SAQA

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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY

REGISTERED UNIT STANDARD THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE:

Perform search and recover operations at an emergency scene

SAQA US ID	UNIT STANDARD TITLE
115219	Perform search and recover operations at an emergency scene
ORIGINATOR
SGB Fire and Rescue
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY
-
FIELD			SUBFIELD
Field 11 - Services			Cleaning, Domestic, Hiring, Property and Rescue Services
ABET BAND	UNIT STANDARD TYPE	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	CREDITS
Undefined	Regular	Level 5	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5	8
REGISTRATION STATUS		REGISTRATION START DATE	REGISTRATION END DATE	SAQA DECISION NUMBER
Passed the End Date - Status was "Reregistered"		2007-10-30	2007-11-28	SAQA 0160/05
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT		LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2008-11-28		2011-11-28

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.

This unit standard is replaced by:

US ID	Unit Standard Title	Pre-2009 NQF Level	NQF Level	Credits	Replacement Status
252032	Develop, implement and evaluate an operational plan	Level 5	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5	8

PURPOSE OF THE UNIT STANDARD

Brief description of competence
The qualifying learner achieving this unit standard will be able to use standard techniques to enter and search hostile environments for persons, patients and / or victims.

Benefit to the learner
Qualifying learners will be able to perform her / his main function safely and effectively.

Broader benefit of competent practitioners
Emergency services will be able to better provide an effective fire fighting service to their clients.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

It is assumed that anyone wishing to enter a programme leading to this unit standard will have achieved the unit standards:

"Function effectively within an organisation."

"Inspect, care for and operate fire service equipment."

It is assumed that anyone wishing to enter a programme leading to this unit standard will already be competent at communication and mathematical literacy at NQF level 4 or equivalent.

UNIT STANDARD RANGE

The scope, complexity, and range of all knowledge, skills and attitudes described in this unit standard will meet, exceed or be equivalent to NFPA 1001 - Standard on fire fighter professional qualifications.

Specific Outcomes and Assessment Criteria:

SPECIFIC OUTCOME 1

Analyse an emergency scene for required or potential search and recover operations.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1

All factors at an emergency scene are observed and their implications for search and recover operations decided upon.

SPECIFIC OUTCOME 2

Use standard techniques to enter and search hostile environments.

OUTCOME NOTES

Use standard techniques to enter and search hostile environments for persons, patients and/or victims.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1

Industry standard search entry methods are employed whilst wearing PPE.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2

Industry standard search techniques are employed.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3

Industry standard marking techniques are employed to clearly and accurately indicate searched areas.

SPECIFIC OUTCOME 3

Remove all/any persons, patients and/or victims located, from the hostile environment.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1

All/any persons, patients and/or victims are located and removed from the hostile environment employing safe, effective and efficient methods.

SPECIFIC OUTCOME 4

Perform all operations described in this unit standard according to accepted industry safety norms.

OUTCOME NOTES

Perform all operations described in this unit standard according to accepted industry safety norms and standards.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1

Life safety is prioritised and ensured at all times.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2

All equipment is used according to accepted safety standards.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3

Personal conduct is at all times determined by accepted industry norms and standards.

UNIT STANDARD ACCREDITATION AND MODERATION OPTIONS

Anyone assessing a learner or moderating the assessment of a learner against this unit standard must be registered as an assessor/moderator with the relevant ETQA.

Such registration assumes that the assessor has both ETDP competence as well as substantial functional competence in the relevant area of practice.

This point leads to the assumption that any assessor assessing this unit standard is not relying simply on the content of the unit standard to guide their practise. Rather the assessor is drawing on a wealth of experiential knowledge for which this unit standard provides a quality benchmark.

Any institution offering learning that will enable the achievement of this unit standard must be accredited as a provider with the relevant ETQA.

Such accreditation assumes that the institution has access to relevant resources and staff with a substantial functional competence in the relevant area of practice.

This point leads to the assumption that any person providing education or training leading to this unit standards is not relying simply on the content of the unit standard to guide their practise. Rather the trainer/educator is drawing on a wealth of experiential knowledge for which this unit standard provides a quality benchmark.

