SARBC

Victoria, BC
Canada

Reduced to simplest terms, there are three elements that will influence the success of a large search.

One is the resources. Obviously if the right people, equipment, and other resources (dogs, trackers, aircraft, etc.) are readily available, the chances for a successful result are higher than if not. Another element is strategy and tactics - the way in which the resources are used. The third, and most critical, is the function of management.

The objective of a search mission always has been to find the lost person in the best possible condition. But circumstances nowadays dictate that we must accomplish this efficiently, effectively, and economically. Efficiency is doing things right meaning, perhaps, well trained resources. Effectiveness is doing the right things right, well trained resources combined with good strategy and tactics. What pulls all this together and makes it run smoothly, and therefore economically, is good management.

It is important to understand that economy, as it's used here, does not necessarily mean to cut out something. One thing nearly everyone will agree on is that when a human life is at stake, no amount of skimping is acceptable. Economy is something that will result when the mission is being managed well.

Aside from the general high cost of everything these days, economy is tremendously important to consider because of the vast amounts of time (the majority of which is volunteered) that is expended on large searches. Economy isn't the only reason for good management on a search. The chances of finding the subject also will be improved, because good management creates opportunities and causes things to happen.

The stark fact is that good management still is lacking on most searches. There is commendable effort, but many problems still exist and we are approaching solutions unrealistically.

Good management consists of capable people who know what to do (given a set of circumstances) and who then carry out an action plan through other people. Knowing what to do is obviously a key. One way to begin to develop competence in management is through training.

Are the following attitudes, statements and perceptions really true?

1. If you know what you're doing in SAR, you're not welcome at the mission base; you ask too many embarrassing questions!

2. If someone has developed an effective program for SAR, he will jealously guard against anyone "stealing" it!

3. The new "guy" in SAR doesn't feel he needs to study or to be trained. He doesn't have time to listen to the old timers.

4. The "old heads" don't need to look at the books; they've been doing it their way for years. They don't keep up-to-date with new techniques, and certainly don't have the time to listen to some young fellow who's experience is limited.

You dedicate hours of your time and much money for SAR. But, who are you working for? I'll give you some help. You're not working for the Incident Commander, Search Manager, Air Force, HQ, the Wing Commander, your Unit Chief, the Emergency Services Officer, the state, the province, the Sheriff, the FBI, the RCMP, your family, nor even yourself.

If you think you are working for one of these, you're in the wrong business! You only have one person who really matters on a SAR mission, and that person is the "POTENTIAL SURVIVOUR".

I use the word potential because if you don't work for the survivors they may never be saved.

INVESTIGATION

From the start of the FIRST NOTICE until the location of the subject, or a decision to suspend (though investigation may not stop in this case) INVESTIGATION should be continuous.

Organizationally, the INVESTIGATION function should be a separate one from the outset. It is important to immediately designate someone to be responsible for carrying out this function. Investigation should be in detail and continuous.

"Successful search management depends upon the efficient and effective utilization of available and potential resources applied to the problem at hand . Proper organization helps channel, apply, regroup, and evaluate resources to concentrate efforts, avoid redundancy, and promotes rapid recovery of the lost party"

-Tim J. Setnicka, Wilderness Search and Rescue, 1980

GENERAL ASPECTS OF LOST PERSON BEHAVIOUR

Basic to any effective search is a profile of the individual that is being sought. A complete list of all information related to that individual specifically. All this information will help in some way to track down one of these criminals. Lost person incidents actually present the same problems confronting law enforcement officers in criminal investigation.

FACTORS THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO LOST PERSON BEHAVIOUR

Those that could affect search strategy.

GENERAL STATE OF HEALTH

Recent illness, poor physical condition, chronic disease, poor nutrition and lack of sleep all can impair a subject's ability to cope with unusual situations, especially physical stress. Fatigue usually sets in early and if the individual pushes onward, exhaustion will soon follow. The result is impaired physical and mental capabilities with the possibility of difficult detection by searchers in the area. Trip leaders often precipitate problems of this nature when they become ill just before an outing and go anyway. General health may give some indicator as to the subject's capabilities.

