Institutional Degradation of Technical Rescue Programs

Tim Rogers RESCUE INSTRUCTORS GROUP-US

Process • In late 2008 issues with

NC-HART performance, during training and responses, were being informally identified and a number of informal attempts were made to address them.

• In 2011, a formal assessment of NC-HART actual capabilities verses expected capabilities was conducted and a report with recommendations was produced

Challenges • Need to maintain

alignment of any helicopter or water rescue program with existing or new NFPA, NIMS, or relevant standards

• Redesign programs so that there are relevant and maintainable skill paths for participants

• Make it affordable • Have previous training

and/or certifications count

Concerns • The number of skill sets

required per discipline, sub-discipline, course, advanced courses, and as those apply to various environments.

• Standards by which their requirements are overwhelming.

• The effect that each piece of existing or new equipment has on training and maintainable training.

NFPA Standards

• NFPA 1006 (2008 Edition) – Chapter 4 – Chapter 5 – Chapter 6 – Chapter 11 – Chapter 12

• NFPA 1670 – Chapter 4 – Chapter 9

NIMS SAR Credentialing • Project started in

2005 • 27 SAR job titles

consist of – Requisite and

recommended criteria

• Training • Education • Physical/Medical

Fitness • Certifications

NIMS Requisite Criteria • Applicable NFPA 1006, 1670, 1500, and 1952

Standards • Applicable ASTM Standards • OSHA 1910.120 or NFPA 472 • OSHA 1910.120 or 1910.134 • Minimum EMS First Responder per NFPA 1670 • Training conducted in Class 3 water per AWA

Section VI-Safety Code • Night Operations • ICS 100 and 200 • FEMA IS-700 and IS 800 • Medical and Physical Fitness Requirement Per the

AHJ (There are additional requisite criteria based on job

requirements.)

NIMS Job Titles/Water

• Swiftwater/Flood Rescue Technician (SFRT) • SFRT-Boat Bowman-Endorsements (SFBB) • SFRT-Boat Operator-Endorsements (SFBO) • SFRT-Animal Rescue (SFAR) • SFRT-Squad Leader (SFSL) • SFRT-Strike Team/Task Force Leader (SFTM) • SFRT-Technical Specialist (SFTS) • SFRT-Logistics Specialist (SFLS) • SFRT-Medical Specialist (SFMS)

NIMS Job Titles/Helicopter • Helicopter SAR Technician-HSRT • Helicopter SAR Crew Chief-HSRC • Helicopter SAR Pilot-HSRP (Endorsement is based on the

environments the rescuer would be operating in such as mountain/technical, still water, swiftwater, land, or urban areas)

Perpsective We use to look at a product and asked, “What can we add?” Now we look at a product and ask, “What can we take away?” Yvon Chouinard Since 9/11/2001, some 200 state sponsored Type 1 and/or Type 2 USAR teams have been created in the USA on top of the existing 28 federal teams

Water Task Force/Boat Squad Type V: Single Resource Model

Water Rescue Squad Leader (1)

SRT Bowman (2) SRT Boatman (2)

5 Total Personnel

Helicopter Assets

Type 4 Through Type 1 Teams

Assignments One aircraft assigned to support Type 4 or Type 3 Teams

Two aircraft assigned specifically to a Type 2 or Type 1 Team Minimum of four aircraft assigned to an area of operation

Air Operations Group/Branch (Assigned to TFL, Area, or Division)

Helicopter 1 7 Personnel

4 Aircrew-3 Rescuers Including RTL)

Helicopter 2 7 Personnel

(4 Aircrew-3 Rescuers Including RTL)

Helicopter 3 7 Personnel

(4 Aircrew-3 Rescuers Including RTL)

Helicopter 4 7 Personnel

(4 Aircrew-3 Rescuers Including RTL)

Water Task Force Type IV: Initial Swiftwater Rescue

Model

Water Rescue Mgr (1)

Water Rescue Squad Leader (2)

Logistics Specialist

Tech Info/Comm Specialist

SRT Boat Operator (4) SRT Bowman (4)

13 Total Personnel

Water Task Force Type III: Extended Local Flooding

Model Task Force Leader (1)

Safety Officer (1)

Logistics Spec (2)

Comm. Spec (1)

Water Rescue Mgr (1)

Water Rescue Squad Leader (3)

SRT Boat Operator (6)

SRT Bowman (6)

