Page 15 - West Virgina 811 Magazine 2020 Issue 4

detour all traffic that might create vibrations and cause a secondary cave-in.
• DO NOT attempt to dig the victim out with a backhoe or excavator. The equipment may further injure the victim.
• Do not remove the victim’s tools or equipment until rescuers arrive at the scene. Such items can be helpful in locating the victim.
In addition, the following information should be collected:
• Number of workers trapped
• Where the victim(s) was last seen
• The time the cave-in occurred
• The depth of the trench
• Soil type
• An estimate of how much soil has collapsed on the victim
• The presence of any potentially harmful atmospheres
• Location and condition of all underground utilities
There may be a very strong temptation to jump down into the trench to try to dig out the victim. DO NOT. Untrained or ill-equipped rescuers frequently become victims themselves from secondary cave-ins. Then, all too often, the fire and rescue efforts turn body recovery instead of rescue.
Of course, better than all these measures is avoiding a cave-in in the first place. Do it right the first time, so that a rescue is never necessary.
Across the U.S., many fire departments and rescue squads conduct frequent training exercises in trench rescue, as shown here. Most trench rescue teams use a combination of wood timbers and hydraulic or air shores because the equipment is easily transported and adaptable to many different situations.
2020, Issue 4 West Virginia 811 • 13