SAR Flashcards
Landing zone requirements for helicopters should take into consideration:
Weather
Size Requirements
Overhead Instructions
Define the basic requirements for a landing zone (LZ) or heliport
Will vary due to conditions, the helicopter pilot will always advise the minimum LZ size prior to each landing.
To adequately protect yourself, searchers involved in helicopter operations should ensure that they have the following safety equipment for themselves and any subjects:
Helmet
Goggles
Hearing Protection
You must always assume the helicopter pilot and crew cannot see you while they are landing.
TRUE
It is only safe to approach the helicopter whe:
A crew member has signaled to you it is alright to approach from a specific direction.
Clues/evidence located int he field should be immediately reports to base, then:
Instruction from command should be followed.
In tracking, “sign” can be best described as:
Scuffs, bruising, and breakage.
List 3 elements that are necessary for fire
Heat, Oxygen, Fuel
what is the minimum amount of water that a SAR member should carry into a field on a mission?
2-4 Litres
Four methods to purify water are:
Chemical: Bacteria, Virus, some parasites
Boiling: Bacteria, Virus, Parasites
UV: Bacteria, Virus, Parasites
Filtering: Bacteria, Parasites, some contaminants
The fundamentals of survival in a non-urban environment are:
A positive mental attitude and maintaining stable core body temperature.
Methods to control bleeding include:
Direct pressure
pressure bandages
tourniquets
True or Fales: Limb immobilization (splinting) can be achieved in the field by walking sticks, ski poles, paddles, SAM splints, other materials strong enough to serve the purpose, or by taping the affected limb to another limb.
FALSE
Common weather hazards in SAR include:
Snow, Rain, Heat
Different types of hazards on search missions include:
Common climate hazards, forest fires
Hunters, poachers, animals
Drug production areas
True or False: Searching in winter requires an awareness of the potential for avalanches and tree well entrapment.
TRUE
When searching for moving water, an effective personal flotation device needs to be:
Correct size and type
Be worn
Be fastened correctly using all required fasteners
If a search member is injured, becomes lost, or shows signs of an environmental illness such as hypothermia, altitude sickness, or heat exhaustion:
The team leader should notify base immediately and cease the team mission until the situation is resolved.
Common signs of hypothermia include:
Shivering, poor muscle coordination, slurred/slow speech, subject may be wet.
Proper field treatment of hypothermia include:
Warm the subject, provide fluids, ensure they are dry
Methods to prevent hypothermia include:
Wear proper clothing for conditions
Eat and drink warm food and fluids
Stay active, but don’t exert yourself to the point that sweat will dampen clothing.
Common signs of hyperthermia include:
Nausea, dizziness, fast pulse, muscle pain, cramps
Proper field treatment for hyperthermia
Stop physical activity and move to cool place
Sip water or beverage with electrolytes
Loosen tight clothing and place cool damp cloths on body
Prevention of hyperthermia:
Wear proper clothing for conditions
Remain hydrated
Reduce exertion in hot environments
Methods to prevent frostbite:
Wear proper clothing for conditions/tasks
Keep tissue covered and warm
To treat frostbite you should:
Immobilize the area, keep it from getting colder, avoid pressure/contact.
Symptoms of frostbite include:
Numb, pale/waxy skin, hardening of tissue
5 methods heat is tranferred
Conduction
Convection
Radiation
Respiration
Evaporation
Dehydration is a concern when:
Any environment when a person has not consumed enough water to replace the amount used during activity and bodily functions.
True or False: Always make sure your pack is fastened securely before crossing moving water
FALSE
True or False: Searchers should evaluate themselves or be evaluated for fatigue before they demobilize from a search to ensure they are safe to drive home.
TRUE
Who can stop a search assignment for safety reasons
ANY SAR MEMBER
True of False: The highest priority in all SAR missions is the safety of the responders
TRUE
What types of maps can be used in SAR?
topographic, State forestry, Trail
The area in a map township and range section square is:
1 mile by 1 mile
What are the three most commonly used coordinate systems?
Lat/Long, Township range, UTM
UTM coordinates are divided into grid squares of:
1000x1000m or 1square km
UTM measures the world in
Kilometers and meters
what is the difference between magnetic north and true north called?
Declination
True or False: It is safe to assume all SAR groups use the same map datum.
FALSE
What is the reason that all search resources on a mission use the same map datum and coordinate system?
Numerical coordinates in different map datums represent different geographical locations.
The advantages of using a GPS unit are:
Easy way to plot location
Allows you to save your track on a mission
It can guide you to a location
Limitations of using a GPS unit are:
It may not work in all terrain
Human error is always a possibility
Batteries can fail at any time
What lines on a map detail the change in elevation?
Countour lines
What is the coordinate system most commonly used by aircraft and maritime vessels?
Lat/Long
Some advantages of using UTM over Lat/Long are:
Easier than L/L to plot one’s location on a map
Coordinates translate directly to the ground
Units of measurements are the same for East and West as they are for North and South
It is decimal based
It uses square grids
The primary purpose of a searcher briefing is to:
Provide and accurate exchange of information related to the mission.
The primary purpose of a search team debriefing is to:
Communicate to search managers the result of the team’s search effort.
What is the purpose of personnel check in and checkout procedures on a search mission?
