Intro to SAR Theory

&

Other Fabulous Stuff You Absolutely, Positively Need to Know

 

 

First off, a little review:

 

            What is Search and Rescue?

 

            What is the primary goal of all SAR activities?

 

            Who is actually responsible, legally, for SAR?

 

 

Secondly, a few definitions:

 

            Search: “to identify and locate persons who are or may become distressed or injured and who are unable to return to a place of safety on their own. Search operations may occur in urban, rural, wilderness, or maritime environments.”

 

            Rescue: “to access, stabilize, and evacuate distressed or injured persons by whatever means necessary to ensure their timely transfer to appropriate care or a familiar environment.”

--------taken from the Virginia Emergency Operations Plan, Basic Plan, Annex L: SAR

 

Search and Rescue are two totally different activities!

 

 

Now, a basic concept:

 

            Core Elements of Every Search’s Planning

 

                        L

 

                        A

 

                        S

 

                        T

 

 

But we need more definitions:

 

            Incident Command System (ICS) –

 

            IC, OPS, and PLANS –

 

            ASRC Training Levels and Field Promotions (SCARY STUFF!) –

 

            Objectives, Strategies, and Tactics –

 

            PLS, LKP, and Search Area –

 

            POD, POA, and Spacing –

 

 

Finally, The Key Points of Search Theory:        

 

1)      Search is an EMERGENCY!!!! (So answer your phones or pagers at 0400)

 

2)      Search is a Classic Mystery. (It’s elementary, Watson.)

 

3)      Search for Clues and not the Subject. (… but don’t forget the subject!)

 

4)      Concentrate on aspects of the search that are important and under your control. (i.e. as a CQ or FTM, be CLUE CONSCIOUS in the field)

 

5)      Know if the Subject is out of the Search Area. (The Bastard Search)

 

6)      Grid Search as a Last Resort.

 

------ taken from ERI’s Managing Search Operations

 

 

Stuff the State wants you to know: SAR Incident Phases:

 

            Phase 0 – Preplanning / Alert / Mobilization

 

            Phase 1 – Quick Response / Hasty Search

 

            Phase 2 – Efficient Search

 

            Phase 3 – Saturation Search

 

            Phase 4 – Suspension / Demobilization / Critique

 

 

Stuff BRMRG wants you to know: Types of Tasks:

 

            Passive:

                        Attraction

 

                        Containment

 

            Active:

 

                        Investigation

 

                        Hasty / Scratch

 

                        Sweep / Open Grid

 

                        Line / Closed Grid

 

                        Route

 

                        Survey

 

                        Dog / Mantracker / Signcutter

 

                        Air

 

 

On the Serious Side, A Moment to Contemplate our Tremendous Responsibility:

 

            Professionalism

 

            Press Relations

 

            Family Relations

 

 

OK, Almost done, Just one Practical Task to Learn:

 

            Photocopying Maps – the one skill that everyone uses at some point in their SAR career