Mounted search and rescue

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

Another issue in this mission, which I have alluded to but not stated
directly, is the enormous size of the search area.  The national monument
covers 146,000 acres, which equals 228 square miles and 59,084 hectares.
The teen was found 6 miles from PLS, in terrain that provides almost no
natural containment.  A circle 6 miles in radius has an area equal to
pi * radius^2 or 3.14*36.  That is 113 square miles, or half the entire
national monument.  And you can see how easy it would be, if enough time
passes, for a steadily walking subject to leave the monument and maybe
enter the missile range.

A single helicopter found the subject but 3 helicopters searched for him,
as did dozens of other resources.  Given such an enormous search area,
even so many resources were spread very thin.

This brings me to the number 1 lesson taught in the Hug-a-Tree program:
stay where you are.

http://www.theozarks.com/HugATree.htm

        Una Smith
        New Mexico