Search Team members are a subgroup of the SAR Team that require additional training and skills. This is the specialized teams trained to conduct the grunt field work of actual searches.
The Search Team is tasked with the systematic exploration of designated areas to locate lost subjects. Their responsibilities include:
• Area Coverage: Thoroughly searching assigned sectors using organized patterns such as grid, line, or sweep searches to maximize coverage and minimize gaps.
• Observation and Detection: Utilizing keen observation skills and knowledge of terrain to identify clues, tracks, or signs of the lost individual.
• Documentation: Recording findings, clues, and the search progress accurately to inform command and coordinate further actions.
• Communication: Maintaining regular contact with the incident command center and other teams to report discoveries, progress, and changes in conditions.
• Safety: Ensuring the safety of team members by adhering to established protocols, being aware of environmental hazards, and carrying appropriate survival and first aid equipment.
The Search Team is often the first line of response in wilderness SAR missions. Their ability to locate missing individuals quickly and accurately can be the deciding factor between life and death, especially in environments where exposure and injuries pose significant risks.
The Search Team in wilderness search and rescue is the backbone of the squad. Through their expertise, dedication, and teamwork, they perform the vital function of locating and assisting those in need, ensuring that SAR operations are effective and that lives are saved.
The skills of the search are further defined and subdivided below.