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Essential Search Management Factors and Strategies for Emergency Response Teams

This guide delves into the crucial factors and strategies involved in effective search management for emergency response teams, including matching response with need, SAR responsibility in the U.S., search planning, information gathering, and processing. Learn about key steps to start a search and essential management tasks. This resource provides valuable insights into search organization and coordination to enhance search and rescue operations.

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Essential Search Management Factors and Strategies for Emergency Response Teams

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  1. Introduction to Search Management Developed as part of the National Emergency Services Curriculum Project

  2. Four Factors Making Emergency Response Necessary • A lag in the alert of mission personnel • Limit your search area quickly • The odds of a victim surviving as time goes on • Size of the search area • Available information • Information is fragile

  3. Matching Response with Need • Are less than 6 hours of daylight left? • Is the victim very young or old? • Does the victim have a known or potential medical problem? • Is there only one person involved? • Are weather conditions bad now, or were they when the person, boat or aircraft went missing?

  4. Matching Response with Need Continued • Was the victim poorly equipped to handle the environment - including the airworthiness of the aircraft or seaworthiness of the boat? • Is the subject inexperienced in the environment and/or the local area? • Are known hazardous conditions in the area?

  5. Matching Response with Need Continued • Is the objective missing in an area in which there have been numerous SAR cases? • Is the individual reasonably overdue, measured by standards normally used to determine that someone is overdue • Does this search pass the SANITY CHECK?

  6. SAR Responsibility in the United States • Navigable Waterways = USCG • Single State, Land = Local Law Enforcement normally • Single State, Aircraft = State OEM (Office of Emergency Management) or designee • Often CAP is the designee • Multiple State Searches = AFRCC

  7. Primary Resources • Air Force Units • Coast Guard Units • Mountain Rescue Association • Civil Air Patrol • Explorer SAR Teams • National Park Service • And other such agencies…

  8. Secondary Resources • Red Cross • Salvation Army • Amateur Radio Emergency Service • Local Law Enforcement • Fire Departments • Military • And other such agencies…

  9. Search Planning • Area of Possibility (AOP) • Last Known Point (LKP) • Point Last Seen (PLS) • Probability of Area (POA) • Probability of Detection (POD) • Probability of Success (POS)

  10. Area of Possibility • How far could the missing person or aircraft gotten from the point last scene using the available information? • Can be a rather large area • To many unknowns often make the worst case look real bad

  11. Last Known Point • LKP is the last spot at which we can definitely establish the victim’s presence by things like: • Radio reports • Telephone calls • Trail Logs • Physical information like the victims car or equipment located

  12. Point Last Seen • PLS is the spot anyone actually saw (Radar skin paint counts) the missing person/aircraft. PLS is established by witnesses.

  13. Probability Of Area (POA) • A mathematical prioritization of search areas by the mission staff. • Normally follow the Mattson Consensus • A tool that incorporates the experience of mission staff. • Basically an educated guess

  14. Probability Of Detection • The percentage accuracy of searchers based on historical data. • Trained searchers should have a higher POD than untrained searchers • Relevant local data should supersede national historical data • Searchers try to gain a high POD for a search area before closing a search

  15. Probability of Success • POA x POD = POS • Just a tool, remembering that not only is historical data used, but also the guesses of the mission staff.

  16. Information Gathering • Be a good reporter. Answer the following • Who • What • When • Where • Why • How • Play twenty questions (See Reference Text)

  17. How is information Gathered? • Searching an area • Clues • Lack of Clues • De-briefing crews • Interviews • Good press relations

  18. Processing Information • Information and Knowledge • Paper processing • Computer processing • Map oriented or Tracking Programs • Management Assistance programs • Formula or Number Crunching • Personnel Tracking & Processing

  19. 7 Steps to Start a Search • Start a Log • Gain Cooperation • Find out what has been done already • Get control of the physical facilities • Start posting information • Get a grip on Search Strategy • Plan for staff turnover and future operational periods

  20. Search Management Tasks • Every task that a team leader, branch director, or incident staff member accomplishes can be related to search management. • Remember that accuracy counts, and nothing found is still information found

  21. QUESTIONS? THINK SAFETY!

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