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Search and rescue

 

 

 

 

 

Search and rescue


 
 


For the TV series of this title, see Search and Rescue (TV series)Search and Rescue (TV series)

Search and Rescue is the title of a family-oriented adventure television series which was a co-production of the CTV tel...
.





Search and rescue (SAR) is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.

History

One of the world's earliest well documented SAR efforts ensued following the 1656 wreck of the DutchNetherlands Summary

The Netherlands is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands , which is formed by the Netherlands, the Neth...
 merchant ship Vergulde DraeckVergulde Draeck

The Vergulde Draeck was a Dutch merchant ship of the seventeenth century....
 off the coast of AustraliaAustralia

Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland o...
. Survivors sent for help, and in response three separate SAR missions were conducted, without success.

Types of Search and Rescue


Mountain Rescue

Mountain RescueMountain rescue

Mountain rescue refers to search and rescue activities that occur in a mountainous environment, although the term is sometim...
 relates to search and rescue operations specifically in rugged terrain such as mountains, desert and forest. Also referred to as wilderness search and rescue which includes areas such as sea, lakes, rivers or cavesCave rescue

Cave rescue is a highly specialized field of rescue in which injured or trapped people are removed from or treated in caves ...
.

Urban search and rescue

Urban search and rescueFacts About Urban search and rescue

Urban search-and-rescue involves the location, extrication, and initial medical stabilization of victims trapped in confined...
 (Also known as Suburban Search and Rescue as USAR TeamsUSAR Teams

Urban Search And Rescue involves the mobilisation of resources to locate and remove trapped and often injured victims from c...
 often relates to structural collapses and other technical rescueTechnical rescue

Technical rescue refers to those aspects of saving life or property that employ the use of tools and skills that exceed thos...
) operations are Search and Rescue operations conducted in a city. One of the most common is searching for people buried as a result of a building collapse, as might happen after an earthquake. Sometimes, urban searches are performed for missing personMissing person

dom, [[sweat...
s with certain criteria (example, a missing Alzheimer'sAlzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive cognitive deterioration together with decli...
 patient with a history of wandering away from their home). Also, a wilderness search may transition into an urban search. This is common when lost children are involved.

Combat Search and Rescue

Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) is a function of special military unitMilitary unit Summary

A military unit is an organization within an armed force....
s during wartime. CSAR consists of operations carried out to retrieve, rescue and provide assistance to downed aircrews or allies behind enemy lines. CSAR missions generally have the mission's aircrews well armed as they cross into enemy territoryEnemy Territory

Enemy Territory may refer to:...
. The USAFFacts About United States Air Force

The United States Air Force is the aerospace branch of the United States armed forces and one of the seven uniformed servic...
 Pararescue jumpers are an example of a CSAR unit. One famous CSAR mission was the rescue of US Air Force Captain Scott O'GradyScott O'Grady

Scott F. O'Grady is a former United States Air Force captain who gained prominence after ejecting from his F-16 amidst anti-...
 after he was shot down over Bosnia in 1995. Other examples include the more recent Operation AnacondaOperation Anaconda

In early March 2002 the United States military, along with allied Afghan military forces, conducted a large operation to destroy a...
 in Afghanistan, and the famous Battle of Mogadishu in which the "Black Hawk Down" incident occurred.

Dedicated combat search and rescue helicopters include:
  • HH-3E "Jolly Green Giant"Sikorsky S-61R

    The Sikorsky S-61R is a developed version of the S-61/SH-3 Sea King, which was also built under license by Agusta as t...
  • HH-60 Pave HawkHH-60 Pave Hawk

    The primary function of the Sikorsky HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter is to conduct day or night operations into hostile environm...
  • MH-47 ChinookCH-47 Chinook

    The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is a versatile, twin-engine, tandem rotor heavy-lift helicopter....
  • MH-53 Pave LowMH-53 Pave Low

    The MH-53 Pave Low is a USAF version of the CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopter. ...
  • Eurocopter AS 535 Cougar

Air Sea Rescue

Air Sea Rescue (ASR) specifically can refer to both the use of aircraft to search for and locate or recover personnel lost at sea and the recovery of downed airmen at sea. The RAFRoyal Air Force

The Royal Air Force is the air force branch of the British Armed Forces....
 "Air Sea Rescue Service" used dedicated and/or amphibian aircraftAmphibious aircraft

An amphibious or amphibian aircraft is an aircraft that can land on either land or water....
 together with armed high speed launchesBritish Power Boat Company Type Two 63 ft HSL Summary

Known as the "Whaleback" from the distinctive curve to its deck, the Type 2 HSL was used to rescue Allied aircrew from the sea aft...
 to recover aircrew from the English ChannelEnglish Channel

The English Channel is the part of the Atlantic Ocean that separates the island of Great Britain from northern France and j...
 and other coastal areas during the Second World WarWorld War II

World War II, or the Second World War, was a worldwide conflict fought between the Allied Powers and the Axis Powers ,...
 while long range flying boatFlying boat

A seaplane is an aircraft that is designed to take off and alight upon water....
s and other aircraft would pick up aircrew (or drop equipment to them) further from shore.

Definitions of Search and Rescue


There are many different definitions of search and rescue, depending on the agency involved.

  • Canadian ForcesCanadian Forces

    The Canadian Forces , abbreviated as CF are the combined armed forces of Canada....
    : "Search and Rescue comprises the search for, and provision of aid to, persons, ships or other craft which are, or are feared to be, in distress or imminent danger."


  • United States Coast GuardUnited States Coast Guard

    The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States armed forces involved in maritime law, mariner assistance, a...
    : “The use of available resources to assist persons or property in potential or actual distress.”


