The Containment Team plays a critical role in ensuring the effectiveness and safety of the mission. Their primary objective is to prevent the subject from leaving the designated search area without being notice.
The Containment Team is responsible for setting up physical and visual boundaries around the search area. This may involve positioning team members along roads, trails, rivers, or natural barriers to prevent the subject from moving beyond the perimeter.
Team members continuously observe their assigned sectors for any signs of movement, clues, or evidence that the subject is attempting to exit or is near the containment line. Binoculars, night vision, or other surveillance tools may be used to enhance monitoring capabilities.
The Containment Team maintains regular communication with the Incident Command and other SAR teams. Any sightings, evidence, or changes in conditions are promptly reported to ensure coordinated responses and adjustments to the search strategy.
Roles for Containment Team
Containment
The Containment Team Member plays an essential role in success of a search mission. Their primary responsibility is to establish and maintain boundaries that prevent the subject from leaving the designated search area, thereby increasing the chances of a successful search.
Core Responsibilities
• Establishing Perimeter: Containment Team Members are tasked with setting up a physical and visual boundary around the search area. This involves positioning themselves at strategic locations, such as trails, roads, or natural barriers, where a missing person might attempt to exit.
• Monitoring Movement: They continuously observe their assigned sectors for signs of movement, evidence, or clues that may indicate the missing person’s path.
• Inquiries and Informing: They contact persons leaving a mission area, inquiring about possible sightings of the subject. When persons enter a mission area they inform them of the ongoing mission and ask them to be aware of the situation.
• Communication: Effective communication with other SAR personnel is essential. Containment Team Members report any findings, suspicious activity, or sightings promptly to the command center or search coordinator.
• Safety Enforcement: They help ensure that civilians and non-rescue personnel do not enter the search containment area, maintaining the integrity of the operation and preventing contamination of evidence.
Required Skills and Qualities
• Situational Awareness: The ability to remain alert and aware of surroundings is vital, as changes in the environment could indicate movement or the presence of the missing person.
• Physical Endurance: Wilderness SAR often involves challenging terrain and long hours; Containment Team Members must be physically fit and prepared for these conditions.
• Teamwork: Collaboration with other SAR personnel and clear communication are essential for successful containment.
• Knowledge of Area: Familiarity with local geography, wildlife, and weather patterns can enhance a team’s effectiveness.
• Calm Under Pressure: SAR operations can be stressful; Containment Team Members must remain calm, focused, and adaptable.
The Containment Team Member is integral to wilderness search and rescue missions, providing essential support that helps keep searches organized and increases the likelihood of a positive outcome. Their vigilance, communication, and dedication to maintaining the search perimeter are key factors in the overall success of SAR operations.
Containment Leader
All SAR operations are complex, requiring strong team leaders. The Containment Team Leader’s task is not simple! It requires continued vigilance in isolated areas away from the main mission area. A sense of doing an unimportant task should be avoided.
Primary Responsibilities
• Establishing and Maintaining Containment: The Containment Team Leader is responsible for deploying their team at the assigned location on the perimeter of the search area. Their primary goal is to prevent the subject from leaving the designated area undetected and to alert the rest of the SAR team if movement is observed.
• Safety Oversight: The safety of team members is paramount. The Containment Team Leader monitors environmental conditions, ensures that team members are equipped with necessary gear, and enforces protocols to minimize risks such as exposure, wildlife encounters, or fatigue.
• Reporting and Communication: The leader maintains regular contact with command staff, providing updates on team status, sightings, or any incidents. They are also responsible for relaying instructions from command to their team efficiently.
• Documentation: Accurate records of team locations, shifts, sightings, and incidents are maintained by the leader for operational review and post-mission debriefing.
Essential Skills and Qualifications
• Leadership and Decision-Making: The ability to lead under pressure, make quick decisions, and adapt to changing conditions is critical.
• Navigation and Wilderness Skills: Proficiency in map reading, compass use, and GPS navigation ensures effective deployment and movement within the search area.
• Communication: Clear verbal and written communication skills are necessary for team coordination and reporting.
• Situational Awareness: The leader must be alert to changes in the environment, team morale, and potential hazards.
Best Practices for Containment Team Leaders
• Thorough Briefings: Conduct detailed briefings before deployment to ensure everyone understands their roles, responsibilities, and the overall search plan.
• Regular Check-Ins: Schedule routine check-ins with the ICP and adjacent teams to share updates and adjust strategies as needed.
• Adaptability: Be prepared to adjust team positions or tactics in response to terrain, weather, or intelligence from the field.
• Documentation: Keep meticulous records for operational integrity and future reference.
• Team Welfare: Monitor team members for signs of fatigue, stress, or dehydration, and rotate shifts as needed to maintain effectiveness.
The Containment Team Leader is a pivotal figure in wilderness search and rescue operations. By ensuring the integrity of the search perimeter, maintaining team safety, and providing effective leadership and communication, the Containment Team Leader significantly increases the likelihood of a successful and safe outcome for all involved.