The San Bernardino City Fire Departments Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) personnel are highly trained in and perform all technical rescues in the City of San Bernardino as well as surrounding areas when requested. Rescue 230 is located at Station 10 and is equipped and available to respond any given day to such emergencies including:

Low-angle rope rescue.

Low angle rescue is considered to be terrain that has a slope angle from 15 to 35 degrees. The condition of the terrain will determine the need for and the amount of rope support required. Is it muddy? Are there loose rocks or other debris that would cause poor or slippery footing? How many rescuers are needed to transport the victim and stretcher to safety?

Steep angle rescue is considered to be terrain that has a slope angle from 35 to 60 degrees. Again, the condition of the terrain will determine the level of technical expertise required to perform this rescue safely.

Examples of low and steep angle locations include: vehicles over embankments (victims trapped), hikers trapped in steep terrain and flood control channels where angle my be to steep for good footing.

High-angle rope rescue.

High angle rescue is considered to be terrain that has a slope angle of 60 degrees and higher. Rescuers are totally dependent upon the ropes used to keep them and the victims from falling and to gain access to and egress from the rescue location.

Examples of high angle locations include: sides of buildings, pipe racks, ledges, catwalks, tops of vessels, cranes, and water towers.

Vehicle extrication.

Vehicle extrication is the process of removing a person from a vehicle that has been involved in a motor vehicle accident when conventional means of exit are impossible or unadvisable. This is typically accomplished by utilizing hydraulic tools, including the "Jaws of Life".

Confined Space Rescue.

Confined space rescue is a technical rescue that involves the rescue and recovery of victims involved in situations where there is a confined space, which is defined by OSHA as follows:

1. Having limited or restricted means of entry or exit
2. Is large enough for an employee to enter and perform assigned work
3. Is not designed for continuous occupancy
   

   

A subset of confined spaces are permit required confined spaces which are particularly hazardous due to the presence of one or more of the following:

1. Contains or has the potential to contain a hazardous atmosphere
2. Contains a material that has the potential for engulfing the entrant
3. Has an internal configuration that might cause an entrant to be trapped or asphyxiated by inwardly converging walls or by a floor that slopes downward and tapers to a smaller cross section
4. Contains any other recognized serious safety or health hazards.

Examples include underground vaults, storage silos, storage bins, pits, tanks, sewers, and so forth.

Trench rescue.

Trench rescue involves shoring up the sides of a trench, and digging a trapped worker out of a collapsed ditch.

Swiftwater rescue operations.

Swiftwater Rescue is a technical rescue that involves the use of specially trained personnel, ropes, and mechanical advantage systems often much more robust than those used in rope rescue because of the added pressure of moving water.

The main goal is to use or deflect the water's power to assist in the rescue of the endangered person(s), as in most situations there is no easy way to overcome the power of the water.

Structural collapse search and shoring.

Structural collapse search and shoring is a highly technical skill that requires construction knowledge as well as the ability to create shores (building stabilizers) in the event of a structure collapsing during earthquakes, storms or even vehicles into a building. Once the area is stabilized we are then able to search methodically into void spaces created by the collapse with specialized search cams or search dogs. Once found, we have the specialized equipment to remove and transport the victims.

Forcible entry.

Forcible entry is the act of entering a house or building with destructive methods. It is typically illegal. Our department may need to forcibly enter a building in an emergency such as a fire or explosion. Means of entry range from the simple breaking of a glass window to the use of specialized tools to defeat security locks or to cut an access hole.

Rapid intervention for downed firefighters in fire emergencies.

The "Rapid Intervention Crew" is a special team that comprises two or more firefighters dedicated solely to search and rescue of other firefighters in distress.

Currently Rescue 230 is rated and typed in the State of California as a "Medium Rescue". We are currently pursuing the goal of being typed "Heavy Rescue" in the near future to broaden our rescue capabilities.