  • United States Defense Department policy defines a search is “An operation normally coordinated by a Rescue Coordination Center (RCC) or rescue sub-center, using available personnel and facilities to locate persons in distress” and rescue is “An operation to retrieve persons in distress, provide for their initial medical or other needs, and deliver them to a place of safety.”

Operational phases

Search and Rescue operations have several distinct phases or parts.

Alerting

The alerting phase consists of two key elements:
  • Detecting possible alerts (i.e. radio signals on 121.5 MHz, phone calls)
  • Determining the probability that the alert signals actual distress


SAR authorities are alerted of a distressDistress

The word distress has various meanings:-...
 situation via distress radiobeacons such as emergency locater transmitters, emergency position-indicating radio beacons, or personal locater beacons. They may also be notified by telephone, fax, or other means. In the case of distress radiobeacons, the alert may also provide a lat-lon position of the distress to SAR authorities.

Search

In the initial phase of the operation, steps are taken to ascertain a likely location of the person being searched for, so that a search area can be established if they are in fact in need of rescue. Essential information is gathered so that leaders can determine not only who is missing, but how they are equipped, how experienced, how familiar with the area, etc.. This information is then factored with other considerations to determine the initial urgency and scale of the mission.

In the Search phase, a search is performed by personnel on foot, horseMounted search and rescue

Mounted search and rescue , search and rescue responders on horseback, are primarily a search resource, but also can provide...
, or using vehicles, often aided by (dog) teams and, when available, air supportHelicopter

A helicopter is an aircraft which is lifted and propelled by one or more horizontal rotors, Helicopters are classified as ...
. Specific procedures are followed during a Search, including an initial hasty team sent to the most likely locations, containment teams which are posted or patrol likely routes of a lost subject who may be moving, and the assignment of search personnel to specific areas which are mapped out using a combination of theory, prior experience and local knowledgeTraditional knowledge

Traditional knowledge, indigenous knowledge, and local knowledge generally refer to the matured long-standing tr...
 of the terrain. A substantial body of mathematical theoryFacts About Theory

The word theory has a number of distinct meanings in different fields of knowledge, depending on their methodologies and...
 called search theoryBayesian search theory

Bayesian search theory is the application of Bayesian statistics to the search for lost objects....
, some initially developed for anti-submarine warfareAnti-submarine warfare Summary

If you were searching for A/S, you might have meant aksjeselskap, a Norwegian stock company form....
, has been developed and can be used to help choose the search area priorities for maritime and inland search operations. Search is usually an iterative process over many hours or even days, with returning field teams interviewed or debriefed to glean information to be incorporated into plans for additional deployments of field teams.

Advances in distress radiobeacon technology are aiming to significantly reduce the amount of time spent searching for persons in distress. See MEOSAR.

Rescue


In the Rescue phase, aid is rendered to the person where they are found, sufficient to allow them to be safely transported to a place where more intensive aid can be provided. This extrication of the patient often includes some aspects of technical rescueTechnical rescue Overview

Technical rescue refers to those aspects of saving life or property that employ the use of tools and skills that exceed thos...
. In certain situations, the subject(s) are in a known position and the operation goes directly to the Rescue phase. The wide availability of cellular phonesMobile phone

A mobile or cell phone is a long-range, portable electronic device for personal telecommunications over long dis...
 and increasing coverage areas has increased the number of such calls for rescue without requiring a lengthy Search phase.

Recovery

The recovery of the body of a deceased person may be considered an aspect of Search and Rescue in some countries, though the actual Rescue phase of the operation is often known as recovery rather than rescue. In other countries rescuers are not permitted to move dead bodies as this is the sole responsibility of a coronerCoroner

A coroner is either the presiding officer of a special court, a medical officer or an officer of law responsible for investi...
.

Recall and demobilization

Once the subject has been found, rescued or recovered, then the operation is recalled and with large operations, this phase is sometimes called demobilization.

Afterwards, there is often a critique phase where each phase of the operation is analysed to determine what did or did not work well, and any lessons learned, this is called a debrief. During debriefs searchers and search administrators discuss what took place during the search, the condition of the subject, and what changes could be made next time for the better.

Standards


With or without formal underlying foundations, numerous SAR organisations develop their own proprietary training curricula and operational protocols, which are available and applicable only to their own members.

In the USUnited States

The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., and America, is...
 SAR standards are developed primarily by ASTM InternationalASTM International

ASTM International is an international voluntary standards organization that develops and produces technical standards for m...
 and the USUnited States

The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., and America, is...
 NFPANational Fire Protection Association

The National Fire Protection Association was established in...
 which are then used by organizations such as the Mountain Rescue Association (MRA), the USFacts About United States

The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., and America, is...
 National Association of Search and Rescue (NASAR), and the USUnited States

The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., and America, is...
 NFPAFacts About National Fire Protection Association

The National Fire Protection Association was established in...
 to develop training that will meet or exceed those standards.

Within ASTM InternationalASTM International

ASTM International is an international voluntary standards organization that develops and produces technical standards for m...
, most standards of relevance to SAR are developed by Committee F32 on Search and Rescue. Formed in 1988, the committee had 85 current members and jurisdiction of 38 approved standards.

International Divisions of Search and Rescue Responsibility


International Waters

International waters are divided into various regions according to the SOLASInternational Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea

The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea is the most important treaty protecting the safety of merchant sh...
 convention. See the map provided by the

SAR by nation


Antigua & Barbuda

Antigua Barbuda Search And Rescue (ABSAR) has been providing emergency medical and rescue services to the Antiguan Yachting community for a number of years.