PAST EXPERIENCES

Previous experiences with challenging situations, strange environments or isolation will improve anyone's ability to deal with the problems brought on by injury, dis-orientation, or being lost. Studies reveal that those individuals who push out and expand their comfort zones (the sphere of everyday activities that a person feels comfortable with) more readily adapt to adverse situations and may prove to be less of a liability. People who rarely do try anything new are likely to be more helpless and more of a survival risk.

PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF THE ENVIRONMENT

Heat, cold, altitude and precipitation can all have adverse effects in the body and brain causing difficulty in problem-solving ability. Hypothermia (the lowering of the body core temperature) is still known to be the leading cause of death and accidents in the outdoors. During the advanced stages of both heat and cold exposure, individuals become irrational and beyond the ability for self help. Altitude drastically effects exhaustion rates and can be a major factor in unacclimatized persons. Precipitation can cause an individual to seek shelter and thus pose a problem with detectability, as well as an increased risk of hypothermia.

BIOLOGICAL CYCLES

This relatively new area of medical research is not fully understood but may have significant implications. Biological cycles of the body determine whether any person is in a "high" of being efficient and being able to cope or in a "low" characterized by bumbling and lethargy. Generally those experiencing a "low" may not be prone to effective self help. By contrast, those people experiencing a "high" may well perceive their predicament as a challenge and continue their efforts in all aspects of survival.

AFFECT ON SEARCH STRATEGY/SURVIVABILITY

There are many things that a lost person might do that will affect both the search strategy and his/her own survivability. An awareness of these points may prove crucial in revamping a search plan at regular intervals.

FIRE

The ability of the subject to build or seek shelter and get a fire started. Does the subject have the knowledge, skills, and/or resources to do these things? Campsites or fire circles will provide clues as the search progresses. Fires are also an extremely good signal for distress, while shelters in general, are good camouflages.

DISCARDING CLOTHING/EQUIPMENT

Discarding equipment or clothing is very typical of individuals in latter stages of hypothermia or exhaustion. Although these items provide clues to the subject's whereabouts, they also point to a deteriorating condition with regard to the subject's ability to cope with the environment or situation.

SENSE OF ABANDONMENT

Often an individual will develop an overwhelming sense of abandonment which results in a "do nothing attitude." They simply refuse to believe that anyone is out looking for them and as a result do not call or make signals of any kind. Some have gone so far as to ignore helicopters flying right overhead.

DETECTABILITY

Whether or not a subject will be detectable is tremendously important to search planning. Visual detectability is generally thought of as being observable at fifty feet. The lost hunter who is dressed in bright clothing and able to respond is a great contrast to the young child who has been instructed not to speak or respond to strangers, and is dressed in dark clothing. Perhaps the child is huddled inside a log or stump to stay warm and dry. Despondents or mentally handicapped individuals can also present very difficult problems in detectability.

TRAVEL AIDS

Travel aids provide avenues of little resistance for subjects and sometimes will be used extensively. Travel aids are pathways, old railroad beds, abandoned roads, game trails, streams, clear-cuts, power line rights-of-way or any area that provides a sense of direction and a path of little resistance. It is important to note that not all subjects will use travel aids even though they are available. For some reason, some prefer not to use them in their particular situations.

WEATHER AND VISIBILITY

Weather and visibility play an important role in determining potential activities of a lost subject. Impending bad weather is obviously a threat to life, but perhaps a more immediate concern to the Search Manager is the fact that it may force the subject to stop and seek shelter. This has its positive affect as well as negative. If the subject is no longer mobile, SAR resources may have a chance for confinement. Visibility can have the same effect; that is, darkness or extreme foggy conditions, it will most likely be random wandering that could further complicate the search effort. Attractions such as roads or lights at night might not be effective.

