search and rescue’ for the department of transport upon agreement. If military search and rescue assets agree with the coverage requirements of civil SAR they are availed for SAR operations on land civil maritime. The assets used are maritime surveillance aircraft, helicopters and teams for mountain rescue operations. The Wales national assembly, cabinet office and Scottish executive have the responsibility of making sure that civil emergencies are well prepared for especially at the central and local government. Police service is involved in coordination of SAR operations on land including those whose origin is in the sea. They are also responsible for maintaining assets to dispatch in SAR operations on land. The UK’s ambulance service is responsible for responding to medical and traumatic emergencies. These ambulances are assisted by ‘Helicopter Emergency Medical Service’ (HEMS). The Royal National Lifeboat Institution’ (RNLI) as an organization has volunteers working to save lives, provide relief in disaster situations and safety promotion in the sea and the UK’s inland waters. It also operates in Ireland, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. They have and maintain several inshore and all ‘weather lifeboats’, ‘beach life guard units’ and ‘inshore rescue hovercraft’ situated at various positions decided upon by the trustee committee of the institution. The RNLI directs its assets and the coordination of the authority responsible. The United Kingdom’s search and rescue strategic committee gives advice on the scope, organization and structure of SAR in the UK (David 2000 pp 51-149).The objectives of the forum are the development of criteria for responsiveness, availability and coverage of search and rescue resources and making consultations with the operators group of UK SAR. The consultations should enable them to provide their views to ministers about the improvement of SAR capability, cooperation and effectiveness (David 2000 pp 51-149).It also enhances efficient and effective cooperation among the departments of the government, emergency services and organizations like voluntary groups providing SAR at both international and national levels. It also establishes the UK SAR frame work as well as providing the UK SAR Operators group with terms of reference.’ The consultative committees have been scheduled to be meeting at least 2 times every year. The committee membership shall be restricted to those with responsibilities that are strategic and policy related inside the organizations which make significant contributions to the Search and rescue in the UK. The members of the committee shall be drawn from the Defense ministry, Department of transport, home office, ‘maritime and coastguard agency, department of communities and local government among others. The ‘UK SAR Operators group’ works under the aegis of the ‘UK SAR strategic committee’. Its objectives include the creation of a program of work for the implementation of the implementation of tasks given to it by UK SARSC. It considers reports and together with the recommendations made by the SAR working groups associated with them. They work on the views given by the UK’s aviation and maritime SAR as well as inland consultative committees for SAR. It also gives advice and recommends to UKSARSC on the nation’s Search and Rescue frame work to bring about proper cooperation between agencies dealing with civil SAR and SAR. They also have an objective of determining the reference terms and issuing directions fitting with consultative committees and search and rescue working groups. The group is planned to meet as many as four times every year (David 2000 pp 51-149). The Operators group members will be restricted to organizations with a reasonable membership and focus of the nation safe for when they are free to take representation from any other organization. The standing members of he operators group shall come from the Defense ministry, ‘Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), Association of Chief Police Officers England, Wales & NI (ACPO), Association of Chief Police Officers Scotland (ACPO(S)),’ Association of chief fire officers, and Association of Ambulance service. The group will have to decide if other members should be co-opted and at what time. The operators’ group existence and terms of reference will be reviewed as appropriate by UKSARSC. In order to have liaison going on locally already established SAR committees like the “coastal Local SAR Committees” should be gathered to oversee local search and rescue activities. The local committees’ tasks must be in line with the boundaries of the police force. Others whop should attend are people representing voluntary organizations, emergency services and ‘appropriate statutory agencies (Paddy 2002 Pp. 51-149. ). There are standing working groups within the United Kingdom’s search and rescue Operators Group. It can make ad-hoc working groups if need be. The working groups are responsible to the operators group UK SAR and do the group’s detailed duties. The UK search and rescue helicopter project is a program operated jointly by the Defense ministry and the transport department. It aims at replacing the capability of SAR which at present is provided by the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force by use of MCA, Sea King MK3, 5 and 3a helicopters via service contracts. The MCA and the Ministry of Defense in cooperation provide civil and military SAR services for 24 hours in the UK’s search and rescue. It has 12 bases in the United Kingdom (David 2000 pp 51-149).This new service has been planned to start early this decade. There competition to which the project is subject to according to the European Union regulations of procurement. According to an amended ministry of defense United Kingdom search and rescue policy a section of military air crew should remain within the strategy (Paddy 2002 Pp. 51-149. ).This policy aims at developing a combined military search and rescue capability and together with DfT service a United Kingdom civilian and military SAR capability to make sure that there is quick response and service to civilians and service personnel in dangerous situations. Conclusion In conclusion the United Kingdom’s specialist search and rescue strategy has various operations in the UK facilitated by various organizations and government departments. The strategy outlines the responsibilities of these participants involved in rescue activities and their future plans (David 2000 pp 51-149).Various equipment are used in their operations and trainings ranging from simple things like knives to boats and helicopters. References David S (2000)The Essential Sea Kayaker: A Complete Course for the Open-Water Peddler. Amazon Publishers. McGraw. Pp. 51-149. Paddy T (2002.Search and Rescue Framework for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland .Queen’s Printer and Controller Commonwealth Search and Rescue (2006) Rapid Assistance to Community Emergencies (2010), "Rapid Assistance to Community Emergencies". Retrieved 2010-12-24 Commonwealth Search and Rescue (2006) Read More