Orienting Better Searches

The performance of a rapid, efficient search is vital on any fire where interior operations are taking place. This is, perhaps, the number one way firefighters achieve the goal of making life safety our ultimate priority. Despite the attention that completing a quality search receives, poor search tactics are still prevalent. Much of the shortfall can be blamed on either the mentality that "this is how we have always done it" or the handicapping of state requirements for certification. I challenge you to consider your own ways of performing search, and ask the question, "can it be done better?"


Conventional teaching states that in low to zero visibility a firefighter should be crawling on all fours, similar to that of an infant. It is then the job of one firefighter to stay against a wall to remain oriented to the structure, and the job of the other to "search out" while maintaining close verbal, and preferably physical, contact with the oriented firefighter.

A search in this manor can be completed in a timely fashion, but there are some significant disadvantages to simply clawing. What often happens is the search team becomes very linear; they end up doing little more than scanning the perimeter of the room being searched. True, victims can be found, however, significant portions of the structure remain unsearched. Also, the body's natural tendency in this position is to stare directly at the floor under the body. Attempts to look forward place a strain on the neck, and can sometimes be hindered by our own PPE (ie. helmet contacting the SCBA bottle, hood pulling in the opposite direction as it is being held into the coat). Finally, little can be done from this position if a hazard, such as a hole in the floor, is encountered. Our center of gravity is shifted higher due to the weight of our helmet and SCBA, and could carry our momentum directly into that hazard.  

The solution to these issues came simply by changing the way I was orienting my body. Rather than crawling on all fours, I instead swing my legs out perpendicular to the wall that is being searched off of.  This places the body in a horizontal position that allows for much wider search pattern; this is especially true of two firefighters working in tandem. Areas such as commercial buildings and the more modern "open concept" construction in today's residences require such a method. The plane of vision is also moved from staring at the floor to out into the area being searched. Simply dipping the planted shoulder down allows for a full view of the floor level, while maintaining a much more aggressive position than an army-crawl. I have also found that the speed in which I am able to move is notably faster. 

Obviously, body position is not going to be the only factor in performing better searches. It is, however, a simple tweak that can be accomplished by anyone.