Alex S

A SUITABLE HABITAT FOR SAR DOUCHEBAGS, IN THIS AUTHOR’S OPINION

READ PART 1 HERE: SEARCH AND RESCUE: The SAR Douchebag

It’s time once again, for another look at the irritating clowns that plague search & rescue teams everywhere.  In the last SAR Douchebag article we had know-it-all rookies, anti-law enforcement fools and NASCAR wannabes.

In this article, we’re moving up the SAR Douchebag Family Tree to some of the more irritating breeds.  As in the previous article, these examples are not fictional and have been experienced by the author first-hand (unfortunately).

Step right up…

Click Here to Keep Reading – SEARCH AND RESCUE: The SAR Douchebag – Round II >>>

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ALEX S. DECIDES SAR BIKING IS CLEARLY NOT HIS THING

Lately I have seen lots of search & rescue teams leaping onto the “Let’s Make a Bike Team” band wagon and rallying up members who are mountain bike enthusiasts to start tearing around sectors on wheels.

I have talked about this with several folks and always get mixed opinions back. Some think the concept is outright stupid with no value in the field whatsoever and others are more open to it.

In this article I’m going to weigh up both sides of the argument as I see it, and would encourage SAR folks reading this to put in their 2 cents as to what they think in the comments section. Is this merely a fad or a useful asset to have in the operational toolbox?

I shall try my best not to let my prejudice of not being able to ride a bike very well get in the way…

Click Here to Keep Reading – SEARCH AND RESCUE: The Use Of Mountain Bikes For Search and Rescue >>>

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NOT THE IDEAL WAY TO ARRIVE AT A RV…

“Have your musket clean as a whistle, hatchet scoured, sixty rounds powder and ball and be ready to march at a minute’s warning” – Rule #2, Rogers Rangers Rules of Engagement

While the above equipment is not very suitable for search & rescue, I have always liked the thought behind this rule:  have your gear and yourself good to go at any moment.

While lots of searchers have go bags packed and ready to be slung over their shoulders when their phones go off, one common trend I’ve noticed is that their vehicles are not as prepared as they are.

After flashlights, in my opinion your vehicle is your most important tool for search & rescue.  It is your transport, office, gear locker and shelter if necessary.  When you look at it like that, why wouldn’t you want to have it as prepared as your go bag?

In this article I’m going to run down a few things which I believe every searcher should keep in their vehicle so that they too can be ready to deploy at a minute’s warning, safe in the knowledge that they’ve got everything they might need.

Click Here to Keep Reading – SEARCH AND RESCUE: Rapid Deployment Prepping – Vehicles >>>

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IF YOU DO ANY OF THESE, I HOPE SOMEONE HAS THE DECENCY TO BRAIN YOU WITH A 4 CELL

You can read part 1 of this series here: SEARCH AND RESCUE: SAR Rookie Trap – The Gear Monkey on Your Back

When someone first joins a search & rescue team, they have a period of a few months where the rest of the team will decide whether they are squared away or not and whether they will be an asset to the team.

This time of establishing either a positive or negative reputation is important as it is extremely hard to “un-stick” a bad reputation once you have tarred yourself with one.

Carrying on from the previous SAR Rookie Trap article, here I am going to run down 3 of the easiest ways to attach a bad reputation to yourself in the beginning and the easy ways you can avoid them. If you want to be thought of as a reliable professional, just say “no” to the following…

Click Here to Keep Reading – SEARCH AND RESCUE: SAR Rookie Trap – 3 Easy Ways To Get Yourself a Bad Reputation >>>

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YES, YES, BUY THAT MOLLE-COMPATIBLE EMERGENCY SHELTER… OH LOOK, IT COMES IN MULTICAM TOO!

When people first start out in search & rescue, it seems like there is this universal monkey that clambers onto every rookie’s back and starts roaring in their ear, telling them to go forth and buy as much related or partially-related gear as is humanly possible.

Assorted tactical pouches?  Yeah gotta have ‘em for search gear and first aid supplies.  What are you attaching them to?  Err, haven’t worked that one out yet.  Spare glow-in-the-dark battery caddy?  You bet.  Radio earpiece?  Gotta have that.  Emergency shelter?  Sure, why the hell not…

While a rookie will have the best intentions buying all this crap – they genuinely want to be properly equipped for any eventuality they might come across – less than half of the kit they buy will actually be used.

They may be an outdoor or tactical gear store’s wet dream, but they are not doing their spine or their credit rating any good, spending a lot of cash on stuff they’ll be lugging around and never using.

Click Here to Keep Reading SAR Rookie Trap – The Gear Monkey on Your Back >>>

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IF YOU WORK ON A SAR TEAM, YOU MAY END UP SEEING DEAD PEOPLE

If you work on a search & rescue team, there will inevitably come a time when you go on a callout and find your missing person dead.  It’s obviously not the optimal outcome but it is an inescapable fact of the job.  There also may come a time when you are asked by our friends in law enforcement to find a body for them.  It’s not pleasant by any means but as the old saying goes – it’s a dirty job but someone has to do it.

In this article I’m going to run down some of the basics on what you can do to help yourself in the event of discovering a body.  Naturally this is an extremely broad subject and I cannot pack everything you need to know into one article, nor would I try to, but these basics should help you and your team on discovery.

Click Here to Keep Reading SEARCH AND RESCUE: Finding a Body >>>

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SQUARE YOURSELF AWAY WITH THE BASICS OR HAVE SOMEONE LIKE ME WRITE AN ARTICLE ABOUT YOU

Recently I was sent as part of a five man advisory team to help a neighbouring county SAR team in a search.  I had not worked with this team before, but had heard good things about them and was happy to help out.

Unfortunately the team turned out to be amateur hour all-stars and lacked even the most elementary search skills.  I constantly found myself shaking my head in amazement but always one to make the most of a situation – I decided that this would be a good opportunity to cover some basics of search & rescue that evidently some operational folks are getting wrong.

Now most of this will not apply to my fellow searchers on here – but if you are new to search & rescue, you may want to take notes as being proficient in the basics will be the difference between you performing effectively in the field and being the dipshit in your team.

Click Here to Keep Reading Back to Basics for Searchers >>>

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SAR MEDICS – THE NEXT BEST THING TO CALLING AMBER LAMPS

Following on from “The SAR Callout Bag”, in this article I’m going to run down the contents of a team medic kit for search & rescue.  I’ll be using the medic bags which a pair of EMTs put together for my team as an example – this is the basic module issued to team medics and can be built upon with appropriate training.

Personal additions have been left out as every medic has a preference for what’s in their kit and comfort meds for the team have been left out as they’re more of a personal carry item.

Click Here to Read the Contents of my SAR Medical Kit >>>

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