UVSAR

Books and publications: ProGuide Series: USAR Operations

The only USAR field guide dedicated to UK techniques and equipment

At long last, there's a book specifically written for UK-trained teams - but it's far from being 'just a book'. Each A6-size coil-bound ProGuide is printed on 100% waterproof paper, which can be repeatedly soaked, washed, scrubbed and disinfected without damage. Unlike many other 'waterproof' notebooks, ProGuide paper is produced from polymer film - it can be written on, is resistant to tearing, and will not stick together even after months in a damp pocket. The latest printing technology creates crystal-clear text and graphics that won't scratch or peel away, no matter how much you try.

Can you remember how many nails fix the mid-brace on a vertical 3-post shore? What the sequence of sides is for a window cut? Is methane lighter than air? What are the 15 questions to ask a building owner? With a ProGuide in your pocket, you don't have to.

USAR Operations contains over 100 pages, with everything a team member needs to know from initial searching and safety briefings to step-by-step timber shoring and hot cutting techniques. We cover pulley systems and loads for lifting and moving, confined space access and all the essential reminders for equipment capacities, casualty assessment and list of resources you can call upon. Down to the very last nail, every diagram is fully compliant with UK and international standards and is designed to be crystal-clear to understand, even in the dark and the pouring rain.

How to order

Retail customers can purchase online by clicking the button above. Website shipments to the UK are limited to 24 copies, shipments outside the UK are limited to 4 copies - if you wish to order more than that, or need a pro-forma to raise purchase orders, please contact us and we'll be happy to oblige. Trade customers purchasing for resale should click here for more information.

FAQs

What standards does the ProGuide conform to?

There are four main sets of operational guidance used by the international USAR community: those supplied by FEMA and the US Army Corps of Engineers [USACE], both aimed at teams working within the US Federal disaster response framework, and the documentation issued by the UK USAR committee operating under the Fire Service New Dimensions framework. At a strategic level there are notes issued by INSARAG, but these do not cover detailed operational issues such as shoring patterns.

The ProGuide is broadly compatible with all four, however concentrates on those techniques adopted by UK Fire Service rescue teams. In many cases, the UK USAR national guidance is taken directly from the FEMA training manuals, however there are some differences in equipment and management, required by differing legislation and the need to integrate with other UK agencies. There are also several subjects which do not yet have any UK-specific documentation, and a small number of areas where the UK USAR guidance is not considered acceptable. In these cases, the ProGuide uses the latest FEMA or INSARAG protocols, adapted where required for UK laws.

What are the main differences between the FEMA FOG and your book?

1. The UK has yet to adopt the revised cleat nail patterns from USACE and FEMA.
2. Timber grading is different in the UK and Europe.
3. UK teams use the structure marking and mapping symbols from INSARAG, which are totally different from the FEMA/USACE symbols.
4. Half-gussets are included in the ProGuide as an option for some shores, but are not yet fully accepted by UK USAR.
5. Crane operator signals are different in the UK and USA. The ProGuide uses the UK system.
6. Terminology for some items of equipment is different in the UK.
7. The ProGuide includes confined space entry and casualty assessment chapters which are not present in the FEMA/USACE manuals.
8. The UK USAR structure triage scoring system is different from that used by FEMA.

Is the ProGuide a teach-yourself book?

No - it's an essential reference for use by team members who have been trained or are undergoing training, but does not constitute a training manual in isolation as clearly the skills required by a USAR technician are wide-ranging and require extensive practical instruction.

Can we have our team/brigade logo on the front cover?

Yes, but subject to minimum quantities or a small per-order setup fee. Contact us for details, describing how many you're looking to purchase and we'll explain the process and how to submit your logo artwork for printing. Typically, branded books will take 10-14 days to produce and ship - standard copies normally ship within one working day.

Our team/brigade uses a different technique or set of equipment. Can we have a custom version?

Again, yes; but subject to minimum quantities or an additional setup fee. Contact us for details.

Do you provide the book as a download?

Yes - see our ProGuide Mobile range, designed for any handheld devices and phones that can read PDFs (iPhones, smartphones, laptops, toughbooks and netbooks). Of course you can display it on a normal desktop computer too!

Why can I only order up to 3 (or 24) copies?

Our website shopping cart limits orders to a size where economy carriage can be calculated automatically. We are happy to supply more copies, simply email us with your destination address and quantity and we will advise on the cheapest carriage options available.

What if I want to pay by cheque, bank transfer, purchase order, etc.?

That's fine - contact us with what you want and your intended payment details, delivery address, etc. and we'll take it from there. If you want a pro-forma invoice, mention it in your message and we'll email you one right back. Prices for cheque purchases are the same as shown on the website, so if you only want a couple of books, pop a cheque in the mail (our address is on the contact page) with a note giving your delivery address, phone number (in case there's any problem) and what you want. We'll dispatch as soon as the cheque clears. Official orders from fire services, government agencies and the military can be processed on 30-day account terms. We don't accept card payments via the phone, and some non-standard cards may not be accepted by PayPal - in which case contact us for help.

We don't have the New Dimensions "modular" USAR equipment - is the book still suitable?

Although the ProGuide is aimed at UK Fire Service and associated teams (such as HART and MOD), we have been careful to avoid too many equipment-specific notes, so the content can be used by teams who do not carry ND Modulues. In some places we mention items by name (such as Petrogen and Clucas hot cutting systems) but all the techniques described can be performed with other equipment. If you have specific equipment you want included in your books, contact us and we'll be happy to help with replacement or additional pages.

If I use/tear out the forms at the back, can I replace them or is the book wasted?

We've designed the book using a coil binding that can be unthreaded if necessary, and offer replacement packs of casualty forms and note sheets on request. For training use, a PDF copy of the casualty form page is available from our Free Stuff section.