ABSAR is a non-profit organizationNon-profit organization

A nonprofit organization is an organization whose primary objective is to support some issue or matter of private interest o...
 of volunteers dedicated to saving lives. Based at the Antigua Yacht Club Marina, it specializes in medical emergenciesMedical emergency Summary

A medical emergency is an injury or illness that poses an immediate threat to a person's health or life which requires help ...
, but also offers assistance for search and rescue, helicopterHelicopter

A helicopter is an aircraft which is lifted and propelled by one or more horizontal rotors, Helicopters are classified as ...
 aerial searches and medevacMEDEVAC

A MEDEVAC is an abbreviation for "medical evacuation."...
 operations in conjunction with Caribbean Helicopters. ABSAR rescue relies 100% on donations.

Australia

AusSAR, which is part of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, provides a national search and rescue service.

AusSAR operates a 24 hour Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC) in CanberraCanberra

Canberra is the capital city of Australia and with a population of just over 325,000 is Australia's largest inland city....
 and is responsible for the national coordination of both maritime and aviation search and rescue. AusSAR is also responsible for the management and operation of the Australian ground segment of the Cospas-SarsatCospas-Sarsat

Cospas-Sarsat is an international satellite-based search and rescue system, established by Canada, France, the United States...
 distress beacon detection system. The service that spans the nation and covers 52.8 million square kilometres of the Indian, Pacific and Southern Oceans.

AusSAR's RCC is staffed by SAR specialists who have a naval, merchant marineMerchant marine

In most seafaring countries, the merchant marine is a fleet of ships used for commerce that sometimes complements the navy....
, air force, civil aviationCivil aviation

Civil aviation is one of two major categories of flying, representing all non-Military aviation, both private and commercial...
 or police service background. The RCC also coordinates medical evacuations, broadcasts maritime safety information and operates the Australian Ship Reporting System (AUSREP).

State search and rescue

State PoliceState police Summary

United StatesIn the United States, state police are a police body unique to each U.S....
 in many states operate state-based search and rescue squads, such as the Victoria Police Search and Rescue Squad, which provides specialist expertise, advice and practical assistance in land search and rescue on most terrain including snow and vertical cliff search and rescue.

There are also state-based volunteer search and rescue groups such as the Bushwalkers Wilderness Rescue Squad in New South WalesNew South Wales

New South Wales is Australia's most populous state, located in the south-east of the country, north of Victoria and south o...
 and Bushwalkers Search and RescueBushwalkers Search and Rescue

Bushwalkers Search and Rescue is a volunteer search and rescue group active in the state of Victoria and is affiliated wit...
 in VictoriaVictoria (Australia)

Victoria is a state located in the south-eastern corner of Australia....
. These state-based groups draw searchers from bushwalking, mountaineering and specialist rescue clubs within their State.

Belgium

Search and rescue duties along the Belgian part of the North SeaNorth Sea

he North Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean, located between Norway and Denmark in the east, Scotland and England in the we...
 are executed by the Belgian Air Component. From its Koksijde Air BaseKoksijde Air Base

Koksijde Air Base is a Belgian Air Force faclilty in Belgium....
 it operates 5 Westland Sea King Mk.48Westland Sea King

The Westland Sea King is a license-built version of the Sikorsky helicopter of the same name, built by Westland Helicopters....
 helicopters.

British Virgin Islands

Virgin Islands Search and Rescue (VISAR) is the officially recognised search and rescue organisation in the British Virgin IslandsBritish Virgin Islands

The British Virgin Islands is a British overseas territory, located in the Caribbean to the east of Puerto Rico....
. VISAR is a voluntary organisation dedicated to saving life at sea, and provides 24-hour cover every day of the year in close co-operation with the Royal British Virgin Islands police, fire and ambulance services.

Unlike many other search & rescue organisation, such as the United States Coast GuardUnited States Coast Guard

The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States armed forces involved in maritime law, mariner assistance, a...
, VISAR is a charity and is funded almost entirely by charitable donation. With running costs in the region of US$150,000 per year, and a population of just 20,000 in the British Virgin IslandsBritish Virgin Islands

The British Virgin Islands is a British overseas territory, located in the Caribbean to the east of Puerto Rico....
, VISAR relies very heavily on donations made by tourists, who visit the British Virgin Islands to come sailing.

Canada

Search and Rescue in CanadaCanada

Canada is the world's second-largest country by total area, occupying most of northern North America....
 is overseen by a federal agencyFederal agency

Federal Agency may refer to:*United States Federal Agencies...
 called the National Search and Rescue ProgramNational Search and Rescue Program

The National Search and Rescue Program is a Canadian federal government initiative which coordinates the development of publ...
, and is coordinated by the National Search and Rescue SecretariatNational Search and Rescue Secretariat Summary

The National Search and Rescue Secretariat is an independent agency of the Government of Canada....
, which liaises with the provincial and territorial governments of Canada and other emergency services. Each province and territory also maintains its own emergency managementEmergency management Summary

Emergency management is the discipline dealing with and avoiding risks....
 organizations. Generally, air rescue is handled by the Canadian ForcesCanadian Forces

The Canadian Forces , abbreviated as CF are the combined armed forces of Canada....
, maritime rescue by the Canadian Coast GuardCanadian Coast Guard

The Canadian Coast Guard or CCG is the coast guard of Canada....
, and ground and inland water rescue is under the legal authorityRational-legal authority Summary

Rational-legal authority is a form of leadership in which the authority of an organization or a ruling regime is largely tie...
 of the individual provinces and territories (most are handled by the Royal Canadian Mounted PoliceRoyal Canadian Mounted Police

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police or Mounties, also The RCMP acts as the federal police for all of Canada, enforcing c...
 (RCMP)). Extensive use of volunteer SAR groups is made by all provinces and territories.

