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Wilderness Search and Rescue

by Russ Napier

Conducting wilderness search operations for a lost or missing person can challenge the responders. The environment can pose a hazard to the searchers, the search area can be difficult to determine, and effective management of the search event is critical. The Wilderness Search and Rescue - Operations Level course looks at some of these subjects in closer detail. It covers basic navigation (the use of both GPS and map and compass), examines the issue of rescue versus recovery, evaluating lost person behavior, and management and extraction of victims. Since the actual search environment impacts operations, we discuss the type of scenes and terrains that might be encountered and how best to operate in those environments. Every missing person event can become a crime scene, so we also look at how to handle evidence and crime scene preservation.



The two-day Wilderness Search and Rescue - Operations Level course introduces searchers to theories of wilderness search and the training principles that may be applied. It takes the searcher through the steps necessary to build a solid foundation in wilderness search as well as providing the beginnings of more advanced search scenarios. The Wilderness Search and Rescue - Operations Level course can either be brought to the jurisdiction or taught at our Disaster City® training facility. Search personnel from all disciplines are encouraged to attend this class as it allows you the opportunity to share ideas with personnel from the multitude of disciplines who may be involved in a given search operation. In addition to classroom lectures and field training, one of the benefits of the course is the networking opportunity with students from rescue teams across Texas and the United States.

Contact TEEX US&R Division to schedule a Wilderness Search and Rescue - Operations Level course for your department.

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