Ground Team Leader Course Team Management

1. Ground Team Leader CourseTeam Management

2. Team Management • Things to consider: • Search is an Emergency • Even the most routine ELT searches must be treated as if they are a life or death situation. • Do not waste time! Minutes do matter. • Delegate, delegate, delegate! • Give your team members a job that you know they can do and let them do it.

3. Team Management • Team Positions • How to execute a mission • Team Equipment • What do you do when you find it

4. Team Positions • Team Leader • Assistant Leaders • Medic • Communications (Radio Operator) • Woodsmen or Navigator • Recorder / Runner • DF Operator

5. Team Leader • YOU! • Primary Decision Maker for the team. • Responsible for all aspects of team operation. • Ensures the mission gets accomplished safely! • Qualifications: Qualified Ground Team Leader (no trainees unless under supervision of a qualified ground team leader)

6. Assistant Team Leader • May have more than one if needed for larger search teams. • Replaces the team leader if injured. Acts as team leader for 2nd team if team needs to be separated. • Acts as Hasty Team Leader upon a find. • Qualifications: Qualified Ground Team Leader or Trainee, or highly experienced Ground Team Member.

7. Medic • Responsible for treatment of any survivors and for caring for any search team members if injured. • Serves as the medical team leader upon a find. • Qualifications: Highest medical qualification of the team members. If an EMT or Paramedic is available, this is preferred, especially for missing person or missing aircraft searches.

8. Communicator (Radio Operator) • Responsible for carrying the team’s primary radio. • Acting as the link between the team leader and higher headquarters or other stations as needed. • Sets up communications plans if team is separated. • Qualifications: Qualified Mission Radio Operator

9. Woodsmen or Navigator • Responsible for keeping the team on course. • Also keeps track of team’s current position and where they have been. • Keeps team maps. • Qualifications: Ground Team Member with expertise in navigation and map reading.

10. Recorder / Runner • Keeps track of everything the team has done. • Logs the who, what, where, when, why, and how of everything the team does. • Qualifications: Any team member

11. DF Operator • Used only on ELT search operations. • Responsible for operating the DF equipment. Works with another team member who uses a compass to take DF readings. Relays information to navigator to plot on map. • Qualifications: Any team member that knows how to use a Direction Finder.

12. How to execute a mission • Get all applicable information from the IC or person who is calling you. • Mission Numbers • Search Area • SARSAT hits (if ELT Search) • Reporting Requirements • Communications (Radios, Cell Phones, Etc)

13. How to execute a mission • Alert your team • Decide on a meeting place and time based on search area and other factors. • Make sure you get a call back to know who is coming.

14. How to execute a mission • Once at the meeting place, ensure you have all necessary equipment, assign jobs and get the paperwork done. • Don’t focus too much on the paperwork. • At a minimum, get the personnel and vehicle sign-in sheets done. • If there is no mission base, do the rest (CAPF 109) on the road.

15. How to execute a mission • Begin the search! • Look not only for the objective, but clues as well. • Don’t touch clues! • Make sure clues are relevant. If it is obviously trash, leave it alone. • If you are unsure if it is relevant, report it, log it, flag it and move on. • Don’t waste time.

16. Team Equipment • Urban or Airport ELT Search • Requires less equipment • Stores are usually close by to purchase items if needed. • Medical personnel and facilities are usually readily available. • Missing Person, Aircraft or Rural ELT Search • Requires more equipment. • Almost always have to be self-sufficient. • Medical personnel and facilities are often not immediately available.

17. Team Equipment – Urban ELT • Everyone should have at a minimum: • Complete Uniform plus or minus whatever is needed to stay safe. • Water • Orange Vest • Notepad and pencil • Flashlight (especially if there is any possibility of night ops)

18. Team Equipment – Urban ELT • Team Equipment • Cell Phones or other way to get in touch with IC • CAP Radios • Direction Finder • First Aid Kit • Maps

19. Team Equipment – Missing Person/Aircraft Search • Everyone should have • Most of the parts of a basic 24 hour pack. 72 hour pack if staying out for multiple days. • Complete Uniform plus or minus whatever is needed to stay safe. Winter operations require better boots or hats and gloves/mittens.

20. Team Equipment – Missing Person/Aircraft Search • Team Equipment • Several Radios, handheld and vehicle mounted. • Other communications equipment such as cell phones. • Larger First Aid Kit • Maps • Litter (Stretcher)

21. What to do when you find it • Follow the rule of thumb • If you can’t cover it with your thumb, you’re too close! • Conduct a primary survey • Asses the situation for any hazards. • Check for survivors

22. What to do when you find it • Split your team into smaller teams to accomplish all of the tasks needed. • Leader Team • Medical Team • Hasty or Support Team

23. Leader Team • Ground Team Leader • Supervises all actions • Insures actions taken are within regulations, standards, and safety margins • HAZMAT Rule of Thumb • Security Zones (See next slide) • Responsible for the following of NTSB rules at the accident or local laws and regulations at the site of missing person found dead (could be a homicide)

24. HAZMAT Safety Zones

25. Leader Team • Team Communications Officer • Maintains communications with mission base via relay or direct transmission • Remains in contact with hasty team and incoming support teams

26. Leader Team • Runner/Log Person • Makes drawings or sketches and/or takes pictures of the scene to note initial positions, and changes made to preserve life (See next two slides) • Record the position of all aircraft switches, knobs and instruments or survivor’s equipment upon arrival at the scene, and changes made during extrication • Coordinate incoming personnel, insuring that order is maintained

27. Recommended Minimum Photos Taken at Crash Site • Take Photos in a logical order • Photograph perishable evidence early (ice melting off of the wings, victims moved to get at survivors, etc.)

28. Recommended Photos • The same principles applied to aircraft photography can be applied to taking photos of a missing person site • If taking photos at night or in poor lighting conditions, use a flash if at possible and/or add light with flashlights • Keep a log of photos taken, in order noting anything out of the ordinary

29. Medical Team • Head Medic • Responsible for all members coming in contact with the victims or survivors to include the wear of proper medical protective gear, and proper treatment • Responsible for requests for evacuation and extrication of victims, survivors, personnel and equipment • Responsible for the accounting for of all passenger's that were supposed to be aboard or missing persons part of party being searched for

30. Medical Team • 2 to 3 Support Medical Personnel • Perform lifesaving first aid under the direction of the Head Medic • Report any hazards or problems with the wreckage that may endanger rescue personnel or survivors further. It should be noted that all personnel need to be situationally aware, but these few members of the team will most likely be the ones hurt if not careful

31. Hasty or Support Team • Made up of the assistant team leader, a communicator, and a first aider or other team personnel depending on the tasks assigned by the team leader • May do a hasty search of the area for any missing passengers • May set up a perimeter around the site and control incoming personnel • May aid in the extrication of survivors

32. Questions?