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Wilderness Search and

Rescue

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Objectives (1 of 2)

• Identify the need for wilderness search and rescue (SAR) operations.

• Describe various types of wilderness SAR emergencies.

• List general hazards associated with a wilderness SAR incident and understand how to reduce those hazards.

• Describe the resources needed to conduct wilderness SAR operations.

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Objectives (2 of 2)

• Describe response planning and incident management requirements related to a wilderness SAR incident.

• Describe initial actions that will expedite operations and lay the groundwork for specialized rescue units.

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Missing Person Search

• SAR organizations may include: – Fire service– Law enforcement– EMS– Government agencies– Private organizations

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Public Land Use Includes

• National forests

• National parks

• Bureau of Land Management lands

• Tribal lands

• State lands

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Wilderness Act of 1964 Definition of Wilderness

• “A wilderness, in contrast with those areas where man and his own works dominate the landscape, is hereby recognized as an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.”

• “An area of undeveloped Federal land retaining its primeval character and influence, without permanent improvements or human habitation, which is protected and managed so as to preserve its natural conditions.”

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NFPA 1670 Definition of Wilderness

• “An uncultivated, uninhabited, and natural area usually, but not necessarily, far from human civilization and trappings.”

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Wilderness SAR Considerations

• Involve USDA Forest Service if it occurs in federally designated wilderness.

• Consider wildland–urban interface (WUI) as another location for incidents.

• Remember timeliness may mean the difference between life and death, especially with a missing person.

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LAST Mnemonic

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Applicable Standards

• NFPA 1006, Standard for Technical Rescuer Professional Qualifications

• NFPA 1670, Standard on Operations and Training for Technical Search and Rescue Incidents:– General requirements in Chapter 4 must be

met by any organization operating at wilderness SAR

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Initial SAR Size-up Grid

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Determining Need for Wilderness SAR

• Consider topography, vegetation, and access of landscape.

• Consider the most likely area to search.

• Consider distance to the nearest road. – Areas several miles from a road likely require

wilderness SAR

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NASAR Form Helps Determine Urgency

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Things to Consider

• Where will operation take place?

• Where should the incident command post and staging areas be located?

• Which resources will be needed?

• How urgent is the situation?

• How will site control be managed?

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Passive Search Tactics (1 of 3)

• Attraction techniques to draw subject toward rescuers:– Sound: sirens, horns, whistles, yelling, etc.– Visual: strobes, beacons, spotlights, flares,

fires, etc.

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Passive Search Tactics (2 of 3)

• Containment techniques to keep search area as small as possible: – Identify likely exit points, stage personnel

there – Run flagging, with arrows and signs, to direct

missing person

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Passive Search Tactics (3 of 3)

• Investigation techniques focus incident by obtaining details.– Interview friends, family members, co-workers – Find out subject’s backcountry experience,

plan, equipment taken, general health, medical problems, personality

– Rely on law enforcement to assist

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Search and Rescue Form

Courtesy of Jon Trapp

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Active Tactics Include Three Search Types

• Type 1: – Rapid or hasty search uses “hasty teams”.

• Type 2: – Quick area search covers large area fairly

quickly and systematically.

• Type 3: – Thorough area search is often used when

other search types have failed.

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Notes on Clue Detection

• Many clues exist if you know how to find them.

• Clue seekers must practice skills frequently to maintain proficiency.

• Professional trackers may be required to assist.

• Examples of commonly encountered clues include trash, depressions in vegetation, broken branches, and tracks.

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Important Search Concepts (1 of 2)

• Define search area to the smallest practical size.

• Determine PLS from information gathered from someone who saw the missing person last.

• Determine LKP from evidence and clues that the missing person was physically there.

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Important Search Concepts (2 of 2)

• Any search should be considered emergency because subject’s condition is unknown.

• Knowledge of local terrain is invaluable.

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Rescue Considerations (1 of 2)

• Activities like accessing, stabilizing, and transporting victim are equally critical as the search.

• Most people require rescue because they cannot take care of themselves.

• Diverse special rescue teams may be required, but will depend mostly on local area and the time of year.