Tech Info Specialist (1)

22 Total Personnel

Water Task Force Type II: Wide Area Flood Model

35 Total Personnel

Task Force Leader (1) Assistant Task Force Leader (1)

Plans Mgr (1)

Safety Officer (1)

Logistics Mgr (1)

Logistics Spec (1) Tech Info Spec (1)

Medical Mgr (1)

Comm. Spec (1)

Dispatcher (1)

Water Rescue Mgr (1)

Water Rescue Squad Leader (2)

Water Rescue Squad Leader (3)

Water Rescue Mgr (1)

SRT Boat Operator (6)

SRT Bowman (6)

SRT Boat Operator (4)

SRT Bowman (4)

Water Task Force Type I: Hurricane Model

35 Total Personnel

Task Force Leader (1) Assistant Task Force Leader (1)

Search & Rescue Mgr (2) Plans Mgr (2)

Safety Officer (2)

Logistics Mgr (2)

Logistics Spec (2) Technical Info. Spec (2) Canine Team (2)

Rescue Spec (2) Rescue Spec (2)

Medical Spec (1) Medical Spec (1)

Canine Team (2)

HAZMAT Spec (1) HAZMAT Spec (1)

Tech. Search Spec (1)

Tech. Search Spec (1)

Structures Spec (1)

Structures Spec (1)

Medical Mgr (2)

Comm. Spec (2)

Dispatcher (2)

Water Rescue Mgr (2)

Water Rescue Squad

Water Rescue Squad

Water Rescue Squad

Water Rescue Squad

Water Rescue Squad

Water Rescue Squad

NC SWFT/Flood Courses

• Flood Response Agency Employee-1 Day-NFPA Awareness

• River Rescue Technician-2 Days-NFPA Compliant Only

• Flood Response Technician (SFRT) 4 to 5 Days-NFPA and NIMS Compliant

• Additional Qualification Modules/Endorsements – SFSL-1 Day-NIMS Compliant – SFAR-Undetermined-NIMS Compliant – SFLS-1 to 2 days-NIMS Compliant – SFMS-1 day-NIMS Compliant – SFTS-Undetermined-NIMS Compliant – SFTM-5 days-NIMS Compliant

NC Boat Courses

Following qualification as a Flood Response Technician (SFRT)

• SFBB and SFBO-5 Days-NIMS Compliant – Endorsements

• PWC • John Boats • Air Boats (Not hovercraft!)

Helicopter Courses Under Development/To Be Proposed

• Helicopter Rescue Operations-NFPA Compliant – Endorsements

• Mountain-Technical

• Still water • Swiftwater • Land • Urban/USAR

Under Development

• Position Task Book (PTB) will be created and issued to each participant

• Refresher/upgrade courses will be developed for each job title with a requirement schedule

Capability Assessment and NC-HART Program

Standardization

Capability • Training • Equipment • Management • Personnel

As they relate to the hazard assessment,

needs assessment, or environment.

Capability Relationships

Asset Capability Options

Institutional Degradation

Institutional Degradation Cause

• Compression From The Walls Of: – Time Constraints – Interest-By leadership, participants, or the

public – Relevance – Funding Constraints

Five Stages of Decline How the Mighty Fall

Jim Collins

• Hubris born of success • Undisciplined pursuit of more

• Denial of risk and peril • Grasping for salvation

• Capitulation to irrelevance or death

NC-HART Capability Assessment

• What is our desired capability based on: – What we are doing? – What we want to do? – What we think we can do? – What we need to do? – What we know we cannot do based on time or

funding? – The known or given limitations of a platform?

NC-HART Capability Assessment

Four levels of existing capabilities have been identified based on: Previous experiences during training Previous experiences during missions National and international helicopter rescue

response trends Environments Equipment The capabilities of airframes, aircrews, and

HSART members

NC-HART Capability Assessment

Capability and standardization can be then based on Level 1 through Level 4 approach

Levels would course through airframes and each aircrew or HSART member

Considerations are: Limitations of airframe Direction from the Air Boss

NC-HART Capability Standardization

Identify the desired level of capability for each airframe

Determine frequency of training for same Determine training location and

environment based on the airframe, desired capability level, and frequency

Temper such with sessions that address fundamental skills

Include and identify sessions that do not require an airframe or external support

Continue to evaluate program trends- are we doing what we think we are doing

Thank You

• Questions? • Concerns? • Comments?