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Introduction to Search Management

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

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Introduction to Search Management

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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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