COLUMBIA, Md. — Fire departments looking to sharpen their search and rescue skills this summer have a new opportunity to put research into practice through the new “HOT Drill Summer” hands-on training social media challenge from the UL Research Institutes’ Fire Safety Research Institute.
The five-week challenge encourages crews to complete a series of hands-on search and rescue training scenarios using the Fire Safety Research Institute’s recently released Search and Rescue Drill Sheets, then share photos, videos and feedback from their training. The initiative is designed to promote evidence-based decision-making and reinforce critical fireground skills.
Each week focuses on a different scenario that builds on the previous drill, helping firefighters develop and apply skills related to entry point selection, ventilation, isolation, coordination with suppression operations and victim removal. The drill sheets are based on findings from FSRI’s search and rescue research and are intended to translate fire dynamics concepts into repeatable, realistic training exercises.
The challenge schedule includes:
- Announcement (June 2): Instructor Guide
- Week 1 (June 9): Victim Removal
- Week 2 (June 16): Pre-Suppression Search with Known Victim Location
- Week 3 (June 23): Pre-Suppression Search with Unknown Victim Location
- Week 4 (June 30): During-Suppression Search with Known Victim Location
- Week 5 (July 7): During-Suppression Search with Unknown Victim Location
The drills are designed as a progressive training series, beginning with foundational concepts and gradually increasing complexity. An instructor guide is also available to help training officers adapt scenarios, facilitate debriefs and emphasize decision-making alongside task execution.
The drill sheets are part of the Fire Safety Research Institute’s updated Search and Rescue Tactics in Single-Family Single-Story Residential Structures online training program, which incorporates the latest findings from full-scale fire experiments and includes additional tactical considerations for search, suppression and ventilation operations.
Departments interested in participating can access the drill sheets and supporting resources through the Fire Safety Research Institute’s Fire Safety Academy and share their results throughout the summer challenge.
Follow #HotDrillSummer on Social
Week 1: Victim Removal
Week 2: Pre-Suppression Search with Known Victim Location
Week 3: Pre-Suppression with Unknown Victim Location
Week 4: During Suppression Search with Known Victim Location
Week 5: During-Suppression Search with Unknown Victim Location
