External Links

| Field Oriented Links | Organizations |

If you know of appropriate links, please email SARAZ.ORG with full details. Thank you.

Field Oriented Links
Link Explanation
Alzheimer's Initiatives The International Association of Chiefs of Police have created a program dealing with subjects with Alzheimer's. Look under "Downloads" on the right-hand side of the web page for documents covering "Program Overview Brochure", "Identifying & Evaluating the At-Risk Older Adult Visor Card", "Evaluative Questions for Caregivers in a Missing Person Incident", "IACP Model Policy on Missing Persons with Alzheimer's Disease", "Concepts and Issues Paper", "Training Key", "Locative Technologies 101", "MedicAlert Access - (Law Enforcement Access Portal)", "Podcast: Missing Alzheimer's Disease Patient Initiative", and "Statistics Video from Alzheimer's Association". Also the November 2011 issue of The Police Chief contains the related article "Missing Incidents in Persons with Alzheimer's Disease: Current Research and Search Strategies".
Animated Climbing Knots and Animated Search and Rescue Knots Animated Knots by GrogTM is a website that shows how numerous knots are tied, using animated photography.
Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Special Needs Subject Response Guide for Police Officers Police officers, corrections officers, and all public safety personnel could benefit from the ability to recognize the characteristics of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) so that they can effectively manage people with ASD whom they come into contact with.
Avalanche Awareness Video Scroll to the bottom of the webpage and click on "Play Video" to view.
AZ State Cartographer's Office The Arizona State Cartographer's Office is dedicated to improving access to GIS information and geospatial data. They have a lot of GIS and map data available.
Baby It's Cold Outside Baby It's Cold Outside is an awareness and educational program about hypothermia and cold injuries developed specifically for the professional Search and Rescue Responder. It was developed by the SAR Secretariat in Canada to provide the information necessary to properly handle subjects with cold injuries, including hypothermia.
Backcountry Rescuer Backcountry Rescuer was founded with the intent to provide the Search and Rescue community with an information resource for SAR missions in the backcountry.
Calling 911 With a Cell Phone Tips That Might Save Your Life This excellent report, written by Joseph Elfelt, consists of three topics:
  1. A list of tips for calling 911 with a cell phone.
  2. Background information so people understand the big picture.
  3. Detailed information to support each tip.
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Desert Helicopter Experiments These experiments, written up in 1981, estimated the PODs of helicopters searching in a desert environment.
First Responder Safety at a Small Aircraft or Helicopter Accident As small aircraft and helicopters have become more complex, technology has provided systems that have enhanced operational safety. In the event of an accident, many of these systems have presented additional hazards to first responders or any potential rescuer at an aircraft accident scene. The FAA, in cooperation with General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), various manufacturers and first responder professional organizations, has developed training for safety at an aircraft accident scene.
Heat Index Chart This is an implementation of the National Weather Service Heat Index Chart.
How To Search Free "How To Search" training guides, developed by Dave Perkins and Pete Roberts, are available from the International Search and Rescue Alliance (ISAR) Training Library. (Note Module 2 from Level 0 will be posted as soon as copyright permission is granted.)
ICS Forms 2010 (PDF) The updated 2010 ICS forms in PDF format can be downloaded from NIMS via FEMA.
ICS Forms 2010 (DOC) The updated 2010 ICS forms in MS Word format. Thanks to Hal Grieb for supplying these.
ICS Forms Workbook This EXCEL worksheet is the creation of Mark Ethridge and Shane Brown. It is self explanatory. As you fill in some fields in the ICS forms it populates many of the downstream ICS forms. For example if you fill in the ICS 203 the information carries over to the ICS 204's, etc.
ICS Style Forms The Shawn Hornbeck Search and Rescue Team (St. Louis, Missouri) has collected ICS style forms from various sources and have compiled one of the most extensive and complete sets of forms that are available for download for any Search and Rescue organization.
Initial Response Notebook This notebook was developed by Hugh Dougher for the on-scene Incident Commander and/or Plans Chief. It is intended for one time use: to be completed real-time during an incident and then becoming part of the documentation package and ultimately the incident report.
Introduction to Human Tracking for Search and Rescue Volunteers There are two manuals produced by Roy Reehil of the Central Adirondack Search and Rescue Team, Inc. (CASART). One is for students and the other for trainers.
Introduction to Search Management Best Practices Video The video project was a joint effort between the Coconino County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue Unit, a Mountain Rescue Association member team, and the National Park Service Branch of Search and Rescue. To maximize its benefit to the search and rescue community the video is being distributed free of charge via the internet. The video is intended to be used in conjunction with a comprehensive search management course or as a review of search management concepts for seasoned search managers.
Search management involves a combination of art and science to analyze the situation and then organize responders to efficiently and effectively cover the search area in an effort to find lost or missing persons. The National Park Service has a long tradition of excellence in search management and the Coconino County Sheriff's Office has played an active role in search and rescue management training in Arizona for many years and continues that role with the release of this video.
In addition to the Coconino County Sheriff's Office and the National Park Service other agencies that participated in the video project included the Arizona Department of Public Safety Aviation Bureau and Guardian Medical Transport.
Introduction to Terrain Navigator Pro A SAR-oriented 30-minute video reviewing some of the basic features and functions of Maptech's Terrain Navigator Pro. A demo version of Terrain Navigator Pro is available here. The video references a PPT presentation that can be downloaded from here.
Kachina Peaks Avalanche Center This site has avalanche education information and a bulletin board for the discussion of snow conditions on the San Francisco Peaks, near Flagstaff, AZ. It is useful for anyone heading up to the mountains for hiking or training.
NPS Basic SAR Training This online Basic SAR Training Course is a program for entry-level DOI/NPS SAR personnel.
Obtaining Cell Phone Locations for Search and Rescue A document, written by George Durkee, describing various ways of locating a subject's cell phone.
Sunrise/Sunset for many U.S. Towns or world-wide This gives complete Sun and Moon data for one day, supplied by the U.S. Naval Observatory (USNO). The world-wide option requires latitude and longitude.
Topo Maps It is possible to download free digital copies of any 7.5 USGS Topographic Map from the U.S. Geological Survey store, http://store.usgs.gov/, by selecting "Map Locater & Download".
TrailNote™ TrailNote™ is a FREE online alert program for individuals or groups that allows you to "Get There, Get Back, and Be Safe!" Always leave a trail note! Simply inform TrailNoteâ„¢ when, where, and how long you will be traveling and if you do not return in time we will electronically inform your contacts of your absence.
Windchill Chart This is an implementation of the updated (2001) National Weather Service Windchill Temperature (WCT) index.

