Date: July 17 or 18 (1-Day Class)
Class Time: 0800-1700
Location: Carol Stream FPD (365 Kuhn Rd. Carol Stream, IL 60188)
PPE: Full PPE & SCBA

We all know that “as the first line goes, so goes the fire”; although sometimes more importantly, “as the primary goes, so goes the victim”. The sad truth is that too often primary search is taught wrong. If our primary mission truly is saving lives, our search training would focus more on size-up, speed, positioning, efficiency and efficacy; rather than not losing physical contact with our crew, a hose, or a wall.

This class will use data from thousands of actual fireground rescues to put us in the best position possible to locate viable victims. We will practice rescue and search skills that have demonstrated, time and again, fireground success. Specific skills covered will be: oriented search, split search, drags, engine-based searches, and coordinating search with attack and ventilation. We will then spend the afternoon reinforcing the importance of proper tempo and decision-making on the fireground using realistic, guided drills.

Like everything else in the fire service, the devil is in the details; and when it comes to search, so is a successful rescue.