Ground Team Safety Briefing

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Ground Team Safety Briefing

• A Review of Special Terrain and Other Conditions
  During Search Rescue Operations
• By Donald Pond, 2Lt., CAP

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SAFETY BRIEFING OVERVIEW

• The S.T.A.R. Principal
• Be Prepared
• Abandoned Mines and Quarries
• Sinkholes
• Pinnacles
• Tree-Root-Span
• Gorge
• Redefinition of Terrain
• Dams, Dam Releases Rivers
• Weather Effects on Terrain The Ground Team
  Member
• Natural Hazards

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ALWAYS USE THE S.T.A.R. PRINCIPAL

• S STOP
• T THINK
• A ACT
• R REVIEW

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BE PREPAIRED

• FOLLOW THE DIRECTION OF YOUR GROUND TEAM LEADER
• NO FREELANCING
• SAFETY FIRST AND USE COMMON SENSE
• WHEN IN POTENTIALLY UNSTABLE AREAS, WEAR A HARD
  HAT, SAFETY GLASSES AND WORK GLOVES
• BE VISIBLE WEAR A SAFETY VEST
• ALWAYS MAINTAIN COMMUNICATIONS WITH INCIDENT
  COMMAND AT PRE-DETERMINED TIME INTERVIALS

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TERRAIN REVIEW
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QUARRIES

• Area is considered an attractive hazard
• Unstable Vertical Cliff-like High Walls
• Beware of falling hazards
• Water areas in abandoned quarries are known to be
  very deep and dangerous
• Abandoned construction equipment buildings on
  site present an unsafe hiding place for lost
  children

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ABANDONED MINES

• Be aware of Deep Holes and Mine Air Shafts
• Bad Air (Lack of Oxygen or Presence of Deadly
  Gases)
• Underground Mine Fires can exist
  http//www.pahighways.com/features/centralia.html
• Surface Mines are just as dangerous
• Do not gain entry into underground mines. CAP
  personnel are not trained in Mine Rescue and/or
  Confined Space Rescue. If you have any reason to
  believe that your lost subject has entered a
  mine, notify incident command ASAP.

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SINKHOLES

• The map above illustrates where areas of
  carbonate bedrock is located and presents a high
  probability where sinkholes can occur in
  Pennsylvania
• Sinkholes can run hundreds of feet deep and can
  end up at the subterranean water table
• Sinkholes can be near streams/rivers and in open
  fields

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Pinnacles

• Pointed rock mass
• Have natural cliffs (including canyons)
• Risky to navigate
• May have cave openings

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Tree-Root-Span
It is unsafe to travel near tree roots since they
can sometimes support the ground around
sinkholes.
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REDEFINITION OF TERRAIN

• Usually seen in open fields where there are signs
  of heavy water run-off
• May have sinkholes present
• Considered an unstable area
• Stay clear

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GORGES

• Heavy woodland terrain
• High angled slopes and rocky points
• Difficult to navigate
• Safety Concerns

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SWAMPS AND WETLANDS

• Best to navigate around
• Traction in or around these areas can be quite
  difficult and what appears to be stable ground,
  can be very wet/unstable terrain
• If entry into a wetland or marsh is required for
  rescue, treat as a pond or lake and use a
  personal flotation device

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LOCKS DAMS

• Man made structures on waterways. Beware of
  swift currents and rising water during dam
  releases down stream when searching river and
  stream banks. This can take place miles away
  from the dam.

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WEATHER
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WEATHER EFFECTS ON TERRAIN GTM - FLASH FLOODS

• SEEK HIGHER GROUND AWAY FROM RIVER/STREAM BANKS
  WHEN BAD WEATHER THREATENS
• FLASH FLOODS CAN DEVELOP FROM RAIN STORMS THAT
  TAKE PLACE MILES AWAY, SO BEWARE OF WEATHER
  CONDITIONS IN THE REGION
• MONITOR NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADIO BROADCASTS
  FOR SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENTS AND ALERTS

• FLASH FLOODS CAN KILL!

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LIGHTNING STRIKES

• What to Do During a Thunderstorm
• In a forest
• Seek shelter in a low area under a thick growth
  of small trees
• In an open area
• Go to a low place such as a ravine or valley
• Be alert for flash floods
• Squat low to the ground, on the balls of your
  feet. Place your hands over your ears and your
  head between your knees. Make yourself the
  smallest target possible and minimize your
  contact with the ground.
• DO NOT lie flat on the ground
• Anytime you feel your hair stand on
• end indicates that lightning is
• about to strike.

