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msar-riders - Re: [MSAR] Volunteers

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Subject: Mounted search and rescue

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  • From: "IRVIN LICHTENSTEIN" <ilichten1@verizon.net>
  • To: "'Mounted search and rescue'" <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [MSAR] Volunteers
  • Date: Sat, 18 Jun 2011 23:26:41 -0400

In Pennsylvania (so far) there is no legal requirement to even search for
missing persons. The only statute that applies is the federal endangered
children law that requires a response from law enforcement to a report of a
missing 14 year or less child.

The PA DCNR (Parks and Forests) has claimed responsibility because they own
about 10% of the land in the Commonwealth. But as a landowner they have no
legal responsibility to search for people not on DCNR property or who did
not pay an entrance fee to use the park.

The usual chain of command is that the locality's police agency takes a
missing person report. They may investigate for signs of foul play or
custodial interference. The police decide if a field effort is to be made
and then call out the volunteer fire company and or the cadet class at the
regional police training facility since they are free. After a while the
fire chief calls out mutual aid and any special resources he thinks are
needed, like dogs and horses, the canteen truck, a mobile command post, etc.
Under the Fire and Panic Act the fire chief is empowered to commandeer
anything he thinks he needs to resolve the problem, including manpower. He
has to pay for what he uses but that is after the fact. He can also order
buildings opened, demolished, or vehicles seized.
There are no legal requirements in the Commonwealth for fire suppression
training except those the fire company self imposes but most train to NFPA
FF1 as a minimum. The PA Department of Health regulates rescue and EMS.

Under pending PA Health regulations wilderness SAR will be considered an
EMS provider agency and be licensed as such, along with USAR, SWAT medics,
special rescue units, and first aid providers at public events. Depending
on the level of service (BLS or ALS) is the staffing that will be required
to get a license and the staffing that must be on the call. All licensees
must have a board certified ER or Trauma doctor as medical director to
oversee training and QA programs and be part of a regional response plan.

Legalities aside, if citizens show up and want to help they do. If you turn
them away and then make a recovery you will be questioned and your
professional judgment questioned (insurance talk for sued). If you get one
of them killed, oh well. The biggest problem with spontaneous volunteers is
that they don't understand how dangerous freelancing is. This also applies
to cops who are used to acting alone or at the most with a partner on
patrol. And sometimes, a civilian wandering through the area plays a hunch
and gets a find.

Professional has to do with training, education, and conduct. It has
nothing to do with whether you are paid a salary, paid on call, or never.
The performance difference between volunteers and career personnel usually
revolve around the fact that career fire departments deploy the same people
on each shift and may have more actual calls than a volunteer company that
depends on who shows up each time.

There are only a few career services for search and rescue in the US-- the
USCG and other military services, the National Parks where it is an included
duty, and some Sheriff's departments or similar agencies where SAR is part
of the charter or authorizing statute.

The solution is to win the confidence of the agency that can call you out
and develop techniques for effective utilization of whatever resources you
have. In some cases this means functioning in several ICS roles
simultaneously. Research the concept of PLOPS which should be in the
archives.

Irv Lichtenstein






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