Last week I outlined what the San Diego County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Team was all about, their training, equipment and mission. This group is made up of people who are interested in more than a nice hike in the woods or hills, carrying a picnic lunch, a bottle of water, and enjoying the flora and fauna.
To become a member of the Search and Rescue Team, one must complete an academy consisting of 220 hours of rigorous training, held twice during the week in the evening and several hours on select Saturdays. The training includes not only classroom work involving laws of evidence, searching techniques, and first aid, but also field training involving realistic scenarios.
The training is not for the faint of heart or weak of body. Repelling down the side of a steep mountain, using pulleys to hoist a gurney carrying an injured person up a hillside is part of the plan. Traversing rugged terrain is also part of the training. To qualify, one must be able to hike several miles within a certain amount of time while carrying a 20-pound backpack.
Assessing an “injured” person’s status during training while an instructor is yelling at you does induce some stress, but you have to overcome it. After all, lives are at stake and help may be hours away.
Regarding expenses, the County provides only the shoulder patches, identification card, and a mesh baseball cap. Every other piece of equipment is the responsibility of the prospective Search and Rescue Team member. There are well-defined requirements as to what a searcher can wear. For example, long-sleeved orange shirts purchased at certain locations are the only ones acceptable.
The backpacks carried on operations have certain specifications, along with pants and footwear. A first aid kit is required to be purchased and stocked at the expense of the team member.
The pack must hold three quarts of water, 24-hours worth of food, and the aforementioned first aid kit. No sleeping bags are allowed due to bulkiness and weight. In their stead, a small wilderness “bag” resembling aluminum foil that folds to nearly wallet size is used to sleep in. An equally small tarp is used to construct a lean-to that will provide overhead cover. The hiking stick (also purchased by the team member) can be stuck in the ground to elevate the tarp forming the makeshift lean-to. It goes without saying that no air mattresses are allowed. You have to want to do this.
Conservatively speaking, it is estimated that to properly outfit one for duty, the out-of-pocket cost for a new searcher will be in the $600-700 dollar range. You really have to be committed.
Team members are notified by cell phone or text when a search operation is about to begin. Depending on their availability, the member will drive his or her own personal vehicle to the staging area. As mentioned before, if this is a “wilderness” operation, the rescuer is equipped to go for at least 24 hours. In this situation, the backpack will have everything. The qualifying training only involves a 20-pound backpack. For an actual operation, the packs usually weigh 30-40 pounds.
In an urban search, usually for a disoriented person who has wandered away from a residence, or facility, overnight supplies are not needed. In order for there to be an urban callout, there are many variables in place. For example, the age, weather, and medical condition of the person is of paramount importance.
At the staging site, the 3-5 person search team is briefed and given radios and Global Positioning System equipment. The GPS notwithstanding, searchers must be fluent in compass and map reading. Sometimes GPS equipment doesn’t work and the old-fashioned map and compasses must be used. Time cards will be activated at the briefing site.
Hats off the Search and Rescue people. They save lives and give comfort and sometimes closure to grieving families.
