Mounted search and rescue

[Una Smith <una.smith@att.net>]

Lois Guyon wrote:
>Una's analysis of the probability of detection (POD) in an area
>with many corn fields is interesting in that it points toward
>using assumptions.

Yes, but Irv means a search manager should never assume the POA of
any area is 0, nor fiddle POAs and PODs to fit what they suspect
is true.  I have had a search team member refuse to search an area
because they had "a feeling" the subject was not there.  In that
mission, trackers had been following the subject's trail for days
(!) across a very hot and dry dusty part of New Mexico, and the
other search teams were being sent in to attempt confinement and
try to cut sign.  Cutting sign means to intercept (and notice) the
subject's trail.  The idea was to allow the trackers to leapfrog
ahead to a new point on the subject's trail, rather than walk the
subject's entire route.

Incredibly, the subject was found alive (although comatose) after
several days without water.

        Una Smith
        New Mexico