A safe system of work, which is capable of recovering casualties and emergency responders, should be put in place. An example of this is a recoverable system using rope equipment, but that may not be appropriate in all circumstances.
Specialist resources may be required to provide or advise on the equipment and safe systems of work appropriate to the type of unstable ground, to support a safe and effective rescue.
Spread the load
Applying pressure to unstable ground will increase the likelihood of collapse. It may also result in a casualty, emergency responder, equipment or appliance sinking or becoming engulfed. The greater the pressure, the higher the likelihood.
If movement on unstable ground cannot be avoided, consider spreading the load, reducing weight and pressure. This can be achieved using specialist equipment or by taking simple actions, such as removing unnecessary equipment, sitting down or leaning back.
Spreading the load may prevent or slow the movement of unstable ground and can be used to stabilise a casualty’s position before rescue.
Equipment to assist with spreading the load includes:
- Mud mats
- Inflatable rescue paths
- Salvage sheets
- Inflatable hose
- Ladders
- Sleds
Stabilise and extricate the casualty
The stabilisation of a casualty should be prioritised before rescue activities commence. This is to prevent further deterioration of the casualty and the incident from the actions of personnel. Stabilisation may include the use of:
- Life jackets
- Throwlines
- Weight distribution devices
- Mud mats
- Reach devices
Mud and other unstable ground creates suction on a trapped person; as they attempt to move a vacuum can be created. Pulling a casualty trapped in mud without having taken prior action to reduce the effects of this vacuum, such as digging out, lubricating or diluting the substance, may cause additional harm.
Excessive mechanical force should not be used to extricate casualties from entrapment in unstable ground due to the required force to release them. Technical rescue teams should be requested at the earliest opportunity, to provide expertise and equipment to release a casualty. As the casualty may be numbed, for example in cold mud, when digging close to them considerable care should be taken.
Rescue of a casualty from a collapsed sand hole
Due to the location of collapsed sand holes, members of the public may already be attempting to access the entrapped casualty. A multi-agency response is likely to include lifeguards, HM Coastguard, RNLI, fire and rescue service personnel, police and medical responders. The response may also benefit from the controlled assistance of members of the public.
If the attendance of HM Coastguard has not already been requested, this should be done while personnel are en route to the incident. On arrival, relevant information should be gathered from any witnesses to:
- Identify the area of the collapsed sand hole
- Understand how many casualties are involved
- The approximate age or size of the casualties involved
The proximity of coastal waters and tidal conditions should inform situational awareness and decision-making. For further information refer to Water rescue – Check water and tidal conditions.
A cordon should be established to monitor the involvement of all responders, including members of the public, who are assisting with the incident. Deployment of a safety officer may be appropriate.
People should use their hands or manual tools, including improvised items, to remove the sand around the casualty. As the aim is to avoid adding pressure around the trapped casualty and ensure they can breathe, a wider crater excavation rather than a vertical excavation approach should be used.
Concentric circles of rescuers around the location of the casualty should be established using the following process:
- The first line of rescuers sweeps back the sand by using their hands to avoid further injury to the casualty
- To prevent the sand collapsing back into the sand hole, second and subsequent lines of rescuers move the excavated material further away using available equipment, such as spades, rakes or buckets
If access to the casualty’s face is achieved first, it may be possible to secure their airway and provide them with medical oxygen. However, it is important that the ongoing excavation of the sand hole is not halted, as the casualty needs to be extricated as quickly as possible.
It may be possible to use equipment, such as fire and rescue service long boards or even surfboards, to prevent the excavated sand from falling back into the sand hole.
In order to establish a ‘safe state’, the sand hole should be filled in and any excavated material moved before emergency responders leave the scene of the incident, unless advised otherwise by the police.
Check for entanglement
Before extricating the casualty from unstable ground, including a collapsed sand hole, check that they are not entangled below the surface. Their limbs should be checked, to ensure they are not in an unexpected position. Failure to do these checks before moving or lifting the casualty could result in further injury to them.
Post-rescue care
In all but the most minor cases, the casualty should not be allowed to walk out, as sudden release and attempts to stand may induce post-rescue collapse. The casualty should be evacuated in as near a horizontal position as possible and handed over to medical responders for treatment.