See also Heavy Urban Search and Rescue, Toronto Police Public Safety and Search Unit and Toronto Police's Toronto Police Marine Unit.

Denmark


Search and Rescue operators in DenmarkFacts About Denmark

The Kingdom of Denmark is the smallest and southernmost of the Nordic countries....
 are primarily: Danish air forceRoyal Danish Air Force

The Royal Danish Air Force is the air force of Denmark, it is an expeditionary Air Force, with capability organised to supp...
 Squadron 722, Danish navy air squadron, naval home guard and the administration of navigation and hydrography, coordinated by the Joint Rescue Coordination Centere, operated by the navy and air force in the Danish Naval Commands facilities near AarhusAarhus

Aarhus also commonly known by its contemporary Danish spelling rhus, is the second largest city and the principal por...
. Internationally the Danish works mainly with GermanyGermany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in central Europe....
, NorwayNorway

Insert non-formatted text hereNorway is a Nordic country on the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, bordering S...
 and SwedenSweden

The Kingdom of Sweden is a Nordic country in Scandinavia....
. With the two later, the yearly exercises Baltic SAREX and
Scan-SAR are conducted.

SAR-services in Denmark started in 1957 with seven Sikorsky S-55. Their radial engineRadial engine

The radial engine is a configuration of internal combustion engine, in which the cylinders are arranged pointing out from a ...
s only had limited horsepowerHorsepower

The horsepower is the name of several non-metric units of power....
 (550 hp) fuel capacity, so their operational area was also rather limited. To gain more operational area, it was decided to add some PembrokePercival Pembroke

The Percival Pembroke was a British high-wing twin-engined light transport aircraft built by the Percival Aircraft Company, ...
 two engine aircraft for search. These aircraft would then localize the distressDistress

The word distress has various meanings:-...
ed person(s) and the S-55's would then fly out to that location for rescue. Originally the only SAR-service performed, was for crashed fighter-planes (79 aircraft crashed, with 62 dead, in the period 1950-1955), but today also civilan SAR-duties are taken care of.

In 1962 eight ship-based Alouette IIIAérospatiale Alouette III

The Arospatiale Alouette III is a general purpose, single-engined light utility helicopter originally manufactured by Sud Av...
 was received. These was primarily ment for the ships patroling in the North Atlantic, but also supported the S-55's. In 1964 - 1965 the seven S-55 was replaced with eight Sikorsky S-61A helicopters. This helicopter, was originally inteded for - and constructed as such - anti-submarine warfareAnti-submarine warfare

If you were searching for A/S, you might have meant aksjeselskap, a Norwegian stock company form....
. On this danish variant, the heavy sonarSonar

SONAR  — or sonar — is a technique that uses sound propagation under water to navigate or to de...
 equipment was removed and instead extra fuel storage was added. This gave these helicopters a very large operational area. In 1977 radarRadar

RADAR is a system that uses radio waves to detect, determine the direction and distance and/or speed of objects such as airc...
-equipment was installed and in 1990 a FLIR was added. Further avionicsAvionics

Avionics literally means aviation electronics....
 and navigationalNavigation

There are several traditions of navigation....
 systems (such as GPS) has also been added through time.

In 1977 the naval air squadron was exfilled and created as an independent squadron in the navy and began replacing the Alouette III's with Westland LynxWestland Lynx

The Westland Lynx is a helicopter designed by Westland and built at Westland's factory in Yeovil, first flying on 21 March 1...
 helicopters. Their primary operational area was still the North Atlantic, but they continued their (much lesser since the introduction of the S-61) support roles. In 2006, the first of the S-61 was replaced by one of 14 new AugustaWestland EH-101 "Merlin"AgustaWestland EH101

The AgustaWestland EH101 is a medium-lift helicopter originally developed as a joint venture between Westland Aircraft in th...
 helicopters.
In 2007 the Danish Defence held a public display in HorsensHorsens

Horsens is a Danish town in east Jutland....
, to raise awareness about resuce services and maritime safety (Denmark has a relative large amount of costal line).

Today the SAR-components in Denmark are eight EH-101's, one or two Lynx's, 34 naval home guard vessels and 21 rescue vessels as well as the naval vessels at sea. The EH-101's are operates from bases in AalborgAalborg

Aalborg is the fourth largest city in Denmark - after Copenhagen, Aarhus and Odense - with an urban population of 122,794....
, Skrydstrup and RoskildeRoskilde

Roskilde is a municipality in Roskilde County 30 km west of Copenhagen on the island of Zealand in east Denmark....
. In rough weather aircraft are also posted on the island of BornholmBornholm

Bornholm is a Danish island in the Baltic Sea....
 in the Baltic SeaBaltic Sea

The Baltic Sea is located in Northern Europe, from 53N to 66N latitude and from 20E to 26E longitude....
. The Lynx's operates from KARUP. The maritime vessels are spread out through the entire coastline and on islands. The S-61' and EH-101's has a crew of six: Two pilotPilot Summary

Pilot can refer to:*Aviator, in aviation, an Aircraft pilot is someone who controls an aircraft...
s, a navigatorNavigator

A navigator is the person onboard a ship or aircraft responsible for the navigation of the vessel....
, a medicMedic

This article is about the title or occupation....
, a physicianPhysician

A physician is a person who practices biological medicine....
 and a rescue swimmerRescue swimmer

Though the moniker rescue swimmer may be applied to any number of water rescue professionals, the term is most often applied...
.

