Communicating in a Search Line
What do you do when you hear this command?
"Halt the Line"
Stop immediately
What body parts begin to get cold first?
Fingers, ears and toes.
What are two signs of early frostbite?
Bonus 200: Name three treatment steps for early frostbite
Signs of early frostbite are when the skin turns from red to white and waxy and when there is numbness in the affected area.
To treat early frostbite;
Warm the affected area using body heat.
Hands and feet can be placed in another team member’s armpit for warmth.
Put on more dry layers after warming the area.
Move to a warm area.
What direction do you move in a search line?
Straight forward.
What do you do when you hear this command?
"Forward the line"
Move forward.
(Start walking and searching for clues)
1 long blast means:
Assemble on the signal origin. (Line up for a search line along the team leader)
Explain the layer principle.
Wear several loose layers of clothing keep a person warmer than one bulky item of clothing.
The multiple layers trap warm air pockets, which help maintain a uniform body temperature.
What are three signs of early hypothermia?
Bonus 300: Name three treatment steps for early hypothermia
Three signs of early hypothermia are uncontrollable shivering, numbness, pale
Three treatments steps for early hypothermia are;
To keep the patient warm and dry.
Remove wet clothing.
Warm the central body before the extremities, to keep blood from flowing away from the major organs. If available, place hot packs on the neck, in the armpits, and in the groin.
What are you looking for in a search line?
Clues or signs that a missing person (or aircraft depending on the mission) was in that area.
Name three types of clothes to prevent cold weather injuries.
Socks, thermal underwear, sweater or sweatshirt, uniform, field jacket liner, field jacket, knit hat, glove liners and gloves.
1 short blast means:
Forward the line. (Move forward)
What should you do when it starts to rain or you walk through a puddle and your clothes get wet?
Change your wet clothing preferably within the next 30 minutes maximum.
Name three signs of late frostbite
Bonus 300: Name three treatment steps for late frostbite
Three signs of late frostbite is when the skin turns mottled or blotchy, yellow, and much later greyish blue.
Three treatment steps for late frostbite are;
Transport the patient to medical care immediately.
If transport is not immediately available, immerse the affected area in warm (not hot) water until circulation and re-warming occur.
Do not let the affected part touch the sides of the container the body part is immersed in.
How fast does the search line move?
As fast as the slowest person.
What directions should you be searching in a search line?
Forward, down, left, right, up. (EVERYWHERE)
2 short blasts:
Stop the line.
What materials are good for keeping the body warm even when it is wet?
Wool, polypropylene and Gore-Tex are good fabric choices that remain warm when wet.
Name three signs of late hypothermia
Bonus 400: Name three treatment steps for late hypothermia
Three signs of late hypothermia are drowsiness, inability to perform simple actions, slow pulse and breathing rate, failing eyesight and a “glassy stare. Finally unconsciousness.
Three treatment steps for late hypothermia are;
To handle the patient gently
Place in a head-down position
Transport the patient to medical care immediately.
When does the search line have farther apart space between each member?
Wider areas such as flat fields, meadows, large trails. Spaces that need more searching.
Why does heat in other body parts transfer its heat to your core?
This heat is transferred to heat up your core because vital organs need to be warm for you to function.
Our bodies constrict the blood vessels that keep our extremities warm and redirect that blood flow to the core to keep our vital organs warm.
3 short blasts means:
Help or danger signal. (Stop immediately)
If the skin is wet, it will lose heat ___ times faster than if it is dry.
If the skin is wet, it will lose heat twenty times faster than if it is dry.
Why shouldn't you massage a frozen body part?
When the skin’s temperature drops low enough, ice crystals form around and within the cells, freezing tissue and possibly rupturing cells.
If you massage those crystals, more damage can occur because rubbing those sharp crystals around can pierce the insides of your body.
How is a hasty search different than a regular search line?
A hasty search is a fast, quick search. A regular search line is much more thorough, so it takes longer to search.
What materials are NOT good for keeping the body warm especially when wet?
Rubber or vinyl coats are extremely bad because they hold the body’s moisture in.