SAR Fundamentals/Lost person behaviour

Scope

 * SAR Fundamentals Manual:
 * Ch.21 "Lost Person Behavior"
 * Appendix F "Lost Person Questionnaire"
 * Basic SAR Skills Manual: Ch.14 "Lost Person Behavior"
 * Lost person Questionnaire w/exercise

Objectives
At the conclusion of this lesson the participants:
 * 1) will be able to ...

Time Plan
Total Time: 30 minutes
 * 2006-09: 40 min
 * 2013-02: 48 min

should cut down

Introduce topic title
 * SAR Fundamentals chapter 21[3] or FOG SAR chapters 14[1]

Introduce Instructor

Present Objectives

Distribute lost person questionnaire

Why analyse lost person behaviour?
 * Helps refine search urgency / survivability profile
 * Helps know where to look first
 * Helps searchers know what terrain features to concentrate on
 * Helps searchers recognize clues
 * Helps decided how to attract subject
 * Helps determine how to interact with found subject

What information is needed?
 * Where, what direction is subject likely to head?
 * How far are they likely to travel?
 * How are they likely to have acted prior to their trouble?
 * How are they likely to act when once they realize their trouble?
 * How will they interact with each other?
 * How will they respond to search activities?
 * How knowledgeable are they of this environment?
 * How skilled are they in this environment?

Sources of information Often conflicting
 * Family
 * Friends
 * Colleagues / Co-workers
 * Doctor, medical professionals
 * Police
 * Activity experts
 * Area experts
 * Statistics: general, local

Statistics

What statistical categories can say
 * Range of distances from IPP where found
 * Variance from intended direction
 * Features often found in association with
 * Objects / features that attract
 * Typical root cause of trouble
 * Strategies used to get out of trouble
 * Reactions to searchers
 * Survival rates over time

Major categories

There are lots of different categories.

More information than can be memorized.

Overhead team uses reference books and charts to collate this information.

''Skim over slides. Show some highlights.''


 * Children age 1-6
 * Children age 7-12
 * Youth age 13-15
 * Despondents
 * Psychotics
 * Mentally retarded
 * Alzheimer's
 * Hunters
 * Fishermen
 * Hikers
 * Mountain Bikers
 * Cross Country Skiers
 * Off Highway Vehicle Users
 * Miscellaneous Adults

Search team briefings
 * Not usually available for first assignment
 * Areas to focus on
 * Activities to watch for
 * How to approach

Search strategies


 * Put yourself in subjects shoes, mindset, look through their eyes
 * Look at things from their height
 * What would attract you?
 * What would you do?
 * Use 2 examples from powerpoint slides

Family liaison
 * Frequent role
 * Understand family dynamic
 * Get complete story
 * Past incidents
 * Complete lost person questionnaire

Overhead team support
 * Compile behaviour information
 * Summarize on briefining information

Done

Aids

 * non-publishable material
 * video projector
 * laptop
 * SAR SKILLS V1.1.pdf, slides for FOG SAR instructors, page 269-322
 * PCSAR DOC-13 Lost/Missing Person Report and Search Results

Question bank
See

Feedback

 * 2006-09-16 Wuth presentation at PCSAR SAR Fundamentals

License
Original content copyright © 2006-2013, Brett Wuth.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.5 Canada License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, 559 Nathan Abbott Way, Stanford, California 94305, USA.

Reference Material

 * [1] SAR Skills Handbook: FOG SAR, Field Operating Guide To Search and Rescue, Richard Smith et al., (c) ERI Canada et al., 2003, first edition, ISBN 0-9734135-0-6, chapter 14
 * [2] some material from Jake Waiboer developed for this section, provided personally.
 * [3] Search and Rescue Fundamentals: Basic Skills and Knowledge to Perform Wilderness, Inland, Search and Rescue, D. Cooper et al., 3rd Edition, revised., (c) 1996 Emergency Response Institute, Inc. et al., ISBN 0-913724-37-8, chapters 21
 * [4] Overhead slides distributed for [3]
 * [5] Instructor's Outline for Search and Rescue Fundamentals, Draft only for Provisional Use, Donald C. Cooper, Emergency Response Institude, Inc., and National Rescue Consultants, Inc., 4537 Foxhall Drive, N.E., Olympia, WA 98506, pg 141-144
 * [6] "SAR SKILLS V1.ppt" Powerpoint presentation distributed for [1]. dated Feb  8,  2005, size: 29,540,352, slides 269-322

To Do

 * Reorganize slides to match presentation order