Germany


Search and Rescue in German waters is conducted by the German NavyGerman Navy

The German Navy is the navy of Germany and part of the Bundeswehr....
, the German Coast Guard or the Deutsche Gesellschaft zur Rettung SchiffbrüchigerDeutsche Gesellschaft zur Rettung Schiffbrüchiger

The Deutsche Gesellschaft zur Rettung Schiffbr?chiger or DGzRS is responsible for Search and Rescue in German territori...
 DGzRS (literally translated: German Society for the Saving of Shipwrecked, more common: German Maritime Rescue Service GMRS).
Besides the offshore Search And Rescue services, the German Air Force provides such as well, using Bell UH-1D "Huey" helicopters.

Hong Kong

Search and rescue in and around the waters off Hong KongHong Kong Summary

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China is one of the two special administrative regi...
 are directed by the Hong Kong Maritime Rescue Co-ordination CentreHong Kong Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre

The Hong Kong Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre is responsible for coordinating maritime search and rescue in Hong Kong a...
 with assistance from:

  • Government Flying Service
  • Fire Services Department 
  • Hong Kong Airport Authority / Hong Kong Police ForceHong Kong Police Force

    The Hong Kong Police Force is the police force of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of Ch...


Iceland

Search and Rescue operations in Iceland are mainly handled by the Icelandic Association for Search and Rescue (Slysavarnafélagið Landsbjörg) which operates numerous vehicles and boats across the country, along with the Icelandic Coast GuardIcelandic Coast Guard

Origins of the Icelandic Coast Guard can be traced to 1859, when the corvette rnen started patrolling Icelandic waters....
 which operates SAR helicopters and patrol vessels.

The unique thing about Iceland Association for Search and Rescue is that it is operated almost solely on volunteer’s contribution. The rescue units are more than 100 in total and are located in almost every part of the country. All the units contain groups of specially trained individuals.

Ireland

SAR services are provided by a civilian body, the Irish Coast GuardIrish Coast Guard

The Irish Coast Guard is part of the Department of Transport....
. It has responsibility for the Irish Search and Rescue Region.

Also Civil Defence in Ireland also known as Civil Defence Search and Rescue or Recovery, a volunteer based Rescue Service take care of most rescues. In Dublin, Ireland Civil Defence Search and Rescue, is the only rescue service in the county, who also provide for Wicklow and surrounding areas. This unit also do FireFire

Fire is a phenomenon of combustion manifested in intense heat and light in the form of a glow or flames....
, Radioactive monitoring, extricating, treating and looking after most of the CasualtyCasualty

Casualty has several meanings:*Casualty, which refers to a person wounded or killed in a war or disaster...
 or casualties found. It is funded by the state and Defence ForcesDefence Forces

Defence Forces is the title of the armed forces of certain countries....
.

Irish Coast GuardIrish Coast Guard

The Irish Coast Guard is part of the Department of Transport....
 who also help Civil Defence was formerly provided by the Irish Air CorpsIrish Air Corps

Irish Air Corps provides the air defence function of Oglaigh na hireann, in support of the Army and Naval Service, together ...
, from 1963 to the early 21st century. The need for longer range helicopters encouraged the Irish GovernmentIrish Government

The Government is the cabinet that exercises executive authority in the Republic of Ireland....
 to create a civilian organisation which hires private companies to provide the service.

This procedure has worked successfully, providing a greatly increased SAR range and forward basingForward basing

Forward basing is a method of power projection where, by pre-positioning military units or stockpiles of arms at strategical...
 of the SAR service on coastal bases, greatly improving their speed to incident and time on site compared to previous centralised military operationMilitary operation

A military operation is the employment of military resources to achieve a specific objective....
s near Dublin.

The introduction of the privatised service also allowed Ireland to field the first female SAR helicopter pilot in Europe, at the time.

Malta

The responsibility for SAR at sea in the Malta Search and Rescue Region falls under the Armed Forces of MaltaArmed Forces of Malta

The Armed Forces of Malta is the name given to the combined armed services of Malta....
 (AFM). It is carried out by maritime patrol aircraft, helicopters and vessels under the co-ordination, command and control of the Rescue Co-ordination Centre.

The AFM, in close collaboration with the US Coast Guard, also runs a Search and Rescue Training Centre for International Students in Maritime SAR Mission Co-ordination and Planning. To date more than 30 foreign students from 15 countries including Albania, Cameroon, Croatia, Equatorial Guinea and Kenya have attended these courses.

Malta is also in talks with LibyaLibya

Libya , officially the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya , is a country in North Africa....
 about enhancing SAR cooperation between the two countries.

Netherlands

SAR responsibility in the Netherlands is held by the , carried out by vessels and aircraft from various organisations among which the Koninklijke Nederlandse Redding MaatschappijKoninklijke Nederlandse Redding Maatschappij

The Koninklijke Nederlandse Redding Maatschappij is the Dutch voluntary organization tasked with saving lives at sea along t...
, Ministry of Transportation and Water ManagementMinistry of Transportation and Water Management (Netherlands)

The Ministry of Transportation and Water Management is the Dutch ministry responsible for the Dutch system of water managem...
 and the NavyRoyal Netherlands Navy

The Koninklijke Marine is the navy of the Netherlands....
 and Air ForceRoyal Netherlands Air Force

The Royal Netherlands Air Force, Dutch Koninklijke Luchtmacht, is the aviation branch of the Netherlands defence forces....
.

New Zealand

New ZealandFacts About New Zealand

New Zealand is a country in the south-western Pacific Ocean consisting of two large islands and many much smaller islands, m...
's Search and Rescue Region extends from the South PoleSouth Pole

When not otherwise qualified, the term South Pole normally refers to the Geographic South Pole – the southernmost poin...
 to the southern border of the Honolulu region, including Norfolk, Tonga, Samoa, and Cook IslandsFacts About Cook Islands

The Cook Islands are a self-governing parliamentary democracy in free association with New Zealand....
.

