1. Managing Land Search Operations
December 20, 2012

2. What is a search?
1. methodical attempt to find something
2. hunt

3. Types of Searches Containment Hasty Grid Choke Point Track Trap
Bastard

4. Who is in charge? 1. If there are suspicious circumstances-LE
2. If no suspicious circumstances-FD
3. Most cases-both share command

5. Can an agency be held liable?
Was there a duty to act?
In the process, was the victim injured?
Did you act in good faith?
Were you acting for the victim?
Were the victim’s best interests always the goal?
Did you do all you could reasonably do? And document it?

6. Successful Search Fundamentals
Search is an emergency
Search is tied usually to an LE investigation
Search for clues and the missing subject
Concentrate on factors important to success
Confine the search area and gather good info
Apply appropriate resources in a definite order
Use a thorough grid search as a last resort

7. Resources Human-trained or untrained Physical- porta-jons, food, etc
Helicopter 0,60,80%
Aircraft
Horses
Dogs

8. Steps to Take after Notification
Chief officer goes to scene for assessment
Department gathers at FD and prepares
Emergency not necessarily lights and sirens-make sure you are adequately prepared

9. What do we need to know? Name and location of reporting party
Name of missing person(s)
Missing from where?
What was the intended activity?

10. What do we really need to know?
Names and phone numbers of missing person(s)
Age(s)
Number of missing
Missing how long
Activity
Clothing
Equipment

11. What do we really need to know?
Physical description
Medical/mental history
Experience/ability
Point last seen of last known position
Terrain
Weather
Has this person been lost before? If so, where and outcome

12. Now what do we know? Is there a real problem? How serious?
What are we going to do?
Determine if we need more resources?
Determine a course of action?

13. Search Urgency Number of subjects(3 less than 1)
Age(very young or old more urgent)
Time( usually reliable more urgent than unreliable)
Physical condition (unfit more than fit)
Experience( inexperienced more urgent)

14. Initial Planning Point
Base point from which a search begins
May be the Last Known Position (LNP) if missing from home
May be somewhere else (example: Subject left home to go walk the Greenway)

15. Search Steps Secure the area and confine the subject
Secure a scent article
Shut off vehicles near LKP
Hasty search if possible
Utilize other resources
Grid search depending on circumstances

16. Profiles-Children 96% chance of survivability
57% used paths, trails or followed a drainage area
65% found within 1 mile radius
56% go downward
May be instructed to not talk to strangers
Determine places on interest

17. Profiles-Alzheimer's
Usually found on a road, in a drainage, or caught in wooded area
Lack the ability to turn around
Oriented to the past-may return to a former or favorite location
35% found by non-searchers
47% found in creeks, drainage or dense cover
89% found within 1 mile of IPP, usually within 0.5 miles
Fatality rate-22%

18. Profiles-Autistics May not understand what they see or hear
Usually found within 1.5 miles of IPP
93% may not respond to their name
Tend to not penetrate thick brush/briars.
30% found in open woods
23% found in structures

19. Profiles-Mentally Challenged
97% may not respond to their spoken name
May avoid searchers
21% found in structures
21% found in drainages

20. Profiles-Others(Hikers,etc)
50% followed a trail
90% found within 5 miles
33% found within ½ mile
75% easily detected
66% go downward
May attempt to return to familiar ground which further disorients them
May leave trails when they think they know the “right” direction

21. Segmentation
Use man-made, natural, or improvised boundaries when selecting segments
A reasonable area is an area that can be covered in 4-6 hours
10-12 searchers with a 100’ grid can search 160 acres in 4 hours
A dog team can search 160 acres in 2-6 hours

22. Thorough vs. Non-Thorough Search
Use thorough when abundant resources are available, when searching dangerous terrain, when searching for small objects, or in mixed residential and buildings
Use non-thorough when a large are is being searched, when time is a factor, and when additional resources have been requested but not arrived yet

23. Use the bike wheel model
Hub is the starting point and center of activity
Spokes are linear functions-search roads, trails, ridges, creeks, power lines, etc.
Reflectors-check likely spots and points of interest
Rim-Maximum theoretical distance traveled-containment
Spoke gaps-often not searched the first operational period-searched when more resources are available.

24. Types of searches
Passive-Make the subject come to you-Wait, confine, attract. (use sirens, lights, firearms,etc)
Active-You find the subject-Commit resources in the correct areas

25. Examples of Operational Tactics
Use search dogs in high priority areas
Open grid with 200 ft spacing
Run all trails for tracks and sign plus 100 ft on either side
Re-search two areas with different resources
Interview all hikers or passers-by in area
Fly open drainage areas twice a day

26. Night Searches May be required if search initiates at night
Dangerous for searchers
Probabilities of success decreased
After an initial operational period activity may be reduced at night.
Depends on the circumstances

27. Urban Area Searches
Many techniques don’t work in Urban areas, such as using search dogs.
May have many more areas to search in a smaller area, such as dumpsters, culverts, etc.
Search area guided almost entirely from information-you cannot search the entire city.
People don’t normally get “lost” in the city; they are more apt to be “missing persons”

28. Water Search No turnout gear near the water Usually found close to LKP
Drags work better than divers
Dogs work well when available

29. Questions?