Track location of search personnel and to ensure that all personnel are accounted for.
Ensures that resources will be paid for the time they worked should there be a declaration of emergency.
Provides search managers with an accurate number of personnel for the state SAR report.
The role of the public information officer on a mission is?
Provide the medica with appropriate and accurate information about the search.
Accurate documentation of efforts of search teams is important because:
Search managers us it to determine search efficiency and it may be needed later for investigative or legal purposes.
Sign found in the field can be protected from damage or preserved by?
Flagging it location to prevent damage and/or contamination.
Photographing it
Covering it with plastic containers if rain or inclement weather is imminent.
Sketching or drawing it
The elements of a track or print are:
Size
Pattern
Stride length
The emphasis of looking for clues is:
There are more clues in the area than missing subjects
the finding of a clue can substantially reduce and direct the potential area.
If a searcher finds something that could be a relevant item of interest, the searcher should stop and notify:
Their team leader
Hastys teams are used primarily for
Initial response
Type I searching is best described as:
A rapid response to areas of high probability and paths of travel by immediately available trained resources often referred to as a a hasty search.
Type II searching is best described as:
A fast systematic search of high probability areas using search techniques most effective for the responsive subject often referred to as an open or loose grid search.
Why is containment important on a search?
It can reduce the size of the search area.
The most important elements of a sound sweep for a missing person are:
Stopping frequently, making calls for the subject, waiting and listening for a response
Critical separation for a visual search
Refers to the spacing distance between searchers in the field.
Is dependent upon terrain, weather, lighting conditions and the size of the targe item.
Searching at night:
Can be more difficult and dangerous for searchers.
Lights can be sued at night as attractants to lost subjects.
True or False: To maximize chances of finding clues and the subject, searchers should use the “searcher cube” making sure they look in front, behind, sides, up and down while searching.
TRUE
Detection is affected by:
Time of day
Speed at which the searcher is traveling
How a clue or subject is situated in the environment
Contrast between a clue or the subject and the environment
What does PLS stand for?
Point/Place last seen
What does POD stand for
Probability of detection
What does LKP stand for?
Last known point
How is LKP different from PLS
The LKP may be determined by clues, where PLS is determined by witness or image.
POA - probablitiy of area is defined:
The probability that the subject we are searching for is contained within a given search area or segment.
The IPP - Initial planning point is best defined as:
It is generally either the first PLS of LKP of the missing subject.
What should a searcher do when evidence of a crime or a deceased person is located?
Don’t disturb the scene and contact base for direction.
True or False: Whenever possible, searches should avoid any and all discussion of death on the radio other than using e designated death code assigned at the begining of the mission.
TRUE
Which of the following are common techniques used to secure a crime scene?
Flagging tape
Security personnel
Signs
Who is responsible for preserving a crime scene when it is discovered/located?
The first responder on scene until relieved by law enforcement
Who is allowed into an established crime scene?
Persons documented and authorized by the incident commander.
When may a search pick up or disturb a clue, even it is possibly evidence?
When directed by command
True or False: A tight grid search is often used at crime scenes to find small objects. It includes strict enforcement of the rules of evidence to protect and record the evidence and maintain the chain of custody
TRUE
According to ORS chapter 404, who is legally responsible for SAR in Oregon?
County Sheriff
True or False: The Sheriff or designated search coordinator has the authority to close access to the search area.
TRUE
True or False: The Oregon good Samaritan las protects SAR volunteers from being sued for acts or omissions while providing medical care……..unless SAR volunteer is GROSSLY NEGLIGENT
TRUE
What responsibility do SAR volunteers have to participating in SAR missions?
The volunteer must follow the directions of the sheriff or designee and act reasonably and within scope and training and orders to find/rescue subjects
When can you use mechanized equipment in a wilderness area?
Only with the permission of the US forest service or BLM and when directed by SAR command
TRUE or FALSE: Vicarious liability in the search environment can best be described as legal responsibility for the acts of others that are under your control or direction.
TRUE
When a search are would require entering private proper, the SAR volunteer should:
Ask permission of the property owner to search for the missing person on the property, leaving immediately and informing BASE if permission is denied.
TRUE or FALSE On a VHF radio, a frequency is a number (such as 155.805 MHz) showing the rate of oscillation of radio waves.
TRUE
True or False: A repeater automatically re transmits traffic between two or more users allowing for longer range transmission than possible without a repeater.
TRUE
A manual radio relay is a person at a location where they can cover gaps in communication by repeating radio communications
TRUE
True or False: Cold weather can affect the performance of your portable radio battery
TRUE
When having trouble clearly receiving or transmitting while using a portable radio, the operator should?
Move uphill or closer to the destination radio or repeater
Make sure the antenna is tight, not obstructed by anything, and oriented vertically
Use a more powerful radio and better antenna, such as a vehicle radio, if possible
When team members need to communicate or coordinate information among themselves while dispersed in the field, they should.
Use cell phones or notify base and temporarily switch to an unused radio frequency
Unless otherwise specified, radio transmissions during search missions should be in:
Plain English
One of the primary frequencies used in SAR is Oregon State SAR, know as SAR orange at
155.8050 MHz
If you cannot contact anyone using your portable radio, you should check that:
Radio is on correct channel
Radio is on and has a charged battery
Volume is turned high enough so that you can hear
