|
Oregon State Sheriffs' Association & Oregon Emergency Management
MINIMUM SEARCH & RESCUE CERTIFICATION CRITERIA
Revised and ratified March 1993.
First printed May 1975, revised and reprinted August 1980 and March 1984
INTRODUCTION
The field of Search and Rescue has seen many changes since Oregon first adopted minimum certification
standards for Search & Rescue personnel in 1974. Search & Rescue techniques, equipment technology,
training methods and the principles of search management have all undergone a process of rethinking, since a
handful of dedicated SAR professionals struggled to put together one of the first sets of certification standards
for SAR personnel in the United States.
This latest revision of Oregon's minimum SAR certification standards has been written to include the wisdom of
its predecessors and to reflect the many recent advances in the field of SAR.
The minimum certification standards are now written in a format that will allow each county in Oregon to meet a
minimum standard, while still allowing flexibility for the specific needs or conditions in which their ground
personnel operate. It will also be the responsibility for each county to design a training program and testing
procedure which will encompass the certification standards.
It must be noted that these are MINIMUM standards for certification for those SAR personnel who will be involved
in the field with ground SAR operations. Many specialty units such as mountain rescue and search dog teams
will also have mission-specific standards which they will have to meet. Such specialty teams must meet these
minimum SAR standards in addition to any mission-specific standards for their specialty.
These standards have been developed with the assistance of Oregon's SAR communities to meet changing
needs and to incorporate advances in research and technology. These standards can be expected to evolve as
the art and science of Search and Rescue also evolves.
Recommendations for future revisions should be addressed to the Search and Rescue Coordinator at Oregon
Emergency Management or the chairman of the Search and Rescue Advisory Council of the Oregon State
Sheriffs' Association.
Prepared by:
Search and Rescue Certification Standards Subcommittee
Tygh D. Thompson, Chairman
Dwayne Troxel - Jerry Weir - Frank Taus - Reagon Crowel
SAR Advisory Council
Oregon State Sheriffs' Association
March 1993
SEARCH AND RESCUE CERTIFICATION CRITERIA
1001 OBJECTIVES
To establish minimum standards or levels of training for ground Search and Rescue personnel involved
in field operations and to provide each Sheriff or SAR Coordinator with a body of trained and qualified
searchers to accomplish the Search and Rescue mission.
1002 DEFINITIONS
(1) Search and Rescue Unit: is a body of Search and Rescue members who are officially
recognized by a Sheriff or Search Coordinator.
(2) Search and Rescue Member: is an individual who is a member of an officially recognized
Search and Rescue unit.
(3) Certified: means having successfully demonstrated all performance objectives, successfully
completed the written exam and complied with all of the requirements of these minimum
certification standards.
(4) First Aid/CPR Card: is the card issued after successful completion of the basic course of
instruction usually taking 8 or 14 hours which meets or exceeds the American Red Cross
Standard First Aid program.
(5) Performance Objective: those exercises which measure skill to determine the student's
ability to perform the desired task or to determine if the student has a certain body of
knowledge.
(6) Search and Rescue Coordinator: the Sheriff of the County where the search mission is
being conducted or his designate. In the case of an overhead team, the incident commander
shall be considered the search coordinator.
1003 MINIMUM STANDARDS
To obtain and maintain the Oregon state search and rescue certification, each member must:
(1) Obtain and maintain at least a basic first aid card or better and a valid CPR card.
(2) Successfully complete all performance objective skill tests and obtain a minimum score of 80%
on the written exam.
(3) Obtain a SAR certification card signed by the Sheriff of the County where the member's SAR
unit is based.
(4) Attend at least 30 hours of continuing education, approved by the Sheriff or SAR Coordinator,
each year in a field related to search and rescue.
1004 PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE TESTS
Each applicant to reach certification must successfully complete all performance objective skill tests.
Performance objective skill tests measure the applicants ability to perform a given task and may be
taken as many times as necessary to successfully demonstrate the ability to perform the given task.
