Sorry this was so long in coming and long in size. Upon a call of search needed a number of events will occur. I will give you an overview. This is not definitive but it is a fair overview of a typical search protocol in my town and is consistent in form with other areas I have been in.
Initially when the call for a search goes out the first qualified person on the scene would do his best to try to maintain the integrity of the place last seen (PLS) or last known position (LKP). He would also interview the person(s) who called in the report if they are at the scene. If not then he will send someone to their location to interview. If he judges this is a valid report and a search is needed he would tone out for our hasty search teams. He will also take units on the scene to create as good a containment of the person as possible, if possible. That means traveling roads with vehicles and using lights and sirens to attract the attention of a lost individual and trying to post people at likely spots the person might cross a road. In their blind panic to get unlost there have been cases of people running right over roads in their panic to get home. These hasty teams are typically a minimum of 3 teams of three people scattered around the county so at least one fully functional team can get to the scene and be deployed fairly quickly with the other two teams coming in fairly soon thereafter. They will be assigned to conduct a Hasty type of search if this person or people are not expected to be suicidal wanting to hurt themselves or others with a weapon. All of these teams contain at least one first responder and most will have at least one EMT, some will have wilderness medical experience. All are trained in land navigation and are track aware and carry enough equipment, supplies and knowledge to be comfortable and keep a patient comfortable at any time of year in that environment for minimum of 48 hours unsupported if necessary. They will examine the PLS to see if they can at least determine a direction of travel of the subject. Members of the other search teams or more appropriately the police will be used to interview more in depth about the person being searched for. Ninety percent of people will be found or turn up on their own during the hasty search phase. The Search commander with other experienced searchers will be establishing the person’s category as well as starting to determine areas of high probability of area (POA) to search in. Areas that the person more would likely be found in. I won’t bore you with the statistics and math but when the searchers who conduct the hasty searches come up empty then it switches into another phase. Typically this first phase is about an 8 hour timeframe. Now more searchers will be called for because more manpower will be needed because Type II and Type III grid searches are probably going to be needed. We may also use dogs and properly securing a scent article would also be done early on. Depending on the types of dogs used this may of may not be particularly useful. Also making sure that Diesels engines are not allowed in the PLS and the minimum number of people walk through the PLS is critical if dogs are planned on being used. If the trackers are making progress they will continue. If the tracker cannot find sign then the decision has to be made to call in dogs and pull out most if not all people so the dogs don’t get confused.
Type I - Hasty search of trails, areas of interest i.e. waterfalls, outlooks, etc, drainages.
Type II - line type search open grid - spacing greater than 100 meters (typical)
Type III - line type search closed grid – spacing less than 100 meters (typical)
Since you asked I don’t feel comfortable in mentioning the organizations that I have worked with or belonged to. I don’t speak for them and I don’t represent them. There have been several. I also did work like this as a Sergeant in the army in charge of a scout (reconnaissance) squad. While in the army I taught land navigation as well as patrolling techniques and tactics as well as other less useful civilian related things. Currently I work as SAR coordinator and SAR trainer as well as a searcher, when they let me, in my local fire department. I have taught different aspects of SAR to several other organizations and the plan is to eventually create a SAR team for the entire county not just our town. I also maintain several certifications. I hold a NASAR SAR Tech III certification though I was trained to the SAR Tech II level I could never find anyone to test me. To be honest NASAR has good books, some good instructors, but it is very difficult to get the actual certification. Most of what they taught I already knew but it will probably become more and more important in the future to be able to say that I have a certification. Now even Homeland Security (FEMA) is setting standards for Wilderness Search and Rescue God help us.
ESF 9 While considering their dismal performance during Hurricane Katrina this is actually a reasonably well thought out document. I also have certification as a Wilderness EMT through SOLO. It is probably going to be reasonable to assume that if your search teams don't meet at least this standard. Someone, somewhere eventually is going to “lawyer up” and is going to take some search team and its inviting agency to court and will likely win a lawsuit when they tell the jury that the searchers were not trained to standard ESF-9, a national, government recognized standard.
Hope this adds a little more to your question and maybe even the discussion. SARDog1 already covered most of it.
Keith
