What is the purpose of a primary search?

All firefighters know that a primary search is the "rapid" search of an area to find viable victims during an emergency scene. Generally, we associate this term with a search of an occupancy during a structure fire, predominantly residential. In order to ensure it's done well, you should consistently practice primary search skills as a team to learn how to operate and the strengths/weaknesses of individual members, as well as the tactics that can be applied to both residential and commercial properties. This skill is one of the reasons firefighters get tax support from our constituents — they want to know that should they be trapped in a structure fire, the arriving crews will rapidly find and rescue them. Without the primary rescue responsibilities, we are just there to put water on fire, which any individual could do.

As we respond, certain "givens" will start to prioritize our rescue-based fireground tactics. These givens are pre-arrival size-up factors that are evident or gathered from dispatch as we respond. The factors consist of time of day, type of occupancy and 911-caller information.

Other information we gather once on scene — vehicles in the driveway or in front of the occupancy, lights on in the structure, information from occupants or neighbors, etc. — can indicate victims may be trapped. But always be aware that conducting a search is one of the most dangerous activities firefighters perform. We should not be risking the lives of firefighters for a victim recovery nor should we be trading lives during very risky rescues.

The primary search is an immediate task performed by firefighters in teams of two. This process should be systematic and fast. It may be done in conjunction with trying to find the seat of a fire, or if your system has the resources, can be performed by its own assigned personnel (engine vs. truck company assignments). If you are lucky enough to have the NFPA 1710 personnel numbers, you can often perform both primary search and location/confinement of the fire at the same time. If you are more of the NFPA 1720 type of department, your on-scene conditions should direct you to prioritize your resources for rescue.

• Always turn the same direction when searching (left or right hand search pattern).
  
• Try to stay in contact with a wall to keep from getting lost. If necessary, consider using a search rope to cover areas not covered in the wall-based search.
  
• When searching non-standard rooms (irregular shapes or larger in area), consider search ropes to prevent loss of direction.
  
• Remember that thermal cameras are a great tool for primary search. However, a team must be practiced in utilizing them to assist with search methods. The team must also carry a spare camera battery and be prepared to shift into standard search methods should the thermal camera fail.
  

It's important to bear in mind that just because we are on the floor searching, it does not mean the victims are; check upper areas of beds, sofas, etc. for victims, and be aware of the existing heat levels. Check under, behind and on top of objects. Check locations such as closets, bathtubs and under beds (kids' favorite hiding spots). Stop occasionally to listen for any possible sounds being made by victims. Don't hesitate to request a hoseline if you did not bring one to protect escape routes or keep the fire from the victims, have a secondary means of escape and keep watch on changing fire and structural conditions, remembering to update the IC of conditions and progress.

When considering the best methods to search smaller occupancies, whether residential or commercial spaces with sub-divided areas such as office spaces, consider the following process from the Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute at the University of Maryland:

Small area search — residential or commercial with individual offices 1. Carry necessary tools (entry tools, hand light, radio, search rope or webbing, etc.) 2. Check door with back of hand before entering to determine if fire is on the other side 3. If door opens in, stay to side away from door opening to avoid fire and heat (put rope or webbing on doorknob in case the door needs to be pulled closed) 4. If door opens out, stay behind door to avoid fire and heat (use a foot to stop the door from opening further than desired) 5. Stay low and open door slowly 6. Search in teams of at least two with team members staying in visual or voice contact with each other 7. If the smoke is light (firefighters can see their toes) the search can be conducted while walking, otherwise crawl on hands and knees 8. One firefighter should maintain contact with the wall while searching the perimeter of the room if both firefighters are staying together 9. If the two firefighters split, both firefighters should maintain contact with the wall while searching the middle area of the room 10. Tools can be used to probe areas 11. Be sure to stay low if crawling but search upper areas especially the surfaces of beds, couches, and chairs 12. Use a hand light to extend visual reach 13. Once the two firefighters have met or reached the entrance point, there may be a need to search the middle area if this has not already been searched 14. Once the room has been searched, close the door and mark it to indicate that the primary or secondary search has been completed 15. Move from room to room until the entire structure has been searched 16. Larger structures may require multiple search teams 17. If the building being searched is an apartment building with a common corridor, teams may be assigned to each side of the hallway 18. If there are rooms running off the room being searched, mark the point of departure from the initial search so that the initial search can be resumed after the other room or rooms have been searched 19. Once the search has been completed, advise the Command Post of the results

One of the basic fire ground operations that is completed at every structure fire is a search. The search is where we address the life safety priority on the fire scene for the occupants of the structure. Within the search operation, we have a primary and secondary search that is to be completed before we can declare an “all clear” for the entire structure. 