MENTAL IMPACT ON THE LOST PERSON

The human animal is social in nature with habits that develop into everyday routine. Those who dwell in population centers or adjacent areas are dependent upon technology and modern conveniences for the necessities of life. It appears that this dependency is increasing at a rapid rate. Is it any wonder that when separated from people, material possessions, or familiar reference points, many become very confused and disoriented, or at the very least, frightened?

Exactly how a person will react under stress when isolated and alone is unknown. In an attempt to better predict a subject's actions, it is necessary to examine past accounts of subject behaviour during actual search missions. After analyzing these missions, it becomes very apparent that a number of factors must be considered when developing an overall search strategy.

SHOCK

The mental impact of being lost or disoriented varies among individuals but is generally characterized by a shock-like behaviour and disbelief. Contrary to popular belief, panic is seldom present. It appears that a complete loss of contact with known references results in feelings similar to vertigo (attitudinal disorientation such as experienced by pilots while flying). The subject often feels that the environment is closing in around him/her and there is an intense urge to run, break out, to find the trail or familiar reference in that environment.

CONFLICT

After a period of time that varies with each individual, all subjects seem to get control of their emotions. (This aspect is true of adults in various categories but not necessarily of children). Personal accounts relate how conflicts seem to develop between the conscious and subconscious minds about developing a plan of action appropriate for the situation. Eventually, a course of action that seems to offer the highest degree of probable survival, is decided on. This may or may not be a rationale or logical decision.

FEAR

If the subject is overcome by a fear of some kind, it is possible that it may over-ride normal behaviour and directly impact the outcome of the situation. Basic fears are always with us, and having fears is not abnormal. Everyone is afraid of the dark at some time because it masks one of our five senses. Fear of being alone, animals, suffering, death, and many others all are basic fears about the unknown. How will I react? What will it be like? The impact of these fears tends to be directly related to how well a person handles unknown or unexpected occurrences in daily life.

OTHERS

Many times there will be a fluctuation of thought from a sense of abandonment to a fear about what others will say when the situation is over:

a. What will all my friends or fellow employees say?

b. Who cares whether I am missing? -- I will they tell anyone?

c. Who is going to come out here and look? -- I will bet that they have not even started yet?

"Facts are stupid things, until brought into connection with some general law"

ATTITUDE

All of these factors may lead to poor judgement and irrational behaviour. It is imperative to investigate a subject's personality, background, experience and recent mood in order to more accurately predict some type of behaviour. Mental attitude is critical because despair and despondency may cause a subject to ignore or entirely disregard obvious aids to rescue.

CIRCUMSTANCES OF LOSS

The circumstances by which an individual became lost, and a thorough evaluation of the surrounding terrain are both important to establishing a search plan. In general, there are three major categories of circumstances to consider:

a. Known location - the individual was at a semi-familiar location such as a home, campground or playground, etc.

b. Enroute - the individual was travelling a route with one or more individuals and became separated.

c. No specific location - the individual is in a wilderness area or relatively inaccessible location.

ANALYSIS

Map and terrain analysis is useful in predicting subject behaviour. Confusion factors on a trail, mazes, minor and major barriers, natural routes or travel aids and attractions should be identified and marked.

PUT YOURSELF IN THE SUBJECT'S SHOES. Hunter: where might he have gone? Berry Pickers: where are the best berries?

PROFILE

Compile a subject profile and update it regularly. Get key people together to go over all the "knowns" plus any accumulated "unknowns."

DOCUMENTATION

"Accurate documentation of all aspects of a search effort in a retrievable form is essential and may prove a godsend if legal complications arise....the SAR Office can never collect too much information about an operation....it is almost impossible to generate accurate records after the fact."

-Tim J. Setnicka, Wilderness Search and Rescue, 1980

WHAT SHOULD YOU DOCUMENT?

Documentation begins with the initial reports and ends with the revision of the preplan and follow-up on problems identified.

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