Land-based search and rescue operations (called LSAR, for Land Search and Rescue), such as for lost hikersHiking

Hiking is a form of walking, undertaken with the specific purpose of exploring and enjoying the scenery....
, are controlled by the local policeNew Zealand Police

The New Zealand Police is the national police force of New Zealand, responsible for enforcing criminal and traffic law, enha...
. Maritime search and rescue, as well as reports of overdue aircraft, fall under the control of the National Rescue Coordination Centre, based in Wellington, which coordinates response from local coastguard, helicopter operators, merchant marine, air force and naval resources.

Norway

Norwegian SAR-services are carried out through cooperation between government agencies, voluntary organisations and private companies who have resources appropriate for rescue services. The Norwegian Joint Rescue Coordination Centres ("Hovedredningssentralene") have the overall operational responsibility during search and rescue operations.

Typical providers of SAR are The Norwegian Coast Guard (Kystvakten), the Norwegian police, firebrigades and the military.

In addition many privately owned institutions exists such as The Rescue Company (Redningsselskapet) and the Norwegian Air Ambulance (Norsk Luftambulanse). Funding is typically provided from its members and the government.

Philippines

Philippine SAR Operations are the responsibility of the Philippine Air ForcePhilippine Air Force

The Philippine Air Force is the air force of the Philippines....
 and the Philippine Coast GuardPhilippine Coast Guard

The Philippine Coast Guard is the coast guard of the Philippines....
. The Air Force has a dedicated SAR formation, the 505th Search and Rescue Group. The group is equipped with the Bell UH-1, Bell 205 and the Sikorsky S-70 helicopters, along with the locally upgraded Huey IIHuey II

The Huey II is a modified and re-engined Bell Helicopter UH-1 Iroquois utility helicopter, significantly upgrading its perfo...
 helicopter. The 505th SAR has the capability of carrying out search and rescue in mountainous areas as well as over the ocean.

The Coast Guard patrols Philippine waters and conducts search and rescue operations with '78 Halter patrol craft.

Poland

The SAR Service was established on January 1, 2002 by virtue of the Safety at Sea Act

SAR Service takes part in search and rescue of human life at the sea and the tasks related to combating sea pollution. Because PolandPoland

Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country located in Central Europe....
 is a part of International Conventions like The International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue and The Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic SeaBaltic Sea

The Baltic Sea is located in Northern Europe, from 53N to 66N latitude and from 20E to 26E longitude....
 Area
, Maritime Search and Rescue Service (called SAR Service) was established.

The SAR Service is a state owned budget unit subordinated to the competent Minister for Maritime Economy.

South Africa



The South African Search and Rescue Organization (SASAR), is a voluntary organization that functions under the auspice of the Department of Transport. SASAR is responsible for the aviation and maritime incidents or incidents. The main function of the organization is to search for, assist and where applicable effect a rescue operation for the survivors/military civilians of aircraft or vessel accident.

Depending on the nature of the accident, the RCC's (ARCC or MRCC) coordinate the search and rescue missions.

These operations are carried out by other government departments, non governmental organizations, commercial/private organizations and voluntary organizations.

United Kingdom

In the UKUnited Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country and sovereign state that lies off the northwest coast...
, maritime search and rescue is coordinated by HM CoastguardHer Majesty's Coastguard

*Trinity HouseExternal links* ...
, while land-based operations are usually coordinated by the local PoliceFacts About Policing in the United Kingdom

The United Kingdom is a unitary state, and police forces, generally speaking, are organised at the level of administrative distric...
 force. The operation itself is carried out with aircraft from the Royal NavyRoyal Navy

The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services ....
, RAFRoyal Air Force

The Royal Air Force is the air force branch of the British Armed Forces....
 or Coastguard, RNLIRoyal National Lifeboat Institution

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution is a charity based in England dedicated to saving lives at sea around the coasts of ...
 lifeboatLifeboat (rescue)

A lifeboat is a boat designed to save the lives of people in trouble at sea....
s and police, military or volunteer mountain rescueMountain rescue

Mountain rescue refers to search and rescue activities that occur in a mountainous environment, although the term is sometim...
 or ALSAR (Association of Lowland Search and Rescue) teams. Aircraft coordination is carried out by the UK Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre based at RAF Kinloss in the north of Scotland. The centre is responsible for tasking and coordinating all of the UK's search and rescue helicopter and RAF mountain rescue teams.

In 2006, the government announced controversial plans to effectively privatise provision of search and rescue helicopters in order to replace the aging Sea KingWestland Sea King

The Westland Sea King is a license-built version of the Sikorsky helicopter of the same name, built by Westland Helicopters....
s currently in use, although they have suggested that crews may, at least partially, still be made up of military personnelSoldier

A soldier is a person who has enlisted with, or has been conscripted into, the armed forces of a country....
.

United States

The National Search and Rescue plan designates the United States Coast GuardUnited States Coast Guard Overview

The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States armed forces involved in maritime law, mariner assistance, a...
 as the federal agency responsible for maritime SAR and the United States Air ForceUnited States Air Force

The United States Air Force is the aerospace branch of the United States armed forces and one of the seven uniformed servic...
 as the federal agency responsible for inland SAR. Both agencies maintain Rescue Coordination Centers to coordinate this effort. The jurisdiction for local lost person SAR operations varies from state to state in the United StatesUnited States Overview

The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., and America, is...
, and depends upon the nature of the operation.