The primary search is going to be conducted first with the secondary search being done to follow up the primary search. As basic as this may sound and as simple as it may seem for understanding, it is good to differentiate between the two so that the operation for each is carried out as required. 

The primary search is an organized search but with the focus being on key areas where occupants will be found commonly when trying to escape. It is a quick search racing against time – time of the fire growing in size and the time available for the occupants to survive being exposed to the toxic effects of the smoke and unburned particles of combustion. The quicker they are found, the quicker they will be removed from the environment and have access to medical attention. The secondary search is a much slower search where time is not a factor. This type of search is looking at every spot in the building to ensure that no one was missed during the primary search. 

Our focus is going to be on the primary search and more importantly on the floor of the structure. The floor is where we are going to find our occupants with the exception of the bed (including bunk beds) and bathtub. The common locations of where we are going to find our occupants in a structure fire will be at the fire location, exit points such as at the window, doors, hallway, stairs, and based on time of day, in their beds. 

With knowing these common locations, when an occupant succumbs to the effects of the products of combustion, they are going to fall on the floor – this is where we are going to find them the majority of the time. So, in light if this, we need to cater the search to always focus on the floor for the search firefighter. The lead firefighter will focus on building orientation and leading the search on. 

In Photo 1, we see an example of the common search conducted by some firefighters – the wall patter. The lead firefighter as mentioned needs to maintain building orientation and to do this will need to have one hand on the wall with the other hand on the haligan to lead. The one hand on the wall will be sweeping the wall high and low. The search firefighter will be searching off the lead firefighter and will need to focus on the floor. Photo 1 shows how a search team can waste their time by feeling up the wall instead of focusing on the floor – the wall is not where we are going to locate occupants. 

In Photo 2 we see another example of a common search mistake – searching on top of furniture and/or appliances. Many firefighters when they encounter an appliance or a piece of furniture like a table or side table, they feel the need to search the top of it. As mentioned previously, we are fighting against time when doing a primary search and taking the time to search or sweep the top of the table or the stove is a waste of time. It is not just a sweep that occurs usually, but rather a patting and feeling around on top of the appliance and furniture. Much time is wasted by “feeling” or “patting” the tops of appliances and tables. The occupants inside the structure are not going to be on top of the stove or table, they are going to be on the floor. 

Photo 3 shows another example of a common search mistake – searching in and around appliances and furniture.  In this syndrome, the search firefighter takes the time to search behind the appliance or piece of furniture like a sofa, the sides of the appliance or furniture where it rests against a wall and in the case of the fridge, search up it to the top. Searching around the appliance on the floor area in front of it is where we want to focus – it is on the floor area that we will locate the occupant. As mentioned in the previous point, much time is wasted searching behind – occupants will not be located behind a fridge or a sofa unless they are put there on purpose, and this would constitute a crime scene. 

The only time that a search firefighter will search up a piece of furniture is when they are in a bedroom and feel the legs of a bunk bed or when in the bedroom, feel no bed present. This should clue in the search firefighter that there is a bunk bed and that needs to be swept on top to ensure no one is present. The same is to be done with a normal bed or sofa couch – sweep the top in one pass to ensure no one is present. Do not take to much time to “pat” the top of the bed or sofa. 

To help curtail these practices and to develop the proper practice of focusing on the floor, training is what is needed. Practice on a regular basis is what will help to build the muscle memory to focus on the floor. Any access to an acquired structure or a fixed facility will work – just make sure to transform it into a real search environment with realistic furnishings and items on the floor like carpet or clothes on the floor.  

Mark van der Feyst has been in the fire service since 1999 and is currently a firefighter with the FGFD. He is an international instructor teaching in Canada, the United States, FDIC and India. He is a local level suppression instructor for the Pennsylvania State Fire Academy and the lead author of Fire Engineering’s Residential Fire Rescue book and other DVDs. He can be contacted at .