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OTHER WEATHER ISSUES THAT HAVE AN EFFECT ON
TERRAIN GROUND TEAM MEMBERS

• ICE BLACK ICE TRACTION ISSUES
• BEWARE OF ROCK SLIDES DURING SPRING
  THAW
• SLEET FREEZING RAIN VERY DIFFICULT TRAVEL
  CONDITIONS
• HEAVY RAIN FLASH FLOODS
• EXTREME HEAT DEHYDRATION KEEP HYDRATED
• - HEAT STROKE
  MEDICAL EMERGENCY
• EXTREME COLD FROST BITE MEDICAL ISSUES
• HYPOTHERMIA
  MEDICAL EMERGENCY
• DROUGHT WILD FIRES
• WIND TREE FALLS
• -- BREATHING ISSUES WITH DUST
• -- DUST STORMS

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NATURAL HAZARDS For additional information
regarding natural hazards, refer to section
0-0101 Identify Natural Hazards of the CAP
Ground Team Task Manual
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THE UNTOUCHABLES

• Poison Ivy
• Poison Oak
• Poison Sumac

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Poison Ivy

• Three leaves, let it be
• Can grow in open fields and on trees
• Upon contact, can create skin rash (very itchy)
  that spreads
• Can be contained with over-the-counter remedies
• Know what to look for and avoid contact
• Never burn firewood that you suspect has dried
  poison ivy on it. Could cause respiratory
  distress
• For more information regarding poisonous plants
  in Pennsylvania visit http//cal.vet.upenn.edu/p
  oison/agbook/aghome.html

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Poison Oak

• All parts of the plant cause severe skin
  irritation in most people.
• Differs from Poison Ivy in that the leaves and
  drupes have velvety pubescence and it only has a
  shrub form (Poison-Ivy is normally a vine, but
  can grow like a shrub).

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Poison Sumac

• Poison Sumac is fairly common in swamp edges and
  wet woods
• Key features to identify it include large
  alternate leaves usually with 9-13 entire (not
  toothed) leaflets and a red rachis (the stem
  connecting the leaflets). The leaflets are smooth
  and may be shiny above.
• Fall color is brilliant, with a range of hues
  from bright yellow to deep purple.
• All parts of the plant are supposed to be
  poisonous to touch, including the bark.
• Small greenish flowers are followed by white
  fruits, which are technically called drupes.

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SPIDERS
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BROWN RECLUSE SPIDER

• This spider has a leg span of 20-30 millimeters
  (1 inch) and has a violin-shaped marking on its
  back. The venom of the Brown Recluse contains
  chemicals which cause severe tissue damage.
• Brown recluse spiders are not native to
  Pennsylvania and are rarely encountered, but they
  may be transported in boxes and similar items
  from a location where the spiders normally occur.
  

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BROWN RECLUSE SPIDER

• A bite by a Brown Recluse is initially painless.
  After a few hours, the patient may experience
  itching, tingling, redness, and pain at the site
  and a lesion begins to form. This lesion
  resembles several red rings encircling white
  areas, radiating from a white central blister it
  is often referred to as a "bull's eye" or
  "target" lesion. This lesion is usually fully
  evident within 8 hours of the bite and is helpful
  in diagnosing a Brown Recluse bite. If untreated,
  the lesion may blister, ulcerate and eventually
  result in dead tissue. Skin grafting procedures
  may be required to repair the damage.
• Brown Recluse bites require prompt medical
  attention. Treatment may include wound care,
  antibiotics and other symptomatic care. Healing
  of lesions can take weeks or months, depending on
  the severity of the wound. Currently, there is no
  available antidote however, an experimental
  anti-venom is being studied.

• For more information about
  Spiders visit
• http//www.ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/Spide
  r/spiders.htm

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TICKS LYME DISEASE
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TICKS LYME DISEASE

• Ticks can be found in fields and in wooded areas
  throughout Pennsylvania.
• A skin lesion appears as a large round lesion,
  over a period of days or weeks. The center of
  this lesion often tends to progressively clear.
  This condition is called erythema migrans (EM)
  and for the purpose of CDC surveillance
  definition, the lesion must reach a size of 5 cm
  (approximately 2 inches). Associated or secondary
  lesions may be present. This symptom is generally
  accompanied with intermittent fatigue, fever,
  headache, a stiff neck. Later musculoskeletal,
  nervous, and cardiovascular systems exhibit more
  profound manifestations.
• Medical attention is required for proper
  diagnoses and treatment.

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TICKS LYME DISEASE

• The best advice for preventing Lyme disease
  and other tick-borne diseases is to
• Wear protective light-colored clothing while
  outdoors, including a broad-brimmed hat, a
  long-sleeved shirt, and long pants tucked into
  the socks
• Check the body daily for the presence of ticks
• Use tick repellents, DEET, or permethrins
• Use forceps or tweezers to carefully remove ticks
  attached to the skin. Apply gentle, constant
  retraction of the tick where it attaches to the
  skin (not the body of the tick)
• Seek immediate medical attention if signs or
  symptoms or early Lyme disease appear.

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BEE WASP STINGS
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BEE WASP STINGS

• If you are allergic to bee stings, CARRY your
  medication and ADVISE all team members of your
  condition and KEEP your medication in your lower
  right pants pocket.
• Call 911 if a person has an allergy-reaction to
  the insect bit or was stung inside the mouth or
  throat.  People with severe reactions need to go
  to the hospital.
• Stinger removal immediate treatment of bee
  stings should emphasize quick removal. Remove the
  stinger from the skin (if it is still present).
  Carefully scrape the back of a knife or other
  thin straight-edged object across the stinger if
  the victim is able to remain still, and it is
  safe to do so. Otherwise, you can pull out the
  stinger with tweezers or your fingers, but avoid
  pinching the venom sac at the end of the stinger.
  If this sac is broken, more venom will be
  released.

