Basic Rescue Honor

Science & Health

Requirements

1. What is emergency rescue?

   Answer: You must demonstrate to the instructor that emergency rescue is the quick and organized action to remove a victim from a situation of imminent risk to life — fire, drowning, electric shock, burial, accident — using techniques that are safe for the rescuer and for the victim. — The golden rule of rescue is: the rescuer's safety comes first — an injured rescuer becomes another victim. Scene assessment (hazards such as loose wires, fire, gases) precedes any action. The Fire Department (193) and SAMU (192) are the standard phone numbers in Brazil. Basic training in rescue is mandatory in schools and companies through the CIPA in most states.

2. Demonstrate how to safely rescue a person in the following situations:
   • In contact with an electrical cable
   • In an environment full of smoke or gas
   • With clothes on fire
   • Drowning, without any rescue equipment
   • An accident on the ice

   Answer: You must demonstrate to the instructor: 1) Electrical cable — turn off the power first, then move the victim away with an insulating object (a dry piece of wood, a broom handle), never touch the victim in direct contact; 2) Smoke/gas — enter crouched (gases rise), ventilate the area, remove the victim quickly, breathe through a damp cloth if necessary. 3) Clothing on fire — do not let the person run; make them STOP, DROP and ROLL on the ground, or smother the fire with a blanket/thick clothing; then cool the burn with water; 4) Drowning, without equipment — do not enter the water unnecessarily; REACH (a branch, an oar, your hand), THROW (a float, a rope, a sealed bottle) or take something that floats; only swim to the victim if you are trained; 5) Ice accident — do not walk on the ice; lie down to spread your weight and extend a branch, rope or ladder to the victim, pulling them while lying down, and call for help. — In all situations, the rescuer's safety is the priority. Touching a victim on an electrical cable transmits the shock. Toxic gases such as CO rise little — crouching helps you breathe. 'Stop-drop-roll' is the standard technique for clothing on fire (flames need air). A drowning victim grabs the rescuer and both may die — hence throw a float first and only enter with technique.

3. Know three ways to attract and communicate with an aerial rescue.

   Answer: Three ways to attract and communicate with an aerial rescue: 1) Ground visual signals — three fires arranged in a triangle (international distress signal), an SOS code or large letters formed with stones, logs or colored clothing on the ground, and colored flags/cloths at high points; 2) Mirror signal or reflective surface — reflect sunlight toward the aircraft (heliograph), visible for several kilometers; 3) Smoke and light signals — dark smoke by day (burning rubber, oil, green leaves) or light smoke against a dark background, and at night intense fires or flashing lights/flashlights. In addition, standardized body gestures (arms raised in a V = I need help) and a whistle/radio also signal. — The triangle of fires is an international signal recognized by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). SOS in Morse code is '...---...' (3 short, 3 long, 3 short). A signaling mirror reflects at 7 km away on a clear day. Orange/red color contrasts better with green vegetation. In wilderness settings, staying calm and making yourself visible is more important than walking.

4. Know six recommended actions in case of need for an immediate rescue.

   Answer: Six actions in case of need for an immediate rescue: 1) Stay calm — panic hinders decisions; 2) Assess the scene quickly — identify risks to the rescuer and to the victim before acting; 3) Ensure your own safety first — do not become another victim; 4) Call specialized help — Fire Department 193, SAMU 192, Police 190, giving the exact location and situation; 5) Eliminate or move away the danger, if possible (turn off power, smother fire, ventilate gas) before approaching; 6) Remove the victim from the risk using a safe technique and provide first aid until professional help arrives. — The order of actions saves lives — skipping assessment leads the rescuer to become a victim. The recovery position prevents unconscious people from choking. The Fire Department (193) is the universal number in Brazil; in other countries, 911 (USA), 112 (EU). Basic first aid training is mandatory for professional drivers, police officers and firefighters. The Red Cross offers courses open to the public in most Brazilian capitals.

5. Know six procedures to follow before removing a victim from a life-threatening situation.

   Answer: Six procedures before removing a victim from a life-threatening situation: 1) Assess the scene and identify all dangers (fire, electrical wires, gases, collapse); 2) Ensure your own safety using PPE/protection where possible and eliminate/move away the risk; 3) Call specialized help (193/192) before or while acting; 4) Check the victim's level of consciousness (call out and lightly touch the shoulders); 5) Check breathing and pulse/circulation; 6) Suspect and protect the cervical spine, aligning and stabilizing the head and neck to move the victim as a unit, choosing the removal technique appropriate to the weight and the injuries. — Moving a victim unnecessarily can worsen injuries — especially in spinal trauma. But in imminent risk (fire, toxic gases, rising water), removal is a priority over stabilizing. The cervical spine must always be treated as unstable until proven otherwise. STOP (Stop, Signal, Protect) is a basic mnemonic in first aid used by Brazilian firefighters and professional SAMU teams, standardized.

