Collapsed Structure Rescue Class 2008

Return to the DART Collapsed Structure Rescue Class training page

Overview
Day 1 Activities – Using Cutting and Breaching Tools
Day 2 Activities – Lifting and Moving Heavy Objects
Day 3 Activities – Shore Construction
Day 4 Activities – Constructing shores in offset and confined space conditions
Day 5 Activities – More shore construction and the start of the Final Scenario
Day 6 Activities – Final Scenario

Overview

During the week of May 5-10, 2008, the NASA Ames Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team conducted its annual advanced Collapsed Structure Rescue class. It was a six-day ~70-hour class. This year, 27 students were selected from a large list of applicants who have expressed interest in taking the class. All participants were selected based on experience, knowledge, and skills.

This year we had 7 students from North Carolina, 2 from Hawaii, and 18 from all over California. A large portion came from the eight California Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) task forces. The participating rescue specialists are typically considered to be some of the best in the country.

It took 42 instructors and support personnel to plan, setup and conduct the class. The instructors are past students of the class from all around the country. They volunteer to teach on their own time and dollar because they see the great benefit to the new (fellow rescue specialists) students and themselves. Some of the instructors come back almost every year to participate. They always learn something new from each other during the class.

The Collapsed Structure Rescue Class of 2008