Critiques/2009-05-05

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Suggestions coming from the May 5 critique and submitted separately regarding the May 5 mock search and the previous Anderson search.

Pincher Creek SAR routinely performs a critique after a Search and Rescue incident in order to learn what should be done differently or the same in the next similar incident. Critiques are not about criticism but rather about learning. They are normally chaired by a Search Manager that was not involved in the incident. The suggestions that are brought forward through the critique process are presented in this report.

Contents

[edit] Committee / Organization

The suggestions are being passed on to the indicated organizations/committees for their consideration. We recognize that not all suggestions may be appropriate, and some may already have been implemented.


[edit] PCSAR Board

Mandate Relevant to Incidents:

  • Overall ability of PCSAR to accomplish its mission.
  • Organizational policies
  • Relationships with Tasking Agencies and Fellow Responding Organizations.
  • Financing, budget

suggestions identified: #1

[edit] PCSAR Preplan Committee

Mandate Relevant to Incidents:

  • Expertise in search and rescue.
  • Standard Operating Procedures for incidents.
  • Post incident critique, review and follow-up.

suggestions identified: #1, #2, #3, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11, #12, #13, #16, #17, #18, #19

[edit] PCSAR Equipment Committee

Mandate Relevant to Incidents:

  • Obtaining and keeping equipment ready.

suggestions identified: #4

[edit] PCSAR Call-Out Committee

Mandate Relevant to Incidents:

  • Respond to First Call from Tasking Agency
  • Contacting members during an incident.

suggestions identified: #1, #2

[edit] PCSAR Membership Committee

Mandate Relevant to Incidents:

  • Recruiting members.
  • Tracking members contact information, skills and equipment.

suggestions identified: #1, #2

[edit] PCSAR Training Committee

Mandate Relevant to Incidents:

  • Training members.

suggestions identified: #3, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #19, #20, #21

[edit] Tasking Agency

Mandate Relevant to Incidents:

  • Overall legal responsibility for incident.

suggestions identified: #8

[edit] Fellow Responding Organizations

Mandate Relevant to Incidents:

  • Response to incident in accordance with their individual mandate and ability.

suggestions identified: none

[edit] Suggestions by functional area

[edit] first notification / tasking

[edit] call-out

Critiques/2009-05-05/Sug1:


Suggestion #1: Not able to get call-out people on incidents. Suggest have lead call-out coordinator on-call for month or 2 week period like manager-on-call. Suggest get more call-out people.

Committee handling: membership
Value to PCSAR mandate: high
Difficulty to implement: medium
  • preplan 2009-05-19
    • Good to have on-call caller.
    • Use regular members to fill in gaps for on-call caller. Refer to training.
    • Easy to recruit for (e.g. high schoolers).
  • preplan 2009-09-15
    • annual meeting of call out people
      • Oct 20
    • get their buy in
    • get more call out people
    • recruitment
  • preplan 2010-04-20
    • requires more work
  • preplan 2010-05-18
    • more recruits: Mavis, Olga
    • to do: Ron will set up date for training
  • preplan 2013-06-19
    • new call out system is rolling out
    • still need new people with computer knowledge to be call back people


Critiques/2009-05-05/Sug2:


Suggestion #2: Using old call out list. Confusion when coordinating with other call-out person. Some people called twice. Suggest use same list. Suggest having index by name and split index.

Committee handling: unassigned
Value to PCSAR mandate: none
Difficulty to implement: not rated
    • preplan 2009-05-19
      • Have current information on the web site.
      • Reorganize list to be more user friendly. Sub lists?
        • plan a larger discussion with call-out people.
      • identified as priority
    • preplan 2010-04-20
      • no action required


[edit] investigation

[edit] communications

Critiques/2009-05-05/Sug3:


Suggestion #3: Merging teams can cause confusion in command/reporting structure. Suggest clear language of merging vs. working together. Suggest switch to single FRS channel for new team.

