Shreveport Fire Completes First Structural Collapse Rescue Class

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January  2012

Shreveport Fire Department has finished up an 80-hour urban search and rescue (USAR) course designed to ensure that the citizens of Shreveport are protected in the event of a natural or man-made catastrophe.  Twenty-one SFD personnel participated in the training and have conducted a course ending exercise evaluation. 

The training consists of emergency building shoring; concrete breaching and breaking operations; lifting and moving debris; and search operations.  The course is typically taught by outside contractors and cost between 60,000 to 90,000 dollars; however, this class is being provided solely by Shreveport Fire Department personnel resulting in a substantial savings to the citizens of Shreveport. 

Fire Chief Craig Mulford stated, "This special operations training is representative of the professionalism of the members of this department and the high level of emergency services that we want to be prepared to provide for our citizens and visitors to Shreveport should we ever have a major natural or man-made disaster."

"USAR involves the location, rescue (extrication), and initial medical stabilization of victims trapped in confined spaces. Structural collapse is most often the cause of victims being trapped, but victims may also be trapped in transportation accidents, mines and collapsed trenches. USAR is considered a "multi-hazard" discipline, as it may be needed for a variety of emergencies or disasters, including earthquakes, hurricanes, typhoons, storms and tornadoes, floods, dam failures, technological accidents, terrorist activities, and hazardous materials releases. The events may be slow in developing, as in the case of hurricanes, or sudden, as in the case of earthquakes." Source: http://www.fema.gov/emergency/usr/
Author:Shreveport Fire Department Press Release