  Urban SAR

Urban SAR operations involve searching through debris and are often but not always under the jurisdiction of the fire department especially when a rescue is involved. If there is a criminal element, such as abduction, then a law enforcement agencyLaw enforcement agency

A law enforcement agency is a term used to describe any agency which enforces the law....
 will usually have jurisdictional authority. The Federal Emergency Management Agency maintains 28 national USAR teams stationed in various major cities around the nation to respond to disasters when requested by impacted states.

  Wilderness SAR'

Authority for Wilderness SAR and Mountain RescueMountain rescue

Mountain rescue refers to search and rescue activities that occur in a mountainous environment, although the term is sometim...
 varies, with some states (e.g., New MexicoNew Mexico

New Mexico is a southwestern state in the United States of America....
) supervising operations from a state-wide office such as state police or office of emergency managementOffice of Emergency Management

An Office of Emergency Management is an agency at the local, state or national level that holds responsibility of comprehens...
. Many states place authority for SAR with the local sheriffSheriff

Sheriff is both a political and a legal office held under English common law, Scots law or U.S....
 of the county in which the incident took place (e.g., Colorado). The United States Forest ServiceUnited States Forest Service

The USDA Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's national f...
 may also be involved. State fish and game wardens may also be responsible (e.g., New HampshireNew Hampshire

The State of New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States....
). Within U.S. national parksUnited States National Park

National Parks in the United States are considered the premier classification of protected areas of the United States....
 and monuments, the National Park ServiceNational Park Service Summary

The National Park Service is the United States federal agency that manages all National Parks, many National Monuments, and ...
 maintains authority, "exclusive jurisdiction," regardless of state lawState law

State law in the United States, is the law of each separate U.S....
. Most wilderness SAR operations involve volunteer groups such as members of NCCERTNCCERT

NCCERT , is a State-wide volunteer organization providing search and rescue services to local, state and federal agencies....
, Mountain Rescue Association and US-HERO, who work for the jurisdictional authority.

In addition to their responsibilities in the area of missing aircraft SAR, the Civil Air PatrolCivil Air Patrol Summary

The Civil Air Patrol is the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force....
 (USAF Aux) often assists in wilderness SAR when activated by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center.

  Water SAR

SAR on federal waters is usually the responsibility of the United States Coast GuardUnited States Coast Guard

The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States armed forces involved in maritime law, mariner assistance, a...
, but in inland and joint jurisdiction waters state and local governmentLocal government

Local governments are administrative offices of an area smaller than a state or province....
 agencies assume some or all responsibility for SAR.

In some situations, body recovery may fall under a separate command, such as the state medical investigator or county medical examinerCoroner

A coroner is either the presiding officer of a special court, a medical officer or an officer of law responsible for investi...
, depending upon the local laws.

  Missing Aircraft and ELT beacon searches

Where downed aircraft are involved, the state aeronautics commission (or their delegate) is responsible for the recovery and subsequent investigation. Most states use the Civil Air PatrolCivil Air Patrol

The Civil Air Patrol is the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force....
 (CAP) in conjunction with their local SAR team. CAP is the Air Force Auxiliary. CAP SAR teams are activated through the United States Air Force Rescue Coordination Center to conduct searches for possible or actual missing aircraft. CAP conducts over 95% of all federal search and rescue missions directed by the Center for possible or actual missing aircraft. CAP also helps with missing person searches as requested by county, state and other agencies.

  Personnel

Urban operations are generally staffed with paid personnel from fire, EMSEmergency medical services

The Emergency Medical Service system is responsible for providing pre-hospital care by paramedics, emergency medical techn...
, law enforcement agencies and volunteer teams with mutual aidMutual aid

The term mutual aid has multiple meanings....
 agreements.

Wilderness operations are usually staffed with a combination of paid and volunteer personnel. Volunteers may be members of a public safetyPublic Safety

This is an article about the modern meaning of the term "public safety." See the Committee of Public Safety for the French Revol...
 agency such as a fire department or county sheriffSheriff

Sheriff is both a political and a legal office held under English common law, Scots law or U.S....
 but are also likely to be members of an independent non-profit group with specialized skills such as ground search and rescue, airborne search, wilderness navigationNavigation

There are several traditions of navigation....
, cave rescueCave rescue

Cave rescue is a highly specialized field of rescue in which injured or trapped people are removed from or treated in caves ...
, mountain rescueMountain rescue

Mountain rescue refers to search and rescue activities that occur in a mountainous environment, although the term is sometim...
, ski patrolSki patrol

*Wilderness first aid*Emergency medical technician...
 and wilderness first aidWilderness first aid

Wilderness first aid is the provision of first aid under conditions where the arrival of emergency responders or the patient...
. Large operations can bring a dozen or more separate groups and government agencies to a single operation, which is usually managed using the Incident Command SystemIncident Command System

The Incident Command System is a management system used within the United States, parts of Canada, the United Kingdom and ot...
 (ICS) originally developed for management of diverse resources to combat large wildfireWildfire

A wildfire, also known as a forest fire, vegetation fire, grass fire, brush fire, bushfire , o...
s. The managing agency tends to be state law enforcement, or the county that the search is being staged in.

Marine operations in the U.S. are generally staffed by the United States Coast GuardFacts About United States Coast Guard

The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States armed forces involved in maritime law, mariner assistance, a...
 including its AuxiliaryFacts About United States Coast Guard Auxiliary

* Civil Air Patrol* US Search And Rescue Task force...
, and on inland waters county and state public safety agencies will also participate.