The applicants successful completion of a task should be marked on an evaluation form as
"demonstrated". The applicants failure to properly complete a given task should be marked as "needs
improvement" until the applicant can successfully complete the task.
1005 WRITTEN EXAMINATION
Each applicant must pass a written exam with a minimum score of 80%. The exam shall be given by
the Search and Rescue Coordinator for the county in which the applicant is applying for certification.
The exam must cover all those areas listed in the standards which require testing by written evaluation.
It is the responsibility of the Search Coordinator to prepare a written examination which will adequately
measure the applicant's knowledge.
1006 CERTIFICATION CARD
Each successful applicant shall be issued a wallet size ID Card signed by the Sheriff or SAR
Coordinator attesting to the completion of all requirements for certification. The Sheriff or SAR
Coordinator for the County that issued the certification card may revoke a member's certification for
failure to meet the requirements for maintaining certification.
1007 ENFORCEMENT OF STANDARDS
Each Sheriff or SAR Coordinator for a County shall cause to be implemented the minimum standards
as set forth in Section 1003. Each Sheriff or SAR Coordinator for a County should on January 1 of each
year mail to Oregon Emergency Management, a Search and Rescue organization resource list (form F-
1) with a list of all certified personnel attached. At any time during the year the Sheriff or SAR
Coordinator of each County may certify additional personnel, but an update should occur on January 1
of each year.
In addition to the ID Card each certified member should be issued the approved OSSA/OEM Search
and Rescue certification patch. This patch should be worn on outer Search and Rescue clothing so as
to be easily recognized.
Each Sheriff and SAR Coordinator of a County should attempt to use only personnel who have
successfully completed a training course which meets or exceeds the minimum certification standards
as outlined in section 1003.
Completed Skill Standards Tests and the results of the written exam should be kept on file by the
County SAR Coordinator.
Search and Rescue units must also comply with all local, state and federal ordinances, regulations and
laws which govern their activities.
1008 ADDITIONAL TRAINING
In addition to the training requirements outlined in these minimum standards, some SAR units may
need and some Sheriffs may require of SAR units operating in their county, additional specialized
training. Some SAR units may need to meet certification standards for their specialty. These specialty
areas may include but are not limited to, mountain rescue, water rescue, advanced man tracking, and
ELT location. Nothing in these minimum standards is meant to replace the certification requirements of
any specialty unit.
1009 REVISION OF STANDARDS
Recommendations for revision of these standards may be presented to the Search and Rescue
Coordinator of Oregon Emergency Management or the Search and Rescue Advisory Council of the
Oregon State Sheriffs' Association. The recommendations shall be reviewed and voted on by the
Search and Rescue Advisory Council and then presented to the Oregon State Sheriffs' Association and
Oregon Emergency Management for final resolution.
Questions or requests for assistance should be directed to the local Sheriff, SAR Coordinator, or
Oregon Emergency Management, SAR Coordinator.
CHAPTER 401, OREGON REVISED STATUTES
Through written evaluation the student will demonstrate a knowledge of ORS 401 as it relates to
Search and Rescue, to include:
1. Who is responsible for and is in charge of Search and Rescue operations.
2. When a search area or air space may be restricted and who may restrict the search area or air space.
3. The duties of the Search coordinator.
RADIO COMMUNICATIONS
The student will demonstrate the ability to identify the following components on their Search and
Rescue radio:
1. On/Off and volume controls.
2. Push to talk switch.
3. Channel/frequency selector.
4. Squelch control.
The student will demonstrate the ability to:
1. Effectively communicate to another unit by radio using proper procedures and radio codes.
2. Change the radio's batteries.
3. Change radio channel or frequency.
Through written evaluation, the student will demonstrate:
1. A basic knowledge of radio wave performance and the effects that terrain, distance and structures have
on Search and Rescue communications.
