Standard Operating Procedures & Suggested Operating Guidelines

Article 1

SOP / SOG Definition and Explanation

Standard Operating Procedures refer to regulations set fourth by Valley Search and Rescue to define common rules for operating on any team sanctioned gathering that must be followed. (Article 2)
Suggested Operating Guidelines refer to procedures set fourth by Valley Search and Rescue to define and scope the general suggested means by which to effectively complete an incident. These guidelines should be followed whenever it is safe and effective to do so. (Article 3)

Article 2 • Standard Operating Procedures

Operational Line Officers

A unified chain of command will be in effect at all times in or on any team sanctioned event with the exception of meetings of corporate business where the VSAR Board of Directors has authority.
The command structure and chain is as follows:

1) Chief

a. Duties and Responsibilities:

I. Shall command the organization when at any team sanctioned event with the exclusion of meetings of corporate business.

II. Reserves the right to deny any team member permission to participate on any team function or emergency mission.

III. Shall see that all equipment in the possession of or belonging to the team is in good repair

IV. Shall be responsible for the safety of every member while on an emergency call out operation

V. Shall ensure that a record of all members attending a team function is available and is maintained

VI. Shall be the primary point of contact for all external groups or companies on all operational incidents

VII. Shall initiate team dispatch for all emergency call-outs.

VIII. Shall be prudent in sharing privileged information with any other person, be they associated with VSAR or not.

IX. May delegate any of the above to a subordinate officer or team member

X. Answers to the Board of Directors as the governing body of the organization

b. Qualifications:

I. Must show competencies in the following:

1) Sound and prudent judgment

2) Decision making

3) Delegation

4) General Search and Rescue functions

5) Navigation

6) Orienteering

7) Communication

a. Written

b. Verbal

c. Radio

8) Leadership

9) Patient packaging and Evacuation

2) Assistant Chief

a. Duties and Responsibilities:

I. Shall assist the Chief in the discharge of his/her duties

II. Shall obey all orders from the Chief

III. Command and perform all the duties of the Chief in his/her absence or at his/her request

b. Qualifications:

I. Must show competencies in the following:

1) Sound and prudent judgment

2) Decision making

3) Delegation

4) General Search and Rescue functions

5) Navigation

6) Orienteering

7) Communication

a. Written

b. Verbal

c. Radio

8) Leadership

9) Patient packaging and Evacuation Duties and Responsibilities

II. Shall assist the Chief in the discharge of his/her duties

3) Captain

a. Duties and Responsibilities:

I. Shall assist the Chief or his/her Assistant in the discharge of his/her duties

II. Shall obey all orders from the Chief and the Assistant Chief

III. Command and perform all the duties of the Superior Officers in their absence or at their request

The ranking line officer, acting in the best interest of the team and its function, reserves the right and has the responsibility to make temporary command decisions on any matter during an emergency call out, or regarding any operational matter of the team. Such decisions shall be brought to the Corporate Board of Directors in a timely manor, with suggestions for a permanent decision or action and inclusion in or amendment of the corporate By-Laws and Constitution. A majority vote of the Board is required for an action or decision to carry.
All team members at or involved in any inter-team event, be it an emergency or otherwise, shall obey commands given by a line officer of any other organization and shall afford said officer the same respect as is if they were a line officer of VSAR. Unless an officer of equal or greater authority from VSAR belays that order directly, any member of VSAR not complying can and will be subject to the same disciplinary action stated below in the section titled “Disciplinary Action”.

General Regulations

Visual and or Audible Warning Devices

1) Any team member qualifying for the use of visual and or audible warning devices must comply with all PA Department of Transportation and Law Enforcement regulations governing the use of said devices.

a. Any team member wishing to employ a visual or audible warning device, may do so given the following:

I. The team member must have “Full” status.

II. The team member must obtain written approval from the Chief Line Officer prior to the use of ANY visual or audible warning device. (This includes but is not limited to factory car horn, hazard flashers and headlights.)