Organizations
Link Explanation
1st Special Response Group 1SRG is a rapid deployment search and rescue and disaster response unit. Don't miss their articles.
A Child Is Missing This is devoted to assisting law enforcement in the search and early safe recovery efforts of children/the elderly (often with Alzheimer's)/disabled persons and college students via a rapid-response neighborhood alert program utilizing high-tech telephone systems.
Centre for Search Research This is a UK registered charity carrying out research and training in areas relating to searching for lost and missing persons.
ERI International ERI International specializes in writing, designing training programs, publishing, and consulting within Emergency Management; Disaster Preparedness, Response and Recovery; Search and Rescue; and Survival Education, Emergency Preparedness.
International SAR Alliance Their objectives are to promote R&D into SAR techniques, to act as minders of history, to create a centre of SAR excellence, to act as purveyors of best practice, to promote the exchange of ideas through a cyber SAR community, and to seek alliances with others of like mind.
International Tech Rescue Symposium The yearly symposium is the leading forum for up to date, state-of-the-art, technical rescue information. Rescuers representing mountain, cave, fire, industrial, and swiftwater gather to discuss ways to improve safety and performance, and answer questions.
MRA The Mountain Rescue Association is an organization dedicated to saving lives through rescue and mountain safety education.
NASAR The National Association for Search and Rescue, Inc., is a not-for-profit membership association dedicated to advancing professional, literary, and scientific knowledge in fields related to search and rescue.
NCMEC The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's® (NCMEC) mission is to help prevent child abduction and sexual exploitation; help find missing children; and assist victims of child abduction and sexual exploitation, their families, and the professionals who serve them.
NEWSAR The Northeast Wilderness Search and Rescue, Inc., is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that provides No-Cost and Low-Cost training to Search and Rescue Professionals throughout the Northeastern US.