1. 1SRCHMGTI.ppt Last Revised: 10 June 2003 Introduction to Search Management for Team Leaders Developed as part of the National Emergency Services Curriculum Project

2. 2SRCHMGTI.ppt Last Revised: 10 June 2003 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. 3SRCHMGTI.ppt Last Revised: 10 June 2003 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. 4SRCHMGTI.ppt Last Revised: 10 June 2003 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. 5SRCHMGTI.ppt Last Revised: 10 June 2003 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. 6SRCHMGTI.ppt Last Revised: 10 June 2003 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. 7SRCHMGTI.ppt Last Revised: 10 June 2003 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. 8SRCHMGTI.ppt Last Revised: 10 June 2003 Secondary Resources Red Cross Salvation Army Amateur Radio Emergency Service Local Law Enforcement Fire Departments Military And other such agencies…

9. 9SRCHMGTI.ppt Last Revised: 10 June 2003 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. 10SRCHMGTI.ppt Last Revised: 10 June 2003 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. 11SRCHMGTI.ppt Last Revised: 10 June 2003 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. 12SRCHMGTI.ppt Last Revised: 10 June 2003 Point Last Seen PLS is the spot anyone actually saw (Radar skin paint counts) the missing person/aircraft. PLS is established by witnesses.

13. 13SRCHMGTI.ppt Last Revised: 10 June 2003 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. 14SRCHMGTI.ppt Last Revised: 10 June 2003 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. 15SRCHMGTI.ppt Last Revised: 10 June 2003 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. 16SRCHMGTI.ppt Last Revised: 10 June 2003 Information Gathering Be a good reporter. Answer the following –Who –What –When –Where –Why –How Play twenty questions (See Reference Text)

17. 17SRCHMGTI.ppt Last Revised: 10 June 2003 How is information Gathered? Searching an area –Clues –Lack of Clues –De-briefing crews Interviews Good press relations

18. 18SRCHMGTI.ppt Last Revised: 10 June 2003 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. 19SRCHMGTI.ppt Last Revised: 10 June 2003 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. 20SRCHMGTI.ppt Last Revised: 10 June 2003 Search Management Tasks Every task that a team leader accomplishes can be related to search management. Remember that accuracy counts, and nothing found is still information found

21. 21SRCHMGTI.ppt Last Revised: 10 June 2003 QUESTIONS? THINK SAFETY