III. The team member must be briefed by a law enforcement officer of the proper and legal use of such warning devices prior to, or within 1 calendar year of the employment of such devices.

1) In the case that the briefing be after the employment of the devices, it is the Chief’s responsibility to ensure that the member understands that all vehicle codes remain in effect while the devices are in use.

IV. All visual and or audible warning devices are defined as “courtesy” devices, and in no way give the operator any authority to break any regulations of the motor vehicle code.

V. The use of audible and or visual warning devices is a privilege, not a right.

VI. Line officers of VSAR reserve the right to suspend or terminate the privilege at any time for any reason. The member in question is subject to disciplinary action as a result, which may include but is not limited to: (With approval from the VSAR Board of Directors)

1) Verbal warning

2) Suspension of privilege

3) Termination of privilege

4) Suspension from the team

b. All team members are solely and personally responsible for warning device use as well as any fines or actions resulting from their use or misuse.

2) Device Types

a. All Warning devices must comply with existing vehicle codes.

b. Any active member, meeting the above stipulations, may use warning lights colored Blue, only while their vehicle is in a “response” mode, or is in an active role on an incident.

I. No member using Blue lights may employ the use of an audible warning device.

c. Only the ranks of Chief, Assistant Chief, and Captain may employ the use of Visual warning devices colored Red.

I. All members using Red lights must employ the use of a siren in accordance with vehicle codes

All members shall respond to an emergency call-out in a professional and safe manner obeying all traffic laws including but not limited to, speed limits and PA state safety-belt laws.
All team members are solely and personally responsible for any and all fines and/or traffic offenses while in route to a call-out.
Each team member is responsible for coverage under their personal auto insurance policy.
All team members shall report to the senior ranking line officer of VSAR upon arrival to an emergency scene, and then proceed directly to the command post’s designated sign-in area.
All members are required to have a 24 hour “ready-pack” at all times with appropriate equipment set forth by the VSAR training standards.
No member shall surrender any information pertaining to Valley Search and Rescue to any individual, official, or the press without first being instructed to do so by the Chief and/or the President.
No member of the Board of Directors or any Line Officer shall surrender any information regarding their respective private meetings without the Board of Directors first accepting the minutes from said meeting, and affirming that all information therein is for the general membership’s consumption.
Any member may be expelled if failing to conform to the VSAR By-Laws and Constitution, this Section 2 of the Valley Search and Rescue SOP/SOG Document or any rules of VSAR by two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Full members in attendance at any regular business meeting. Any officer may be removed from office for refusing to conform with or neglecting his/her duties by two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Full Members in attendance at any regular business meeting.
Any member who refuses to or neglects to attend 75% of VSAR’s functions or who misses four (4) regular business meetings in succession shall be classified as an “Inactive” Member, and will be removed from the “Call-Out” list.
If a member uses offensive or insulting language to a Line Officer or Officer in Command at any team function, or meeting, or be guilty of any offense designed to bring disgrace on, or to create discord in the organization shall be subject to suspension or expulsion from the organization at the next regularly scheduled business meeting by a majority vote, pending the Board’s approval.
No VSAR member shall attend an official function or Emergency Call-Out under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances under any circumstances.

Disciplinary Action on a “Call-Out”

Any Misconduct of any kind by any team member is subject to discipline by any line officer and / or The Board of Directors.

1) All Line Officers have the authority to discipline any team member under his/her prevue up to and including dismissal from a search scene.

a. Should the team member be in disagreement of the disciplinary action, he/she may address the Board of Directors with the issue via written complaint.

Article 3 • Suggested Operating Guidelines

Land Search

A. 1^st responder/incident command initiation

1) Obtain a call back number from Communication Center or Answering Service.

2) Contact the requesting agency to obtain necessary information and directions. Utilize an INCIDENT ALERT FORM.

3) Execute a team call out via Group Page and Phone Tree.

4) Have all personnel respond to the scene.