Aviation search operations in the U.S. are staffed by Civil Air PatrolFacts About Civil Air Patrol

The Civil Air Patrol is the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force....
 volunteers, which include both aircrews and ground teams trained for wilderness search in coordination with aircraft. CAP members also perform SAR and disaster relief activities of other natures, in the effort to assist local, state, and national authorities as directed by CAP Incident Commanders and the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center.

  SAR Units

Most SAR units in the United States are all-volunteer groups that work under the jurisdictional authorities. These may be sponsored by a jurisdictional authority (Sheriff's Office or Police Department) or be an independent groupIndependent Group

The IG or Independent Group is known for having launched Pop Art....
 with a Mutual Aid Agreement with the jurisdictional authorities. Examples of all volunteer groups are NCCERT, US-HERO, ASRC, Explorer Search and Rescue, and US Search And Rescue Task Force.

See also

  • AvalancheAvalanche

    An avalanche is a slide of a large snow down a mountainside, caused when a buildup of snow is released down a slope, and is ...
  • Cave rescueCave rescue

    Cave rescue is a highly specialized field of rescue in which injured or trapped people are removed from or treated in caves ...
  • Mountain rescueMountain rescue Overview

    Mountain rescue refers to search and rescue activities that occur in a mountainous environment, although the term is sometim...
  • Mounted search and rescueMounted search and rescue Overview

    Mounted search and rescue , search and rescue responders on horseback, are primarily a search resource, but also can provide...
  • Search and rescue dogSearch and rescue dog

    The use of dogs in search and rescue is a valuable component in responding to law enforcement requests for missing per...
  • International Search and Rescue Advisory GroupInternational Search and Rescue Advisory Group

    The INSARAG is a UN Organization that promotes the exchange of information between national Urban Search and rescue Organiz...



  • Volunteer Search & Rescue
  • Satellite distress detection - Cospas-SarsatCospas-Sarsat

    Cospas-Sarsat is an international satellite-based search and rescue system, established by Canada, France, the United States...
     (C-S)

Groups

  • North Carolina Canine Emergency Response TeamNCCERT

    NCCERT , is a State-wide volunteer organization providing search and rescue services to local, state and federal agencies....
     (NCCERT)
  • United States Homeland Emergency Response OrganizationUnited States Homeland Emergency Response Organization

    US-HERO is a volunteer organization providing qualified search and rescue and disaster relief services to local, state and ...
     (US-HERO)
  • Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter
  • Civil Air PatrolCivil Air Patrol

    The Civil Air Patrol is the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force....
     (CAP)
  • Coast GuardCoast guard

    A coast guard is a national organization responsible for various services at sea....
  • Emergency Locator Transmitter for missing aircraft
  • Emergency Position-Indicating Radio BeaconEmergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon

    Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacons, Emergency Locator Transmitters and Personal Locator Beacons are tra...
     (EPIRB)
  • Explorer Search and Rescue
  • MEDEVACMEDEVAC Overview

    A MEDEVAC is an abbreviation for "medical evacuation."...
  • United States Coast GuardUnited States Coast Guard Overview

    The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States armed forces involved in maritime law, mariner assistance, a...
  • United States Coast Guard AuxiliaryFacts About United States Coast Guard Auxiliary

    * Civil Air Patrol* US Search And Rescue Task force...
  • USAR TeamsUSAR Teams

    Urban Search And Rescue involves the mobilisation of resources to locate and remove trapped and often injured victims from c...
  • National Association of Volunteer Search and Rescue TeamsNational Association of Volunteer Search and Rescue Teams

    The National Association of Volunteer Search and Rescue Teams, Inc. was founded in 2006 as a non-profit organization dedica...
      (NAVSAR)
  • Ski patrolSki patrol

    *Wilderness first aid*Emergency medical technician...
  • Wilderness first aidWilderness first aid

    Wilderness first aid is the provision of first aid under conditions where the arrival of emergency responders or the patient...
  • 103 Search and Rescue Squadron CFAC
  • New York Search and Rescue
  • US Search And Rescue Task force
  • Air Force Rescue Coordination CenterAir Force Rescue Coordination Center

    As the United States' inland search and rescue coordinator, the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center serves as the single a...
  • Maryland State PoliceMaryland State Police

    The Maryland State Police is the official state police force of the State of Maryland. ...
  • Cardiff and Vale Rescue AssociationCardiff and Vale Rescue Association

    The Cardiff and Vale Rescue Association is a local rescue association in southeast Wales....
  • Long Beach Search & RescueLong Beach Search & Rescue

    Long Beach Search & Rescue is a specialist Explorer post of the Learning for Life program with the Boy Scouts of America....
  • Snohomish County Volunteer Search and RescueSnohomish County Volunteer Search and Rescue

    Snohomish County Volunteer Search and Rescue is a search and rescue organization in Snohomish County, Washington, USA....
  • Multnomah County Sheriff's Office Search and RescueMultnomah County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue Overview

    Multnomah County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue is a non-profit volunteer search and rescue resource for the Multnomah ...
  • Mercia Inshore Search and RescueMercia Inshore Search and Rescue

    Mercia Inshore Search and Rescue , also known as Mercia Rescue, is a water rescue team operating from the marina in Up...
  • Scarborough and Ryedale mountain rescue teamFacts About Scarborough and Ryedale mountain rescue team

    The Scarborough and Ryedale Mountain Rescue Team provides Search and Rescue services in and around the Scarborough and Ryeda...
  • Arapahoe Rescue PatrolArapahoe Rescue Patrol Summary

    The Arapahoe Rescue Patrol is a voluntary search and rescue team based in Arapahoe County, Colorado....


External links

  • Extract from Jane's Defence Weekly article
  • National Association for Search and Rescue (U.S.)