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Rescue Considerations (2 of 2)

Courtesy of Cascade Rescue Company

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Contents of SAR Ready Pack

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Other Specialized Equipment (1 of 3)

• Rope rescue equipment• Swiftwater equipment• Avalanche beacons, probes, and shovels• Litters (collapsible, rigid, wheeled)• ATVs, snowmobiles, four-wheel-drive

trucks• Laptops, GPS, TICs, other technological

equipment

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Other Specialized Equipment (2 of 3)

Courtesy of Jon Trapp

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Other Specialized Equipment (3 of 3)

Courtesy of Jon Trapp

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Individual Skills and Training

• Maintaining good physical condition (strength, flexibility, endurance)

• Knowing importance of proper clothing and equipment

• Understanding backcountry travel and navigation

• Possessing basic survival skills• Knowing backcountry first aid • Understanding incident command system

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Wear Clothing in Three Layers

Courtesy of Robert Rhea

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EMS Resources (1 of 2)

• Response is determined by IC.

• Fire or EMS responders may have special training and comprise wilderness medical team in some areas.

• EMS responders should be on standby during wilderness SAR when potential for injury exists.

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EMS Resources (2 of 2)

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An Effective ICS

• Works for incidents of all sizes

• Requires standardization to ensure seamless integration of outside resources

• Handles situation that continues for several day stretches:– Most SAR incidents resolve within 24 hours.

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Response Command Structure

• IC: manages all aspects of incident• Liaison officer: coordinates with other

agencies• Safety officer: oversees safety of involved

personnel• Information officer: deals with media; may

assist IC in interviewing friends, family, bystanders

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Duties of Operations Chief (1 of 2)

• Receives initial report and guidance from IC• Coordinates with other involved agencies

and landowners• Obtains initial search planning information• Gathers critical information to give to

search team• Evaluates available and en route resources

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Duties of Operations Chief (2 of 2)

• Determines immediate needs of operations team and informs IC

• Supervises operations team members

• Determine communications protocol

• Tracks field team’s current location and findings

• Maintains field team tracking board

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Planning Section Responsibilities

• Developing IAP• Collecting and evaluating incident situation

status• Displaying event support information • Tracking overall resources; anticipating

future resource needs • Providing daily briefings, strategies, maps

and topographical data, weather tracking

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Response Planning Sections for Larger Incidents

• Logistics section: supports all needs related to incident: – Obtains personnel, facilities, equipment,

transportation, food, supplies, staging areas

• Finance/administration: – Tracks payroll information, processes damage

or injury claims, maintains records of money spent

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Three Aspects of Scene Size-up (1 of 2)

• Safety assessment: – Ensure individual safety first, followed by

partner’s safety, public’s safety, and finally patient’s safety

• Mechanism of injury assessment: – Gather clues about causes; avoid additional

injuries.

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Three Aspects of Scene Size-up(2 of 2)

• Numbers assessment:– How many victims and rescuers present, how

many more rescuers needed, other possible victims

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Environmental Hazards Assessment (1 of 2)

• Temperature:– Current temperature; expected highs and lows

in next 12 hours; relative humidity• Weather:

– Current weather conditions; forecasted weather

• Landscape:– Concerns; presence of impassable rock

faces, rivers, crevasses, topographic features preventing radio communication

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Environmental Hazards Assessment (2 of 2)

• Water:– Available water sources; do rescue personnel

need to carry water needed

• Altitude:– What is altitude; chance for altitude sickness;

will altitude hinder helicopter evacuation

• Wildlife:– Presence of poisonous or dangerous animals;

ways to minimize human–wildlife conflict

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Summary (1 of 2)

• Wilderness operations create unique SAR situations that require thorough planning, specialized equipment, and trained personnel.

• Remember acronym: LAST—Locate, Access, Stabilize, Transport

• Passive search tactics include attraction, containment, and investigation.

• Active search tactics occur within search area and include: Type 1 (hasty search), Type 2 (quick area search), Type 3 (thorough area search).

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Summary (2 of 2)

• SAR team members should keep a “ready pack” loaded with essentials.

• SAR need a strong understanding of backcountry navigation, map and compass, GPS skills, and basic survival skills.

• Safety, mechanism of injury, and numbers issues are considered as part of scene size-up.