5) Upon arriving on a scene, immediately establish a SAR UNIT / PERSONNEL REGISTRY. Set up a STAGING AREA for all incoming personnel and equipment.

6) Make initial contact with reporting party and complete a MISSING PERSON QUESTIONNAIRE. Designate and record the person responsible for the investigation.

7) PROTECT THE POINT LAST SEEN!

8) Designate an INCIDENT COMMANDER! Establish an Incident Command System!

9) Designate a person to Situation Status (Sitstat) and Resource Status (Restat).

a. SITSTAT - Manages all data through the use of TASK FORMS, TASK LOGS, CLUE LOGS AND COMMAND LOGS.

b. RESTAT - Manages current records on the status of all resources through the use of the SAR UNIT / PERSONNEL REGISTRY AND THE DAILY SAR RESOURCE WORKSHEET.

10) DETERMINE SEARCH URGENCY.

11) Establish Subject Behavior and document it.

12) Establish subject detect-ability and survivability.

13) Establish total search area and denote on the map. Consider theoretical, statistical, search objectives and lost subject behavior.

14) Establish CONFINEMENT!

15) Segment the search area and determine PROBABILITY OF AREA (POA) using the Mattson or O’Connor methods.

16) Work up an estimate of the total resources that will be needed to cover all segments.

17) Begin deploying initial resources. Be certain all assignments are written on a TASK FORM and given to the Team Leader to return. Record information from the Task form onto a TASK LOG to remain at Command Post.

18) Establish a COMMUNICATION PLAN and a method for logging communications. Utilize a COMMUNICATION LOG.

19) Brief all searchers committed to the field. Utilize a BRIEFING FORMAT SHEET.

20) Any clues found should be called into Command Post and logged on a CLUE LOG.

21) As Command Post functions are delegated (Planning, Operations, Logistics etc.) Document on a TABLE OF ORGANIZATION FORM. Establish an ICS!

22) Log all major decisions on a COMMAND LOG.

23) Always DEBRIEF teams that have returned from an assignment. Utilize a DEBRIEFING FORM.

24) CONTINUE MISSION UNDER AN INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM.

B. General search responders

1) Any responder shall be in good standing based on his/her current member status.

2) Any responder shall respond only on dispatch from a ranking officer of VSAR.

3) Responders are responsible for obtaining directions from dispatch to the incident along with collecting any pertinent information about IC location, subject, weather or any conditions the responder should be aware of.

4) Responders should be capable of giving dispatch an estimated time of arrival if possible.

5) Responders should report directly to incident command and sign in with the designated coordinator, then find the VSAR SR. ranking officer on scene to report arrival.

6) All responders should have with them all gear necessary to complete tasks safely and affectively including, but not limited to, 24 hour pack as defined by NASAR standards, appropriate uniform attire for weather, appropriate footwear, appropriate outerwear, helmet, compass, writing materials, food, water etc.

7) Responders should acquire from briefing adequate information about the subject to help determine search tactics and techniques as well as valid clue awareness.

8) Responders should know and understand their task assignments; and task location and boundaries before going into the field.

9) All responders are expected to work comprehensively, safely and courteously within their task group to achieve task objectives.

10) All responders will use clear plan language when making radio communications.

11) Responders should consult IC for the proper protocol for marking and collecting clues when pertinent.

12) All responders will report to incident command debriefing upon task completion.

13) All responders still on incident, not on task, waiting in staging will conduct themselves in a professional and respectful manor, always conscious and aware that subject family members could be present.

14) When leaving an incident, all responders must sign out with incident command designated coordinator.

15) All responders must contact the SR VSAR officer present at the incident to report they are leaving the scene and are an inactive resource.

C. Canine team responders

1) Canine teams responding to any incident shall follow all the rules set forth in the General responder section of this document (article 3 section 1b)

2) Canine handlers should bring food and water adequate to cover a 48 hour period for their canines and items additional to the 24 hour pack as defined under NASAR canine standards..

3) Canine handlers shall be designated team leaders when deployed on any task with their canine.

