Very few individuals know or understand the national search and rescue (SAR) systems that provide response and assistance for overdue, missing or stranded people. Search and rescue is often associated with outdoor activities and people missing in outdoor environments. However, SAR is also an extremely important part of nearly every disaster or major emergency.

The term SAR denotes two separate functions.

Rescue utilizes proven procedures along with a high degree of technical skill for victim retrieval. With known victims in known locations, the principle problem involves devising the most expedient method of removing that individual from danger. to a place of safety and medical aid.

On the other hand, search for the lost or injured subject has developed into a sophisticated science involving numerous modem investigative. techniques. Statistics, probability, human behaviour, interviewing, terrain evaluation and tracking are but a few of the standard tools used in modem search.

It would be difficult to estimate the total demand for SAR services in the Canada today. Some estimate annual numbers of missions, from all regions of the country, to exceed 10,000.

The term SAR connotes emergency situations that are as varied nationally, as are the responders who provide relief to persons in distress. Search and rescue programs, equipment and personnel vary geographically in accordance with local needs.

SAR can probably be best defined as "finding and aiding people in distress - relieving trauma and suffering." SAR involves a great many volunteers and covers a multitude of skills. Hurricane Katrina is considered one of the world's most catastrophic disasters as well as being one of the largest peacetime search and rescue operation in the history of North America.

The "Managing SAR Operations" course was designed to provide a comprehensive methodology for use by local governments and agencies involving local, provincial, federal and private organizations in the search for, and rescue of lost or stranded persons on land, in missing aircraft, and in a water environment.

Nearly every type of hazard mentioned in the Comprehensive Emergency Management Plans that exist in all provinces may require search and rescue. Management of these SAR operations can range from directing the actions of a few searchers in a small area to managing an effort involving hundreds and even thousands of searchers in mountainous, heavily forested, coastal or inland· environments with numerous threats to human safety. Often, these larger situations also involve several political subdivisions and the coordination of both air and ground resources.

This course is designed to show local governments, and any other agencies that participate in SAR response, the need for cooperation and coordination among diverse emergency service organizations.

Many of the agencies that collectively support multi-organizational SAR responses operate under their own specific statutory authority. From the standpoint of benefit to comprehensive emergency management, search and rescue operations provide the training ground and experience building for disaster response capability at the most elementary level.

Management principles used in "Managing SAR Operations" provide the very foundation for management of larger scale emergencies and disasters.

SAR operations have a built in motivating time factor that focuses on a successful conclusion (finding a lost subject or rescuing a person before they succumb to the effects of the environment, injuries or a specific hazard). Extremely diverse organizations can be drawn together in a time critical, life-threatening situation with a commonality of purpose; much the same circumstances that exist during a community wide disaster.

In the longer time frame, this course will impact and add to future training, planning efforts, and cooperation that should be expected in a fully integrated emergency management· system.