Rescue Expert Witness On Standards For Fire & Rescue Industry Part 1

In Standard for Technical Rescue, rescue expert witness Gerald M. Dworkin, Lifesaving Resources Inc., writes:

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) establishes standards for the Fire and Rescue industry. In February 2004, they published NFPA 1670: Standard on Operations and Training for Technical Search and Rescue Incidents. The purpose of this standard was to minimize threats to rescuers while conducting operations at technical search and rescue (SAR) incidents, and the standard deals specifically with identifying and establishing levels of functional capability for conducting technical rescue operations safely and effectively.

Lifesaving Resources Inc. advocates the need to conduct a Threat Assessment of the aquatics facility and the implementation of these principles within the Lifeguard and Aquatic Recreation Sector as follows:

The Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) needs to (A) assess the technical rescue hazard within the facility/system; (B) identify the level of operational capability required; and (C) establish operational criteria.

Read more: www.lifesaving.com.