2. A basic knowledge of radio codes and procedures.
3. A basic knowledge of inter-unit communications.
MAP AND COMPASS
Through written evaluation, the student will demonstrate the ability to:
1. Identify the different types of maps used in SAR.
2. Identify 10 common map symbols.
3. Use a scale to measure distance on a map.
4. Use the map scale and legend.
5. Identify and describe a location on a map using Township, Range, and Section.
6. Identify and describe a location on a map using latitude and longitude.
7. Read contour lines on a topographic map and identify their relationship to physical objects on the
ground.
8. Know the components of a compass.
9. Plot a bearing on a map.
10. Identify the relationship between True and Magnetic north.
Through performance evaluation, the student will demonstrate the ability to:
1. Orient a map, compensating for declination.
2. Given a known bearing, travel in a straight line through wooded terrain for at least 1/4 mile with no more
than plus or minus 2 degrees deviation.
3. Plot their location using a map and compass.
4. Determine the bearing between two points and the back azimuth on a map.
5. Adjust for declination.
6. Follow a compass course of at least three legs for a total distance of 3/4 of a mile.
7. Measure a given distance, using a known stride, while traveling up hill, down hill and on level terrain.
SEARCH TECHNIQUES AND STRATEGY
Through written evaluation, the student will:
1. Demonstrate a knowledge of type I, II and III search patterns and their application.
2. Demonstrate a knowledge of search tactics, to include: confinement, attraction, track traps, road and
trail blocks and other active and passive techniques.
3. Demonstrate a knowledge of clue orientation.
4. Demonstrate a basic knowledge of search planning as it relates to field personnel, to include: search
probabilities(specifically probability of detection).
Through performance evaluation, the student will demonstrate the ability to:
1. Perform a type I, II and III search while operating in a team.
2. Perform type I and type II search patterns in a wooded area utilizing compass bearings as a guide.
3. Properly package a subject into a litter and transport the litter in a safe manner.
CRIME SCENE SECURITY
Through written evaluation, the student will demonstrate a knowledge of:
1. What to do when evidence of a crime or a deceased person is located.
2. How to secure a crime scene.
3. Who is allowed into a crime scene and who has control of the scene.
4. When a searcher may pick up or disturb possible evidence.
5. How to preserve, mark and document evidence.
EMERGENCY SURVIVAL SKILLS
Through written evaluation, the student will demonstrate a basic knowledge of emergency survival
skills in the following areas:
1. Prevention, symptoms and emergency treatment of weather related illness, to include hypothermia,
hyperthermia, frostbite, heat stroke, heat exhaustion and dehydration.
2. What equipment and clothing must be carried in to the field by the students for the type Search and
Rescue operations they are involved with.
3. What actions should be taken when a searcher becomes lost or injured.
Through performance objective the student will demonstrate the ability to:
1. Build a fire using only ignition sources carried in their emergency pack.
2. Use three different methods of emergency signaling.
3. Build a shelter using only materials available in the wilderness or carried in the student's emergency
pack. The shelter should be suitable for the weather conditions that the student is likely to encounter in
a Search and Rescue operation.
4. Procure water and prepare it for drinking.
5. Properly clothe and equip themselves for field Search and Rescue operations.
INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM
Through written evaluation the student will demonstrate a knowledge of the characteristics and
functional areas of the Incident Command System as it applies to Search and Rescue, to include:
1. The components of the Incident Command System.
2. The major Functional Areas of I.C.S.
3. The student's likely position(s) within the Incident Command Structure.
MAN TRACKING
Through written evaluation the student will describe:
1. Flattening, color change and disturbance as it relates to man tracking.
2. The purpose of a tracking team and how it operates.
3. The purpose and basic function of a tracking stick.
Through performance evaluation, the student will demonstrate the ability to:
1. Identify and preserve tracks and sign.
2. Describe the size, tread and direction of travel of a set of tracks.
3. Describe what "shine" is.
HELICOPTER SAFETY
Through written evaluation, the student will demonstrate a knowledge of:
1. Landing zone preparation and requirements.
2. General helicopter safety.
3. When and how to properly approach and depart a helicopter.
|
