What is the final stage of structural collapse rescue?

The final stage of structural collapse rescue is complete debris removal. This stage follows the initial assessments and rescues that occur during the earlier phases of the operation. By the time rescuers reach this stage, they have already conducted evaluations to identify the location of victims and possible voids where survivors might be trapped.

Complete debris removal involves meticulously clearing away all remaining rubble and materials in the rescue zone to ensure that all victims have been accounted for and safely extracted. This process is crucial as it not only focuses on rescuing potential survivors but also on ensuring that the collapsed structure is cleared for safety reasons and to facilitate further investigation, repairs, or reconstruction efforts.

It is important to recognize that selective debris removal, void rescue, and surface rescue are essential components of the rescue operation but occur prior to the final stage of complete debris removal. Selective debris removal may happen earlier to create pathways, while void and surface rescues focus on accessing trapped individuals at specific points. Hence, these activities lead up to but do not represent the culmination of the rescue operation, which is achieving complete debris removal.