1
Terminal Performance
Objective

TPO1 - TPO1 - At the completion of this
lesson the student shall be able to
perform the necessary steps to safely
rescue a victim from a stinging incident
with 70% accuracy.
2
Enabling Objectives




EO1 – The student shall learn the basics of honey
bee biology with 70% accuracy.
EO2 – The student shall describe the cast found in
a honey bee colony with 70% accuracy.
EO3 – The student shall identify the methods
honey bees use to communicate with 70%
accuracy.
EO4 – The student shall be able to name the
various triggers which can disturb a honey bee
colony with 70% accuracy.
3
Enabling Objectives



EO6 – The student shall discuss the role of the fire
service at a stinging incident with 70% accuracy.
EO7 – The student shall describe the uses and
limitations of protective equipment with 100%
accuracy.
EO8 – The student shall be able to don protective
equipment with 100% accuracy. (skill set)
4
5
Honey Bee (Apis Mellifera)

Colony
 Eusocial
 Cavity Dwellers
 Produce Surplus
Honey
6
Africanized Honey Bee
(Apis Mellifera Scutellata)



Brought to S.
America in 1956
Bread with E. Honey
Bee
12 escaped in 1957
7
Importance of Honey Bees

Pollination
 $15 billion in added
crop value

Beekeeping Industry
 GA produces $7
million in honey
 ND produces $47 m

Beekeeper
 6,000 +/- Beekeepers
in GA
8
Cast

Honey bees have 3
cast
 Queen
 Worker
 Drone
9
Queen



Lays eggs
Emits pheromones
Normally only one
10
Worker


Work
95-99% of the
colony
11
Drone


Mates with queen
0-5% colony
12
Communicate


Dance
Pheromones
13
Communicate

Pheromones
 Alarm
 Brood







Recognition
Drone
Egg Marking
Footprint
Forager
Nasonov
Queen
Mandibular
Queen Retinue
14
Colonies and Swarms

Colony
 A population of honey
bees within an
established hive.

Swarm
 a great number of
honeybees
emigrating together
from a colony in
company with a
queen to start a new
colony elsewhere.
15
Swarm
16
Colony
17
Defensive Behavior


Defend hive
Defend themselves
18
Defensive Triggers





Vibrations (sounds)
Fast movements
Dark colors
Carbon monoxide
Alarm Pheromones
19
At Risk Groups

Outdoor workers




Landscapers
Surveyors
Utility workers
Equipment
operators*
Military during
training
 Sports enthusiasts
 Rescue personnel

20
People At Most Risk
 Small
Children
 Elderly
 Handicapped
21
At Risk Animals

Animals at risk
 Tethered
 Penned, caged,
or corralled.
 Horses
and
goats don’t mix
with bees.
22
Conclusion/Questions
23
24
AHB in Georgia

Discovered
October 21, 2010
 Near Albany, GA
 73 year old male
 Working on bulldozer
 Colony in a old porch
column
25
26
27
28
AHB in Georgia

2 more colonies
have been identified
in the Albany area.
 More trapping and
testing will continue in
the spring
29
How did they arrive?
30
GA Beekeeping Regulations

GA Regulations
 Restrictions on
Beekeeping
 Quarantine
 Keeping Africanized
Honey Bees
31
32
Role of the Emergency
Services
Rescue
 Medical treatment
 Be observant
 Educate

33
Personal Protective Equipment




Bee Veil
Bee Suit / Turnout gear
Gloves
Boot Bands/Duct Tape
 NO DARK COLORS
 NO PATCHES
 NO SPLASH SUITS
34
Deployment

One engine company (4 personnel)
 Incident Commander (IC)
 Pump operator
 Two person attack/rescue team.
One ALS Med Unit (2 personnel)
 Additional Resources

35
Dispatch
If available, turn on the air conditioning.
 Roll up all windows.
 Have Medic ride/arrive on scene in back
of med unit.
 Have PPE on prior to arriving or exiting
the vehicle.

36
Arrival/Staging
Approach tactics can
not be used to
minimize exposure
 AHB will “hunt” out
invaders.

37
On-Scene
Work scene like a
haz-mat incident
 Turn off lights and
sirens.
 Locate victims.

38
On-Scene





Establish 800 ft.
perimeter.
Minimize apparatus
commitment.
Level II staging out
side of “Warm” zone.
Stage apparatus 150200 ft. from victims.
Stage Med Unit 300400 ft. behind
Patient.
39
IC
150/200’
300/400’
HOT
WARM
40
Victim Rescue/Approach
Use 150-200 ft. 1½ or 1¾ attack line.
 Pump AFFF at 6% mix ratio.
 Advance toward victim.
 Sweeping the air (if needed).
 Cover fire fighters and victim with foam.

41
Pump at pressure and volume
recommended by the
manufacture in relation to the
length of hose used.
6% foam
42
Victim Rescue/Retreat
Sweep bees off patient’s face.
 Place patient on stretcher.
 Use towel/sheet to protect patient’s face.
 Continue to spray foam while retreating.

43
Reevaluate if area is far
enough away to begin patient
treatment.
300 to 400 ft. from
original position
44
Patient Care

First priority
patient’s Airway!
 Honey Bees target
○ Dark Colors/Areas
○ Carbon Monoxide
 After stinging bee will
not die immediately.
45
Patient Care

Main reactions
 Airway obstructions
 Bronchospasms
 Cardio-genic shock
 Neurogenic shock
 Cardiac arrest *
46
Patient Care
Follow local
medical directives
 Remove stingers
(scrape)
 Monitor all vitals

47
Mop Up
Remove apparatus
from hot/warm
zone.
 Maintain perimeter.

 May take up to 24
hours for bees to
calm down.

Call in an
exterminator or
professional bee
remover.
48
Summary




Honey bee biology – Honey bees are complex insects that
live in eusocial colonies.
3 cast in a honey bee colony – There are 3 cast in a honey
bee colony. Queen, Worker, Drone.
Honey bee communication – Honey bees can communicate
through dancing and pheromones.
Defensive triggers – Include vibrations, dark colors, fast
movement, carbon monoxide, and alarm pheromones.
49
Summary




Role of the fire service at a stinging incident
Uses and limitations of protective equipment
Don protective equipment
Steps to safely rescue a victim from a stinging incident
50