Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

msar-riders - Re: [MSAR] Search VS Rescue

msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Mounted search and rescue

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: "IRVIN LICHTENSTEIN" <ilichten1@verizon.net>
  • To: "'Mounted search and rescue'" <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [MSAR] Search VS Rescue
  • Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2010 03:48:14 -0400

There are several considerations here.  One is search versus rescue and who should regulate each function. Here in PA it has been traditional that volunteer fire searches and the Health Department regulates rescue, sometimes by itself and sometimes in a joint fire-rescue program.  Under the current EMS Act  the EMS Bureau is to issue regulations on what skills are needed to hand out self adhesive bandages at a group ride and what organization can provide the skilled person as well as both Urban and Wilderness  SAR. Conversations with the Director of PA EMS confirms they are going ahead with this and that he thinks patient care begins on discovery of the search subject, even if the searcher does nothing but call it in and remain on the location.

 

The practical matter is that there are fewer call outs, and in some areas no call outs because the authorities believe they can find anyone by pinging a cell phone.  Or perhaps it is they don’t really want to expend resources.  There is an extraordinary level of technology available, especially in densely developed East, but it doesn’t always work and sometimes it is for show.

 

We should get no walkways from mental health or dementia facilities due to the best practice of using a beacon bracelet.  Works on crooks, but all we get is dead bodies, usually within a ½ mile radius of the facility found by chance encounters.

 

We have cell phone coverage, but it is still not complete and the varied systems are not always in the same places.  We have traditional cell, telephone grade service at 800 MHz, Nextel walkie talkie at 800, PCS at 1.2 and 1.5 GHz, and all of it available through prepaid junk phones.  If you call 9-1-1 on a cell and get through there is a very good chance that Phase 2 equipment installed at most centers will locate the phone within a 125 meter radius.  Should reduce the search area if the phone stays put and the person carrying it stays put. 

 

And then there is the police force.  Most areas are still trying to operate helicopter patrols with FLIR and other neat stuff.  It costs a lot of money to fly, just in terms of flight hours.  Hospitals do it because a helicopter ride for a patient insures they come to that hospital and the hospital makes around $40,000 per trip more on trauma.

And after the fact studies say 70% or so of direct scene flys are not medically necessary in an urban area. People think it costs money to search. It does but not as much as they think because all they see is uniformed personnel they assume on overtime, doing the work.  OT is very expensive, especially around here.  Philadelphia Fire is going to save $3.8 Million in OT the rest of this year by sending 12 firefighters per shift to fill in single shift vacancies rather than them going to all shift training and calling in replacements on OT. 

 

Philadelphia has had several cases of missing persons, who nobody physically looked for, turning up dead, usually murdered.  People leave a party and never get home.

The next day their vehicle is towed by the Parking Authority and never seen again.  The family launches a flyer and prayer vigil sequence.  And when things get smelly and ripe some dog walker, or a young kid, finds what’s left, a cold case.  

There is the case of the Fairmount Park Strangler, still on the loose after 7 years, who rapes female joggers and who is connected to a murder by DNA evidence.  No one looked for the murder victim when she failed to complete her jog and missed work.  The area she was found in was heavily trafficked .

 

The myth is we don’t have to search anymore.  And it is a myth that must be debunked.

 

Irv Lichtenstein

SE PA SAR

www.sepasar.net

 


From: msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of pennbo@verizon.net
Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2010 11:25 PM
To: msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: [MSAR] Search VS Rescue

 

Just curious about something. We've been discussing for years that the face of SAR was probably going to change with the advent of PLB's, GPS', and cell phones. The guess was that it would change more from search and focus more on the rescue part. Wondering if any of you have seen a change in this direction in your experience?

Chris




Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page