Committee handling: training
Value to PCSAR mandate: low
Difficulty to implement: hard
  • preplan 2009-05-19
    • need clear language of team designations, designation of combined team
    • need clear designation of combined team leader
  • preplan 2010-05-18
    • overhead team can make effort to always have team leader designated
    • can practice developing leadership
    • can have SOP


[edit] resources

Critiques/2009-05-05/Sug4:


Suggestion #4: Suggest get gel pens which won't freeze.

Committee handling: unassigned
Value to PCSAR mandate: none
Difficulty to implement: not rated
  • preplan 2010-05-18
    • no action
    • can just keep pen in inside pocket


[edit] family liaison

[edit] (de)briefing

Critiques/2009-05-05/Sug5:


Suggestion #5: Map becoming available only after given assignment relative to locations is sometimes confusing. Suggest map orientation should be first.

Committee handling: unassigned
Value to PCSAR mandate: not rated
Difficulty to implement: done
    • preplan 2009-05-19
      • Come up with a standard format for briefing. Develop check list.
      • identified as priority
  • completed with updated briefing form


Critiques/2009-05-05/Sug6:

  • Suggestion #6: Debriefing forms don't match urban context. Suggest rework wording.
Committee handling: unassigned
Value to PCSAR mandate: medium
Difficulty to implement: easy
    • preplan 2009-05-19
      • add vehicle as type of team
      • critical spacing only applies to Type II or Type III
      • need training for the debriefer
  • preplan 2010-05-18
    • Medium Value
    • difficulty: easy


[edit] searching

Critiques/2009-05-05/Sug7:


Suggestion #7: Suggest have minimum of 2 people approach door for member safety and to give assurance of legitimacy to resident

Committee handling: unassigned
Value to PCSAR mandate: not rated
Difficulty to implement: done
    • preplan 2009-05-19
      • Reflective vests or anything to show that we are not prowlers. Needs to be stressed don't fall into trap of assuming everyone recognizes we are there to help.
    • preplan 2010-05-18
      • already policy
      • no action


Critiques/2009-05-05/Sug8:


Suggestion #8: Suggest when urban searching at night have patrol vehicle or other equipped with alley lights and search lights accompany teams to speed up searching of front yards and vehicles. Could expect Pincher RCMP to support in this way.

Committee handling: unassigned
Value to PCSAR mandate: none
Difficulty to implement: not rated
    • preplan 2009-05-19
      • probably not enough vehicles available from police
      • would not work well with many yards, too many fences, too high
      • risk to night vision
      • risk of people walking beside vehicle
      • not effective back alleys
  • preplan 2010-05-18
    • discounted


Critiques/2009-05-05/Sug9:


Suggestion #9: Suggest having roving support vehicle for urban search teams for food, water, warming, transport

Committee handling: unassigned
Value to PCSAR mandate: medium
Difficulty to implement: easy
    • preplan 2009-05-19
      • effective for shifting priorities
      • access to washroom facilities
      • yellow flashing light would highten awareness that something is having, magnetic search and rescue decals
    • preplan 2010-05-18
      • not just urban searches, also at St. Mary's
      • any situation where searchers are road accessible, use support vehicle
      • also for injury
      • put out as reminder for search managers
      • easy
      • Medium Value


Critiques/2009-05-05/Sug10:


Suggestion #10: Suggest mark sidewalk with chalk in urban search to indicate what has/hasn't been searched by which team

Committee handling: unassigned
Value to PCSAR mandate: low
Difficulty to implement: medium

Could make easier to recognize sweep boundaries. Could be tied to end of walking/tracking stick. Could develop convention for markings "X" like disaster search.

