search and rescue (SAR) Technician TRAcker

Course Overview

This course is designed and intended for search and rescue members, coordinators, leaders and anyone that may find themselves in a position responsible for the expedient and safe rescue of lost or missing persons in woodland, grassland, rural or arid environments. The SAR Technician Tracking Course uses mantracking as a means to come into contact with impressions that can be directly linked to the person being sought, establish a primary direction of travel, maintain contact with the tracks, profile personal movement preferences (predictive analysis), profile the terrain and assist in coordinating the overall response using sound deductive/inductive reasoning; based on information (from various sources) that can be observed, analyzed, understood and acted upon.

The following topics will be covered but not limited to;

Nomenclature of tracking equipment
SAR Tracker Responsibilities
NFPA 1670: Standard on Operations and Training for Technical Search and Rescue Incidents
NFPA 1006: Standard for Technical Rescuer Professional Qualifications
Tracking Skill Sets:
- Detection
  - Seeing more
  - Perceiving better
- Interpretation
  - Determining the correct shoe print
  - Aging
  - Direction of travel
- Recording
  - Sketching
  - Photographing
  - Radio Communication
- Tactics
  - Map reading
  - Planning approaches
  - Planning sign cutting tactics
- Trailing
  - Step-By-Step
  - S.L.L.S (Stop, look, listen, smell)
  - Primary, Alternate, Contingency and Emergency (P.A.C.E) Planning and Application
  - Following faster
  - Sign cutting
  - Reacquiring lost line of sign

Electronic Indicators

Finding beacons and cellular phones
Sign-cutting based on GPS plotting of a moving person

Technical Interoperability

Technical interoperability (concept and overview)
Managing containment for operations
Managing non-organic assets
Air operations and how to manage air assets effectively

Terminal Objectives:

Upon successful completion of the SAR TRACKING course, the student will be able to:

Understand the relationship between inconclusive, conclusive, collaborative sign
Explain why Trackers can confidently state that there is sign left behind by every footfall
Define the role of the Tracker within a SAR operation
Understand the responsibilities for the SAR Tracker
Describe the expectations of the Incident Commander upon the SAR Tracker
List the four skill sets needed by the SAR Tracker
List tracking assignments that one would expect at a ground search incident
Describe the key elements of the tracking stick and demonstrate the ability to use it
Describe advantages and disadvantages of different tracking tools
Demonstrate the use of personal SAR tracking equipment
Describe and demonstrate the controllable aspects of improving your visual cues
Understand how to set up an aging pit to increase aging of track knowledge
List the advantages to participation in “dirt time” and how it reflects on your tracking skill level
Describe the tracking capabilities and a Trackers function at night
Understand the need to sketch track and how this activity assists in our brain’s capacity to remember and perceive our subjects print pattern
List the information needed by the Tracker once a print is found and how to prepare this information for radio communication
Understand the importance of owning and maintaining a tracking log
Describe the primary types of tracking tactics
List and demonstrate at least four tracking or tactical skills needed by SAR Trackers
Demonstrate the practice of Step-By-Step trailing
Describe unique tracking techniques used for his/her environment
Describe the techniques and methods used for tracking tactics
Demonstrate the practice of effective sign cutting
Describe the basic knowledge concerning searcher knowledge, training, physical abilities, equipment, discipline, and control; as it would apply to a SAR Tracker

Course duration 5 days (40 hours)