Flames are rising from a car, smoke is pouring out of a roof, an industrial accident occurs. Whatever the incident the first important step is to scan and assess the situation. This means gathering information from all available sources through all the senses and experience of a firefighter. Use a thermal imaging camera, visuals and drones to observe. Or collect information from the property owner, examine floor plans, and obtain local knowledge from crews.
Creating insights based on the information at hand is an important part of the scanning process and creates a basis for risk assessments, which guide subsequent actions. Continue to scan the situation to adapt tactics as circumstances change. With a comprehensive understanding of the situation a decision about the next step can be made and adjusted along the way.
Watch this video about the first step of SAVE – Scan.
SAVE is a dynamically applied method where each step can be used in any order. Developed by firefighters for firefighters.