  • preplan 2009-05-19
    • difficult to recognize from other end
  • preplan 2010-05-18
    • could be useful
    • need to develop convention
    • require training
    • needs to be visible
    • need enough chalk


Critiques/2009-05-05/Sug11:

  • Suggestion #11: Suggest wear reflective vests for urban night search for higher visibility vs normal street clothes. Makes team seem less suspicious when seen by resident in their yard
Committee handling: preplan
Value to PCSAR mandate: medium
Difficulty to implement: easy
    • preplan 2009-05-19
      • agreed
    • preplan 2010-05-18
      • already policy
      • put on search manager reminder list
      • difficulty: easy
      • Medium Value


Critiques/2009-05-05/Sug12:


Suggestion #12: Suggest search areas that are difficult can be reexamined by strategically spotting from point of advantage. E.g. thick brush along creek spotted from other side.

Committee handling: training
Value to PCSAR mandate: medium
Difficulty to implement: easy
  • preplan 2009-05-19
    • should be brought up during training
    • remind overhead to plan on macro scale
  • preplan 2010-05-18
    • need to maintain visual contact (e.g. spotting) while teams are moving in


Critiques/2009-05-05/Sug13:

  • Suggestion #13: Discussion of degree of discretion to work outside assigned segment. Suggest need for clarification of when should talk to command post vs. decide on own.
Committee handling: training
Value to PCSAR mandate: medium
Difficulty to implement: not rated
    • preplan 2009-05-19
      • a quick burst doesn't need to be communicated
        • should be reported in debriefing
      • a diversion or abandoning original assignment does need to be communicated
      • training issue
    • preplan 2010-05-18
      • give to training
      • Medium Value


Critiques/2009-05-05/Sug14:

  • Suggestion #14: Suggest when spotting subject, maintain visual contact until part of party approaches. Can lose perspective as approach.
Committee handling: training
Value to PCSAR mandate: medium
Difficulty to implement: not rated
    • preplan 2009-05-19
      • should be brought up during training
    • preplan 2010-05-18


[edit] extrication

Critiques/2009-05-05/Sug15:


Suggestion #15: Having many people approach Alzheimer sufferer likely to cause trauma

Committee handling: training
Value to PCSAR mandate: high
Difficulty to implement: easy
  • preplan 2010-05-18
    • should be part of briefing regarding subject if Alzheimer
    • should be renewed in training
  • Reviewed at 2010-11-16 Preplan meeting.
    • We have a Training CD.
    • We have information cards for dealing with Alzheimer sufferers.
    • arrange training night.


Critiques/2009-05-05/Sug16:


Suggestion #16: Suggest use rope as belay line when extracting stretcher on slope

Committee handling: unassigned
Value to PCSAR mandate: none
Difficulty to implement: not rated
  • preplan 2009-05-19
    • agreed
    • people have difficulty recognizing risk of low or short slopes
    • training for recognition of risk
  • preplan 2010-05-18
    • reconsidered: by time subject is packaged, will have enough expertise on slope
    • covered in training in 2010-05
    • no action


[edit] stand down

[edit] CISM

[edit] prevention, public education

[edit] travel

Critiques/2009-05-05/Sug17:


Suggestion #17: Suggest continued use of carpooling to search in e.g. Lethbridge. Better safety on way back when tired

Committee handling: preplan
Value to PCSAR mandate: medium
Difficulty to implement: done

preplan 2009-05-19

  • agreed

preplan 2010-06-15

  • no value: already doing


Critiques/2009-05-05/Sug18:


Suggestion #18: Suggest having arrangement to call-in when driving alone back from a tiring search (e.g. night search). To confirm safe arrival

Committee handling: preplan
Value to PCSAR mandate: high
Difficulty to implement: done
    • preplan 2009-05-19
      • someone on team should take responsibility to arrange for call-in
  • preplan 2010-05-15
    • already policy
    • should practice in night mock search
    • should be on list for search managers
  • preplan 2011-11-15
    • focus on issue of driving alone
    • what does the call accomplish after the accident, doesn't address safety issue.
    • if balking from tasking agency, we can rent room and charge tasking agency. Or we can pay out of contingency fund.
    • similar issue if the roads are bad
    • training?
    • everyone is responsible for safety, everyone should feel free to make the suggestion
    • make it really easy for them to stay
    • ultimately it's their call
    • when safety issue is handled, no need for accountability
    • notification on return, only if traveling against safety suggestion to wait
      • alternative can let spouse know when should arrive
    • (review tasked: Brett Wuth) write up as rule of thumb


