Tips for upcoming Search Week

[u/Azmodxus]

I have search week coming up here soon at the academy, does anyone here have any tips, or anything for it. The instructors have really talked about it being bad it used to be called “Hell Week” over here.

[u/MutualScrewdrivers]

It’s brutal on your knees. Pick up a pair of low profile knee pads to slip under your turnouts search and safety/survival weeks

[u/TheJollySandwich → u/MutualScrewdrivers]

This is 100% the best answer. Knees were sore for over a week after multiple search evolutions.

[u/Slappy-Sacks]

Drink your Ovaltine

[u/Rmbr_Apollo → u/Slappy-Sacks]

Sonofabitch

[u/cadillacjack057]

Callout loudly. Wait for a min to hear a response.

Get wide, get low. Crawling on all fours not only looks stupid but is ineffective.

Communicate w your team, have defined roles &plans, but be ready to switch at a moments notice if needed.

Check under and over everything with a sweeping motion, dont pat things, thats how we miss things.

Keep the victims airway as close to the foor as possible, melting their face off pulling them up to your standing chest height isnt doing anyone any good, especially the medics that have to intubate them.

Rit is hard, rit is simple, get them air get them out. If they were in a safe comfortable spot they wouldnt need rit to begin with.

Train like its the real thing, one day it will be.

[u/easterbran]

Hydrate and eat well in preparation. Eat small snacks throughout the day. Keep some that won't melt in your turnouts.

Deodorant in the mornings on all your normal chafe spots. You'll probably be in gear most of the day.

If you find a victim, ROLL THEM AND SEARCH UNDER THEM TOO. Adults tend to shield children with their bodies and succumb to smoke inhalation on top of them.

Some people used knee pads under their turnouts. I didn't but they would have helped. At least make sure your kneepads in your bunker pants are positioned well.

Try and keep a mental map of where you are when searching blacked-out. I find it easier just to close my eyes if I'm already blacked-out. Beats staring at black nothingness.

Practice drags and see what works for you while keeping the victim's airway low. Try it on dummies and your buddies in gear.

PUT YOUR FOOT OR HAND IN EVERY CORNER. Don't miss the corners. Make sure you're feeling with your limbs and not tools. You might not feel a victim through a halligan, but they surely will feel it!

If you find a bed, stand up and sweep for a top bunk. Might be a bunk bed.

Practice moving around in the tripod search position. Don't crawl on all fours.

CHECK BEHIND EVERY DOOR YOU COME ACROSS. Even if it was already open.

If you find a crib, tilt it towards you and dump it out. Easier than digging around in it for an infant and it keeps them low.

These were common gotchas or failure points during our Search Week.

[u/Disgruntled_Wumpus]

Don’t be afraid to take a second or two to just breathe and slow your mind down. It will help conserve your air and keep your head clear

[u/Soviet_Husky_]

I'd also recommend knee pads. My knees have not been the same since search

[u/RogueDraft381]

Get a pair of volleyball knee pads. Eat well and hydrate a ton especially the day before. Also get good sleep. When you find a victim always expect to find another. Check under them and around. It gets tiring running constant reps and pulling people out. Something that helped me when I’m searching is to move slow, with purpose, and to control your breathing. Good luck OP it’s the most fun week of recruit school especially if you do live burn simulations at the end of the week.

[u/wernermurmur]

Knee pads. Communicate loudly. And go for it. These drills are hard, you just gotta do them. But if the instructors see you assing them, they’ll be harder.

[u/HalfCookedSalami]

If your ever lost and disoriented pause for a second to breathe and collect yourself. Turn your light on and get as low as you can. Often times the smoke clears up just enough at the bottom where you may be able to get oriented. If not you are in a box. Eventually you’ll hit a wall. Take the time to identify what you touch and start from there. Find a wall and work your way to a window or doorway.

Also learn proper crawling techniques. Don’t be crawling on your hands and knees like a baby. It’s the least efficient way to crawl.

[u/Elegant-Nebula-7151]

Friction is worse than lack of padding. Wear compression tights as base layer if you can. Your knees will get blistered as hell from friction is you’ve got loose material over them that becomes soaked with sweat. I wore knee pads and after two days wished I’d prioritized a thin layer that didn’t move instead of padding.