Ground Team Safety Briefing

1. Ground Team Safety Briefing A Review of Special Terrain and Other Conditions During Search & Rescue Operations By Donald Pond, 1Lt., CAP

2. SAFETY BRIEFING OVERVIEW Operational Risk Management (ORM) 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

3. Operational Risk Management Principles Accept no Unnecessary Risk Make Risk Decisions at the Appropriate Level Accept Risk When Benefits Outweigh the Costs Integrate ORM into Planning at all Levels

4. THE ORM PROCESS STEP 1 - IDENTIFY THE HAZARD STEP 2 - ASSESS THE RISK STEP 3 - ANALYZE RISK CONTROL MEASURES STEP 4 - MAKE CONTROL DECISIONS STEP 5 - IMPLEMENT RISK CONTROLS STEP 6 - SUPERVISE AND REVIEW

5. BE PREPAIRED PERSONAL EQUIPMENT CONSIDERATIONS & READINESS 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

6. TERRAIN REVIEW

7. 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

8. 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.

9. 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

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

11. Tree-Root-Span

12. 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

13. GORGES Heavy woodland terrain High angled slopes and rocky points Difficult to navigate Safety Concerns

14. 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

15. 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.

16. WEATHER

17. WEATHER EFFECTS ON TERRAIN & GTM - FLASH FLOODS FLASH FLOODS CAN KILL! 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

18. 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.

19. 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 -- WIND CHILLS

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

21. THE UNTOUCHABLES Poison Ivy Poison Oak Poison Sumac

22. 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/poison/agbook/aghome.html

23. 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).

24. 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.

25. SPIDERS

26. 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.

27. 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/Spider/spiders.htm

28. TICKS & LYME DISEASE

29. 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.

30. 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.

31. BEE & WASP STINGS

32. 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.

33. MOSQUITOES & WEST NILE DISEASE

34. 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.

35. 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.

36. VENONMOUS SNAKES

37. 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

38. 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.

39. 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

40. Wildlife

41. 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.

42. Q & A

43. Thank you for attending today�s Safety Briefing