[edit] logistics

[edit] planning

[edit] media

[edit] post ops

[edit] learning

(e.g., how this critique was organized, mock search goals, exercise techniques)


Critiques/2009-05-05/Sug19:


Suggestion #19: Suggest encourage members in field to discuss overhead decisions after search as learning opportunity

Committee handling: training
Value to PCSAR mandate: not rated
Difficulty to implement: not rated
  • preplan 2009-05-19
    • give big picture briefing, rationale


Critiques/2009-05-05/Sug20:


Suggestion #20: Suggest everyone get experience of working comms and command post

Committee handling: training
Value to PCSAR mandate: not rated
Difficulty to implement: not rated


Critiques/2009-05-05/Sug21:


Suggestion #21: Suggest better learning if everyone can see handling of first approach to subject.

Committee handling: training
Value to PCSAR mandate: not rated
Difficulty to implement: not rated
Facts about Critiques/2009-05-05RDF feed
Committee handling Suggestion/Committee/List/membership  +, Suggestion/Committee/List/unassigned  +, Suggestion/Committee/List/training  +, and Suggestion/Committee/List/preplan  +
Description Not able to get call-out people on incidents. Suggest have lead call-out coordinator on-call for month or 2 week period like manager-on-call. Suggest get more call-out people.  +, Using old call out list. Confusion when coordinating with other call-out person. Some people called twice. Suggest use same list. Suggest having index by name and split index.  +, Merging teams can cause confusion in command/reporting structure. Suggest clear language of merging vs. working together. Suggest switch to single FRS channel for new team.  +, Suggest get gel pens which won't freeze.  +, Map becoming available only after given assignment relative to locations is sometimes confusing. Suggest map orientation should be first.  +, Debriefing forms don't match urban context. Suggest rework wording.  +, Suggest have minimum of 2 people approach door for member safety and to give assurance of legitimacy to resident  +, Suggest when urban searching at night have patrol vehicle or other equipped with alley lights and search lights accompany teams to speed up searching of front yards and vehicles. Could expect Pincher RCMP to support in this way.  +, Suggest having roving support vehicle for urban search teams for food, water, warming, transport  +, Suggest mark sidewalk with chalk in urban search to indicate what has/hasn't been searched by which team  +, Suggest wear reflective vests for urban night search for higher visibility vs normal street clothes. Makes team seem less suspicious when seen by resident in their yard  +, Suggest search areas that are difficult can be reexamined by strategically spotting from point of advantage. E.g. thick brush along creek spotted from other side.  +, Discussion of degree of discretion to work outside assigned segment. Suggest need for clarification of when should talk to command post vs. decide on own.  +, Suggest when spotting subject, maintain visual contact until part of party approaches. Can lose perspective as approach.  +, Having many people approach Alzheimer sufferer likely to cause trauma  +, Suggest use rope as belay line when extracting stretcher on slope  +, Suggest continued use of carpooling to search in e.g. Lethbridge. Better safety on way back when tired  +, Suggest having arrangement to call-in when driving alone back from a tiring search (e.g. night search). To confirm safe arrival  +, Suggest encourage members in field to discuss overhead decisions after search as learning opportunity  +, Suggest everyone get experience of working comms and command post  +, and Suggest better learning if everyone can see handling of first approach to subject.  +
Difficulty to implement medium  +, not rated  +, hard  +, done  +, and easy  +
Full page name Critiques/2009-05-05  +
Review tasked  +
Sequence number 1  +, 2  +, 3  +, 4  +, 5  +, 6  +, 7  +, 8  +, 9  +, 10  +, 11  +, 12  +, 13  +, 14  +, 15  +, 16  +, 17  +, 18  +, 19  +, 20  +, and 21  +
Value to PCSAR mandate high  +, none  +, low  +, not rated  +, and medium  +
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