Search and Rescue is comprised of search functions and rescue operations. This is an important distinction to make because of the difference in skills and resources involved between these two types of operations. 

Search is an operation that uses available personnel and facilities to locate persons in distress.

Rescue is an operation to retrieve persons in distress and provide for their initial medical or other needs and deliver them to a place of safety.

Definitions

Automatic Direction Finding (ADF) – Equipment that determines bearing to a radio station.

Average Maximum Detection Range – Is the distance on average that a sensor (searcher) has the maxium detection range to detect (see) an object in specific environmental conditions as well as vegetation or any             ground cover or other obsticles in their search segment.

Cumulative Probability of Success  (POS cum) – The Accumulated probability of finding the search object with all the search effort expended over all searches to date.

Distress Beacon – a radio device that gives off a homing signal on an emergency channel monitored by many stations. (Like calling 911)

Doppler Shift – Change in the apparent frequency of a wave as observer and source move toward or away from each other.

Effective Sweep Width (ESW). The area that a searcher can cover in a single sweep. Depends on tools available how far can be searched but it is edge to edge.

Global Positioning System (GPS) – A satellite based system used in conjunction with mobile devices to determine the precise position of the device through triangulation.

Grid Cell – A square or rectangular area formed by pairs of adjacent, perpendicular, grid lines.

Grid – Any set of intersecting perpendicular lines spaced at regular intervals.

Hasty Search – A quick search of easy to get to areas that might yield quick results.

Heading – The horizontal direction in which a craft is pointed

Incident – A SAR case involving investigation and telephone communications searches.

Incident Action Plan (IAP) [ICS]  - Contains objectives reflecting the overall incident strategy and specific tactical actions and supporting information for the next operational period. The plan may be oral or written.

Incident Command System (ICS) – An all hazards risk on-scene system of coordination for any type of incident involving multiple responding authorities and multiple jurisdictions.

Initial Planning Point (IPP) – The point that is initially used to plan the search incident. The IPP may be the original Point Last Scene or Last Known Position.

Last Known Position (LKP) – It is the last substantiated position based on clues or evidence belonging to the missing subject and indicating that the missing subject was known at that location.

Mass Rescue Operations (MRO) – Civil search and rescue services characterized by the need for immediate response to large numbers of persons in distress, such that the capabilities normally available to search authorities are inadequate.

Mission – A SAR case in which facilities have been committed to actively search.

National Incident Management System (NIMS) – A system prescribed by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 5 to coordinate emergency preparedness and incident management among various federal, state, county and local agencies. NIMS provide a uniform nationwide approach to work effectively to prepare for, respond to, and recover from any incident.

National Response Framework (NRF) – A guide to how the Nation conducts all-hazards response. It is built upon scalable, flexible, and adaptable coordinating structures to align key roles and responsibilities across the Nation, linking all levels of government, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector. It is intended to capture specific authorities and best practices for managing incidents that range from serious but purely local, to large scale terrorist attacks or catastrophic natural disasters.

On Scene – The search area or actual distress site

Operational Period (ICS) – The period of time scheduled for execution of a given set of operational objectives as specified in the Incident Action Plan.

Operations Stage – A period during a SAR incident when SAR facilities proceed to the scene, conduct search, rescue survivors, provide emergency care for survivors and deliver survivors to a suitable facility.

Optimal Search Area – The search area which will produce the highest probability of success When searched uniformly with the search effort available.

Optimal Search Plan – A plan that maximizes the probability of success  of finding the search object using the search effort available.

Overdue – A situation where a search object has failed to arrive at its intended destination when expected and remains missing.

Place of Safety – Location where rescue operations are considered to terminate and where 1) the survivors safety or life is no longer threatened 2) basic human needs are met 3) transportation arrangements can be made for the survivors next or final destination.

Point Last Seen (PLS) – It is the point where the search object was last seen by a witness or by proof of a specific time and location.

Position – A geographical location normally expressed in degrees and minutes of latitude and longitude.

Probability of Detection (POD) – The probability of the search object being detected assuming it was in the area that was searched. POD is a function of coverage factor, sensor, search conditions and the accuracy with which the search unit navigates its assigned search pattern.

Rescue – An operation to retrieve persons in distress provide for their initial medical or other needs and deliver them to a place of safety.

Search – An operation normally coordinated by an RCC or RSC using available personnel and facilities to locate persons in distress.

Search Area – The area determined by the search planner that is to be searched.

Search Pattern – A trackline or procedure assigned to an SRU for searching a specified area

Sensors – Human senses or those of specially trained animals or electronic devices used to detect the object of the search

Sweep Width (W) – A measure of the effectiveness with which a particular sensor can detect a particular object under specific environmental conditions

Unified Command – In ICS, Unified Command is a unified team effort which allows all agencies with responsibility for the incident, either geographical or functional to manage an incident by establishing a common set of incident objectives and strategies.