6. Know the appropriate ways to help a victim in danger in the following situations:
   • Pulling the victim
   • Hoisting/lifting the victim
   • Helping the victim to walk

   Answer: You must demonstrate to the instructor: 1) Pull the victim — use a cloth or blanket under them and drag by the arms or feet (holding the ankles), keeping the head/spine aligned to minimize trauma; 2) Hoist/lift — embrace the victim from behind passing your arms under the armpits (Rautek maneuver), supporting the torso against your body and lifting with your legs (not with your back). 3) Help the victim walk — put their arm over your shoulders, hold their wrist with one hand and support their waist with the other, walking at the same pace and serving as support. — The 'Rautek grip' is the standard technique for removing victims from cars in a collision. Lifting with the legs (and not the spine) protects the rescuer. To support walking, stay on the victim's weak side (the side opposite the injured limb, if any). A blanket allows dragging without causing direct friction on the skin/clothing over longer distances until reaching a distant safe place.

7. Know the proper way to help a victim, with the help of others, in the following situations:
   • Carrying a person in a seated position
   • Carrying a person lying down
   • Carrying with a two-handed seat or a four-handed seat
   • Carrying with a blanket
   • Carrying a victim in a hammock with three people, in dorsal and ventral decubitus
   • Carrying with three or four people

   Answer: You must demonstrate to the instructor: 1) Seated — two people with hands forming a seat (crossing wrists to form a seat); 2) Lying down — three to four people lifting together, supporting the head, back, hips, legs; 3) Two-hand seat (simple seat) or four-hand seat (seat with a backrest, holding your own wrists). 4) With a blanket — lay the victim on a firm blanket and several people hold the rolled edges, lifting together; 5) In a hammock, with three people — two hold the ends (head and feet) and the third supports the middle, transporting in a supine (face up) or prone (face down) position, depending on the injury; 6) With three or four people — everyone positions themselves alongside the victim, kneels, slides their arms underneath and lifts at the same time, at a leader's command, keeping the spine aligned. — Coordinated carrying prevents the victim from falling and injury to the rescuers. The 'four-hand seat' (also called the fireman's seat) is the standard technique for a conscious victim without serious injury. A blanket is an improvised stretcher when there is no other option. A hammock and/or a rigid stretcher require coordination between rescuers — usually one counts '1, 2, 3, lift!' to synchronize.

8. Make an improvised stretcher and carry a person on it.

   Answer: You must show the instructor an improvised stretcher built by you: you can use 2 parallel broom handles/branches tied into shirts or jackets with the sleeves turned inside (forming a sack); or a blanket between 2 poles; or a hammock tied to two poles; or doors/boards as a rigid base. — An improvised stretcher is vital in remote places without professional equipment. Shirts/jackets with the sleeves turned inside form tubes through which the branches pass — a firefighting and army technique. A rigid stretcher (door/board) is best for a suspected spinal injury. Coordination is crucial: one rescuer counts for everyone to lift together. Firefighters train this improvisation in basic courses, always.

9. Complete the following items:
   • Tie at least 3 knots for joining ropes
   • Tie a knot for shortening a rope
   • Tie a knot to use around someone in a rescue
   • Coil and correctly throw a light rope and a heavy rope, 15 meters each.

   Answer: You must demonstrate to the instructor: 1) 3 knots to join ropes — Reef (square) knot, Fisherman's knot, Double Fisherman's knot; 2) Knot to shorten a rope — Sheepshank (shortens without cutting); 3) Knot for rescue around the victim — Bowline or Lyon chair (a secure loop that does not tighten under tension). 4) Coiling and throwing the rope — make loops in your hand, separate the rope into two parts (one to throw, the other held in your hand), aim beyond the victim and throw firmly; practice with a light rope and a heavy one, 15 meters each, until you hit the target. — The bowline is the 'king of knots' — easy to tie, easy to untie even after a load. The reef knot is the basic knot for joining equal ropes. The sheepshank shortens without cutting — useful when the rope is too long. Throwing a heavy rope requires more technique: body turned, releasing with the weight, hand holding the end. In mountaineering and firefighting, these knots are trained until they become an automatic reflex, always.

10. What steps should be taken before reporting that someone is missing? What information will be needed when reporting a missing person to the police? How should the search for someone lost in a wilderness area be conducted?

    Answer: 1) Steps before reporting the disappearance — confirm that the person is not in their usual places (home, school/work, friends, hospitals), try to make contact by all means (phone, messages, social media), and alert the police as soon as possible (in Brazil you do NOT need to wait 24h; for a child, an elderly person or a vulnerable person the alert must be immediate). 2) Information needed by the police — full name, age and date of birth, physical description (height, weight, skin/hair/eye color, marks/scars/tattoos), recent photo, the clothing and objects they were wearing, the last place and time they were seen, health condition and medications, and contacts of family members/friends. 3) How to conduct searches in a wilderness area — stay calm and appoint a coordinator; establish the 'point last seen' (PLS) as a base; organize the search in a line/sweep with people spaced out and in visual contact, marking the areas already swept; leave one person fixed at the base point and notes/signs in case the lost person returns; use whistles, coordinated shouts and sound signals, pausing to listen for responses; make use of daylight, record trails and never disperse alone; and call the Fire Department/Civil Defense for a professional search. — Missing children — the report should be filed immediately (do not wait 24h). The Amber Alert system alerts the entire country. In wilderness areas, lost victims tend to go downhill (looking for water) or walk in circles. Search teams use GPS, sniffer dogs and modern drones. SAR (Search and Rescue) is the international technical term for these search and rescue operations.