On joining Search and Rescue – Lincolnshire: everyone starts as a non-operational member as a Trainee Search Technician or as a Support Member and are encouraged to attend the training sessions where new skills can be learnt before deciding and progressing to become an operational team member.

The role of a supporter is just as important, helping behind the scenes by representing the team at community events, organising and assisting with fundraising, helping with administration, photography, marketing and public relations, catering, marshalling at checkpoints and acting as missing persons for training purposes, etc.

Most of our support members have attended some of the training modules and have qualified in basic first aid including CPR and safeguarding.

Without our support members, operational teams would not function efficiently.

Support Members can decide to progress to Search technician Training at a future date if so desired.

The Search Technician is the primary qualification every operational member of Search & Rescue - Lincolnshire must hold before participating in a live search.

Although everyone joining us is a volunteer; professional standards are required and those deciding to become an operational member must complete the following training modules.

The modules are:

• Fitness Assessment: 5 mile walk over undulating terrain within 2 hours
• Search Skills: Practical and Theory
• Basic Navigation: Practical and Theory
• Communications Practical and Theory
• Basic Safeguarding: Online Training
• Manual Handling: Practical and Theory
• Basic First Aid: Practical and Theory
• Introduction to Missing Person Behaviours

Both Practical and Theory training is conducted before being assessed, of which some consist of several sessions before completion.

Once all modules have been completed and a satisfactory assessment has been successfully passed, Membership will be upgraded from Trainee to Search Technician.

After qualification there is a probationary period, plus periodic training and annual assessments are conducted to maintain individual competency.

The Search Technician when called upon must be fit and well when turning up at the search location with the appropriate clothing and equipment.  He / She will be competent in the key aspects of searching, including radio procedure, navigation, first aid, rescue techniques and scenes of crime preservation. Being part of a team; He / She will be supported by experienced fellow Search Technicians and the Team Leader.

No search scenario is ever the same, on-going training is therefore essential in team building, for each team member will rely upon each other, with safety being a priority.

Each team member will bring and share their own individual skills and experiences, ensuring that all become proficient in learning and putting into practice the skills required of a Search Technician. Skills such as:

• The essentials of working together as a team and supporting each other.
• Being proficient in the use of two-way radios.
• Having the required basic First Aid qualification.
• Gathering information from Search Finds
• Interviewing and assessing information from third parties.
• Handling sensitive and difficult situations.
• Having the ability to de-brief with the team at the end of a Search.

Experienced Search Technicians may qualify to lead Search Teams.

The Team leader will be an Experience Search Technician being proficient in all search and rescue techniques including, radio procedure, navigation, first aid, person recovery, and scenes of crime preservation.

The Team Leader has the responsibility of the welfare of the team, ensuring all members are well and fit, adequately equipped and briefed on the search task given by the Search Manager.

A typical team will be made up of at least 4 Search Technicians which will include:

• Team Leader.
• Radio Operator / Search Technician
• Medic / Search Technician
• Search Technicians.

The Team Leader will deal proficiently and tactfully when a Missing Person is found, regardless of the condition they may be found in.

On completion of the search, the Team Leader will complete all associated paperwork and brief the Search Manager on the team’s search.

The Search Planner is an experienced Search technician and Team Leader, who will have overall responsibility for managing and implementing the physical search.

The Search Planner’s role is to assist the Search Manager in developing a search plan and revising the plan as the search continues.  Having liaised with the Police Search Advisor (Polsar) and obtained the relevant information about the Missing Person, the search teams will be directed to a suitable rendezvous point and briefed on the description and demeanour of the Missing Person.

The Search Planner looks at all the possible scenarios from the information given as to where the Missing Person may have gone, creating search tasks according to priority and conveying those tasks to the relevant search teams.

As more information is received the Search Planner will modify the plan accordingly, informing the relevant search teams of any new developments, manage and monitor responses, stand down or suspend the search, ensure all relevant information has been recorded and submitted.

The Search Controller works with the Search Manager to coordinate operational search efforts. A Search Controller is responsible for the set-up and management of the Control Point and communications system.

• Signing in and out of Team Members and maintain an accurate deployment register.
• Issue and sign out two-way radios to the relevant search teams.
• Confirm radio transmission checks have been completed by all members issued with radios, before the commencement of searches.
• Liaise with the Community Response Support Logistics Leader for transportation of team members and necessary equipment to and from search areas.
• Record times of all radio communications.
• Communicate search updates received from the Search Planner

When search teams return from each completed search the Search Controller will de-brief the team in conjunction with the Search Planner, stand down or redeploy the team to another search location

Should the Missing Person be located, the Search Controller will assist in the coordination of the rescue in conjunction with the Search Manager and the Emergency Services.
This will enable the casualty to be moved to a place of safety where they can receive appropriate care and attention. This usually involves passing the Missing Person to the Ambulance Service or the Police, together with the submission of the appropriate paperwork as soon as practicable.

The Search Manager is proficient in all aspects of search and rescue, having the experience and skills that are expected of a Team Leader. Having the overall responsibility for communicating with Lincolnshire Police Search Managers (Polsar), coordinating the entire search scenario and all of the resources that are made available.

The Search Manager is part of a search management team, liaising with the Search Planner and Search Controller to determine a working plan for the search and the areas that need to be searched.  These areas will then be allocated to the various search teams.

The Search Manager with the assistance of a Search Planner and a Search Controller, must plan and direct all search activities, responding to any changing circumstances as they occur.

The Search Manager must ensure that a de-brief is received from each Team Leader as each task given to their team is fully completed. The importance of de-briefing, plays an important part in determining how the search will proceed.

Finally, the Search Manager must ensure all relevant paperwork is completed from the search and passed to the Police Liaison Officer