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MOSQUITOES WEST NILE DISEASE
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MOSQUITOES WEST NILE DISEASE

• West Nile virus is a mosquito-borne disease that
  can cause encephalitis, a brain inflammation.
• West Nile fever is a case of mild disease in
  people, characterized by flu-like symptoms. West
  Nile fever typically lasts only a few days and
  does not appear to cause any long-term health
  effects.
• Medical attention is required for proper
  diagnoses and treatment.

http//www.westnile.state.pa.us/
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WEST NILE DISEASE

• All residents of areas where virus activity has
  been identified are at risk of getting West Nile
  encephalitis persons over 50 years of age have
  the highest risk of severe disease. It is unknown
  if immunocompromised persons are at increased
  risk for WNV disease.
• People with mild infections may experience fever,
  headache, body aches, skin rash and swollen lymph
  glands. Most people who are infected with the
  West Nile virus will not have any type of
  illness. It is estimated that 20 of the people
  who become infected will develop West Nile fever
  mild symptoms, including fever, headache, and
  body aches, occasionally with a skin rash on the
  trunk of the body and swollen lymph glands.
• The symptoms of severe infection (West Nile
  encephalitis or meningitis) include headache,
  high fever, neck stiffness, stupor,
  disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions,
  muscle weakness, and paralysis. It is estimated
  that 1 in 150 persons infected with the West Nile
  virus will develop a more severe form of disease.
  
• Symptoms of mild disease will generally last a
  few days. Symptoms of severe disease may last
  several weeks, although neurological effects may
  be permanent.

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VENONMOUS SNAKES
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Pennsylvania Native Venomous Snakes Rattle Snakes

• All Pennsylvania native venomous snakes possess
  the following
• An indentation or pit on each side of the head
  between the eye and nostril,
• A vertically elliptical eye pupil resembling that
  of a cat, and
• A single row of scales on the underside of the
  tail.
• Rattlesnakes usually display one or more rattles.
  However, these can be missing because of natural
  causes.
• Contrary to popular belief, rattlesnakes do not
  always rattle when a person or animal is near.
• There are several signs and symptoms of
  envenomation. They include fang marks, pain and
  possibly a metallic or rubbery taste in the mouth
  several minutes after a bite, with a tingling or
  numbness of the tongue. Other signs include
  significant swelling within 10 minutes of a bite.
  Nausea, weakness and temperature change may
  occur. Black and blue discoloration may appear
  within three to six hours

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Pennsylvania Native Venomous Snakes The
Northern Copperhead

• The northern copperhead is the most widely
  distributed and locally abundant of
  Pennsylvania's three native venomous snake
  species. The timber rattlesnake and eastern
  massasauga rattlesnake are the other two. The PA
  map to the right shows the range that the
  Northern Copperhead can be found.
• Copperheads can be active in Pennsylvania from
  mid-April to late October, and depending on the
  air temperature and latitude, even into November.
  During the warm months they may occupy a variety
  of habitats such as emergent wetlands, areas
  along streams and upland areas. When daytime air
  temperatures soar during the summer, they tend to
  become nocturnal. Humid, warm nights during or
  after a rain are prime times for copperheads to
  be active.

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Pennsylvania Native Venomous Snakes General Info

• Snakes tend to be found near cover such as fallen
  logs, brush piles, rock walls, abandoned house
  foundations or rock ledges. They may be resting
  or lying in wait for prey. Encounters can be
  reduced by watching where you place your hands
  and feet. One should try to walk around, rather
  than step over, fallen logs.
• If a person is bitten by a venomous snake, there
  are several steps that should be taken.
• Do's
• Calm and reassure the patient, and keep the
  patient immobile
• Call the Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222
• You may apply a light constricting band above the
  bite area (be able to insert a finger under the
  band). Do not release the band unless it becomes
  too tight from swelling. 
• Move the victim to a medical facility without
  delay
• A tetanus shot may also be required
• Don'ts
• Don't use ice, cold packs or sprays
• Don't incise and suction unless directed by a
  physician
• Don't use a tourniquet
• Don't give alcohol or any drugs
• Don't wait to see if symptoms develop.
  Immediately transport the victim to a medical
  facility
• For additional info visit http//www.wikihow.com/
  Avoid-a-Rattlesnake-Attack

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Wildlife
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Wildlife Encounters

• BLACK BEARS During spring-summer, stay away of
  mother bears with their cubs, may attack to
  protect cubs. Protect your food supply.
• COYOTES Run in packs. Stay away from recent
  animal kills.
• SKUNKS When they feel threaten, can produce a
  pungent (very nauseating) spray. If sprayed, take
  a bath in tomato juice.
• RACCOONS Can become aggressive at camp site
  seeking food. Protect your food supply.

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Q A
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Thank you for attending todays Safety Briefing