Assessment and moderation of assessment will be overseen by the relevant ETQA according to:

The ETQA's policies and guidelines

Agreements reached concerning assessment and moderation between ETQAs (including professional bodies)

UNIT STANDARD ESSENTIAL EMBEDDED KNOWLEDGE

Proper search and rescue techniques.

Proper rope rescue signals.

UNIT STANDARD DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME

N/A

UNIT STANDARD LINKAGES

N/A

Critical Cross-field Outcomes (CCFO):

UNIT STANDARD CCFO IDENTIFYING

Solve problems

By assessing all inter-related factors at an emergency scene and using professional competence and relevant equipment to effect a search and recover operation.

UNIT STANDARD CCFO COLLECTING

Collect, analyse and organise information

By assessing all relevant data at the scene of an emergency and relating it to search and recover operations.

UNIT STANDARD CCFO COMMUNICATING

Communicate

By communicating with other personnel in order to effect a search and recover operation.

By communicating with any/all persons, patients or victims in the conducting of a search and recover operation.

UNIT STANDARD ASSESSOR CRITERIA

N/A

UNIT STANDARD NOTES

This unit standard has been replaced by unit standard 252032, which is "Develop, implement and evaluate an operational plan", Level 5, 8 credits.

Notes on assessments

Assessment of this unit standard should focus on signing off a learner as competent against the competence described in the purpose statement at the beginning of the standard. The implication of this is that no part of this unit standard is a mini-competence in and of itself, but is rather part of the bigger competence described in the purpose statement. The parts should be seen to be pieces of a jigsaw puzzle none of which make sense by themselves, and each one of which affects the others.

For this reason, assessment criteria in this unit standard should be seen as orientated towards the standard as a whole. This does not mean that assessors should not check that a learner is competent at each outcome, but that they should not necessarily check this separately for each outcome. Similarly, assessors are encouraged not to assess essential embedded knowledge and critical cross-field outcomes separately.

As each situation is different, it will be necessary to develop assessment activities and tools that are appropriate to the contexts in which practitioners are working. These activities and tools may include self-assessment, peer assessment, formative and summative assessment.

Assessment should include practical demonstration of competence, either in the workplace or through work-realistic, out-of-classroom simulation.

A range of assessment methods should be used, including:
Direct observation - watch the practitioner carry out the task or produce a desired outcome during the course of his or her normal work under normal workplace conditions.
Product sample - examine the outcomes previously produced by the practitioner.
Simulation of a specific task - set a specific task for the practitioner to demonstrate in a simulated environment.
Questioning (verbal or written) - ask relevant questions linked to the unit standard.
Testimony - collect a portfolio of evidence from suitable people, e.g. report from a third party.

It may be more effective and efficient to assess a number of unit standards together thus reducing the overall number of assessment 'events'.

Consider a complete activity in the workplace (the 'whole of work' approach) and see which unit standards relate to this activity.

Work out how practitioners could collect evidence on a number of unit standards at the same time covering all the critical aspects of the standards.

Ensure that commonalities that exist between a number of unit standards are captured in a way that makes sense for assessment.

By checking for applied competence and critical cross-field competence as described below, the assessor must design a holistic assessment focused at the competence described in the purpose statement of this unit standard.

The learner must demonstrate applied competence in the following way:

The learner must demonstrate an ability to consider a range of options and make decisions about:

Ways in which to ensure personal safety and the safety of others at the scene of an incident.

Personal actions in order to safely, efficiently and effectively carry out instructions and conduct operations.

Ways in which to apply standard techniques and methods to manoeuvre within the confines of the environment to achieve a desired result.

The learner must demonstrate an understanding of:

Proper search and rescue techniques.

Proper rope rescue signals.

The learner must demonstrate an ability to learn from her/his actions and to adapt to changes by:

Reflecting on own practice, and adapting and modifying it accordingly.

Reflecting on their own patterns of learning and creating opportunities for future learning.

QUALIFICATIONS UTILISING THIS UNIT STANDARD:

	ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	STATUS	END DATE	PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QA FUNCTIONARY
Elective	48855	National Certificate: Emergency Services Operations	Level 5	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5	Passed the End Date - Status was "Reregistered"	2009-02-18	Was LG SETA until Last Date for Achievement

PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS UNIT STANDARD:

This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.

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