T18135: Searching the Suburban Environment

This course  is intended for field team personnel who may carry out search operations in a suburban environment, where subjects are more likely to be children, people experiencing dementia, despondency or are possibly suicidal.

On completion of this training students will be able to perform as a search team member for a search in a suburban environment. They will understand issues and hazards that influence a suburban search operation, and under broad supervision, will be responsible for their search findings, dealing with members of the public, contributing to search decisions, and managing personal risk.

This course is specifically designed to enable students to safely participate in suburban searches and understand basic theory and legislation behind such operations.

Lost person behaviour is explored and applied in the context of suburban search. Likely subject profiles are examined in detail. Considerable emphasis is placed on team work. Suburban search methods are explored in detail, and practices and procedures to maximise POD are explored. This is a practical field based course with a strong theoretical component. An intensive two days involving both day and night searches for a range of likely subjects. 

Minimum  number of attendess - 16

T18151: Search Techniques

THIS 2 DAY COURSE WILL TEACH YOU HOW TO USE DIFFERENT SEARCH METHODS AND DEVELOP SEARCH STRATEGIES AS PART OF A SAR TEAM IN THE FIELD.

The factors which affect the search for a person or object are explored, such as Lost Person Behaviour, allowing students to become more aware of environmental and personal reasons that would affect their searching.

As in a real SAR operation, students work in groups practicing and refining a number of well-known best-practice techniques for searching.

Specific techniques for both day and night searching and various environments are covered.

GEAR LIST (please bring)

 Whistle & compass
 Headtorch
 Handheld torch
 Hi-vis vest (preferably with a LandSAR logo)
 Appropriate outdoor clothing (wet, cold, hot etc.) and footwear.
 Insect repellent, sunscreen.
 Calculator, pens, pad

Min attendees - 16

Max attendees - 20

T18108: Processing Wilderness Clues

THIS IS THE THIRD OF THE TRACKING COURSES FOR SAR FIELD TEAM MEMBERS.

In this 2 day course, students are expected to have knowledge and field experience of the skills taught in the 2 previous courses (TCS & TWE).

PWCS teaches the skills necessary to deduct the subject’s likely physical and mental condition and equipment carried, and to then make search decisions based on these deductions.

Emphasis is placed on identifying, analysing and processing clue sites in wilderness environments such as camp sites, fire sites, washing and water collection points.

This is fundamentally a practical course with students developing skills previously gained and extending those skills through the application of new theory and practice in the field, with the assistance of expert tutors. 

There will be one evening/night exercise and you will be required to camp out on the Saturday night.

Combined Tracking Team

T18101: Operational Tracking Intro

OPERATIONAL TRACKING INTRODUCTION
OTI introduces SAR volunteers to additional tracking processes and skills, effective on SAR operations, with the emphasis on identifying and following sign as quickly as possible.
The topics covered are operational tracking techniques and tactics such as the Track Pursuit Drill (TPD) and Lost Track Drill (LTD).
Participants need to be able to track both individually and as part of a team.
All participants will be provided with written feedback on their skills and tracking potential and, if applicable a recommendation to attend the 5 day Operational Tracking course.
To attend this course participants need to have attended and be competent in Search Techniques, Tracking Core Skills (TCS) & Tracking in the Wilderness Environment (TWE).

T18100: Operational Tracking Intro

OPERATIONAL TRACKING INTRODUCTION
OTI introduces SAR volunteers to additional tracking processes and skills, effective on SAR operations, with the emphasis on identifying and following sign as quickly as possible.
The topics covered are operational tracking techniques and tactics such as the Track Pursuit Drill (TPD) and Lost Track Drill (LTD).
Participants need to be able to track both individually and as part of a team.
All participants will be provided with written feedback on their skills and tracking potential and, if applicable a recommendation to attend the 5 day Operational Tracking course.
To attend this course participants need to have attended and be competent in Search Techniques, Tracking Core Skills (TCS) & Tracking in the Wilderness Environment (TWE).

T18093: Operational Tracking Intro

OPERATIONAL TRACKING INTRODUCTION
OTI introduces SAR volunteers to additional tracking processes and skills, effective on SAR operations, with the emphasis on identifying and following sign as quickly as possible.
The topics covered are operational tracking techniques and tactics such as the Track Pursuit Drill (TPD) and Lost Track Drill (LTD).
Participants need to be able to track both individually and as part of a team.
All participants will be provided with written feedback on their skills and tracking potential and, if applicable a recommendation to attend the 5 day Operational Tracking course.
To attend this course participants need to have attended and be competent in Search Techniques, Tracking Core Skills (TCS) & Tracking in the Wilderness Environment (TWE).

Postponed - T18094: Operational Tracking Intro

OPERATIONAL TRACKING INTRODUCTION
OTI introduces SAR volunteers to additional tracking processes and skills, effective on SAR operations, with the emphasis on identifying and following sign as quickly as possible.
The topics covered are operational tracking techniques and tactics such as the Track Pursuit Drill (TPD) and Lost Track Drill (LTD).
Participants need to be able to track both individually and as part of a team.
All participants will be provided with written feedback on their skills and tracking potential and, if applicable a recommendation to attend the 5 day Operational Tracking course.
To attend this course participants need to have attended and be competent in Search Techniques, Tracking Core Skills (TCS) & Tracking in the Wilderness Environment (TWE).

EXTENDED SEARCH PLANNING
PREVIOUSLY KNOWN AS FORMAL SEARCH PLANNING
It is widely accepted that 94% (or thereabouts) of all search and rescue operations are resolved within the initial response phase, using search management techniques learnt on the Managing The Initial Response (MTIR) course.
Bu what happens when you don’t locate the missing subject in that first phase? This is when you have to start applying a more formal approach to search management and operate over an extended period.

The ESP course covers topics such as:
Review of the initial response phase
Determination of the search area
Scenario development and analysis (in more detail)
Planning regions and apportioning POA to those
Segmenting regions and apportioning POA to those
Search implementation (right resources in the right place at the right time)
Search effort evaluation and the reallocation of POA and search effort
Operational changeovers
Search suspension
Critical incident stress
Operational debriefs
Managing external influences

The course is designed for those who have already attended the MTIR course and ideally have some search management experience under their belts. The training will enable participants to confidently contribute in a team environment to the search planning and incident management needs of an extended search operation.

Minimum number of attendees - 16

T18104: Processing Wilderness Clues

PROCESSING WILDERNESS CLUE SITES
THIS IS THE THIRD OF THE TRACKING COURSES FOR SAR FIELD TEAM MEMBERS.
In this 2 day course, students are expected to have knowledge and field experience of the skills taught in the 2 previous courses (TCS & TWE).
PWCS teaches the skills necessary to deduct the subject’s likely physical and mental condition and equipment carried, and to then make search decisions based on these deductions.
Emphasis is placed on identifying, analysing and processing clue sites in wilderness environments such as camp sites, fire sites, washing and water collection points.

This is fundamentally a practical course with students developing skills previously gained and extending those skills through the application of new theory and practice in the field, with the assistance of expert tutors.
There will be one evening/night exercise and you will be required to camp out on the Saturday night.

Pre course:
Please revise concepts from Tracking Core Skills and Tracking in the Wilderness Environment, in particular:
STOPPER
Use of tracking sticks
Age of sign
Decision points
Toilet sign
Top sign, bottom sign