4) All dog handlers shall be responsible for the behavior of their dogs at base or in any situation where there is interaction with outside personnel or the general public.

5) Dogs shall remain crated, tied or placed in a down stay while the handler is receiving briefing, providing debriefing or any other function or in any other location a dog is not appropriate to.

6) All handlers are responsible for cleaning up after their dogs in base area.

7) When in the base area with their handler, all dogs should be on leash and under control.

8) No dog that has not received a certification with its handler through NASAR, PA DCNR or Valley Search and Rescue should be brought to or included in any actual search incident.

9) Dogs should be taken to an area respectfully away from base and staging for exercise and elimination.

2. Crime Scene or Scene of a Questionable Death

A. The first duty of the SAR Responder is to save the victims life. However, if the victim in a questionable death is obviously dead, do not move the body or surroundings for any reason.

B. Once determined that the victim is dead and that the death may be suspicious, the searcher and team should exit the scene the same way as entered.

C. Protect the crime scene. No one should be allowed to enter the scene until the police have arrived.

D. Make no comments to the press as to mode, manner, cause, agency or your theory as to how the death occurred. Refer media or press to the police.

E. If in the process of determining whether the victim is dead you must move anything, the original position of these items should be marked mentally and should be called to the attention of the police.

F. At an outdoor crime scene, the first person to arrive should be careful not to disturb shoe prints, tire marks, shell casings and other items possibly used in the death.

G. Under no circumstances should a firearm involved in the death be moved, unloaded or touched in any way unless it poses an immediate threat or there is a strong possibility that it may be tampered with or removed by an unauthorized person at the scene.

H. When a firearm is involved in a questionable death, the hands of the victim become important. Do not clean or disturb in any manner.

I. Keep in mind that while the body as been found at one spot, the actual crime may have occurred at a different location. For this reason, no one should be permitted to wander around the crime scene. SAR RESPONDERS SHOULD NOT SEARCH FOR EVIDENCE.

J. Witnesses should be detained and separated by the police, not SAR Responders. They should be alert to conversations overheard while at the scene. Be alert for statements made by a suspect at the scene.

K. When the victim of a crime is being conveyed to the hospital and it appears that the person may die, it is advisable to try to ascertain the name and/or description of the assailant. Under certain conditions this may be admissible as evidence.

L. If for any reason while at the scene of a questionable death you cannot comply with these suggestions, you should note whatever contrary actions you have taken and inform the police upon arrival.

M. Write down details of your actions and those of bystanders. Note the surroundings and actions which disturb the scene.

N. Keep all clothing. Never cut through any holes in the clothing left by bullets or knives.

REMEMBER: In many cases the success or failure of a questionable death investigation depends on the actions of the first person(s) on the scene.

3. Rope or Technical Rescue

A. All personnel must wear an approved seat harness or equivalent.

B. All personnel must wear proper footwear required for technical rescue.

C. All personnel must wear a protective helmet with a chin strap when performing technical rescue. No exceptions! Proper PPE must be worn.

D. All personnel must be able to tie the following knots:

1) Square Knot 7) Figure 8 Bend

2) Half Hitch 8) Prussic

3) Bowline 9) Clove Hitch

4) Double loop Figure 8 10) Double Fisherman

5) Figure 8 11) Girth Hitch

6) Figure 8 on a Bight 12) Water Knot

E. All personnel must be able to tie the following anchors:

1) Tensionless Anchor

2) Webbing Slings

3) Self Equalizing Anchors (SEAs)

F. All personnel must be able to safely load and secure a patient into a stokes litter.

G. All personnel must double check all harnesses, knots, anchors, ropes, hardware, lowering systems, haul systems etc. Check before the operation, during the operation and after the operation.

H. All knots, anchors, lowering systems and haul systems must be backed up with a safety and must be rigged for increased and multidirectional loading.

I. Ropes must be padded at all points of contact that might cause abrasion or cut your rope.

J. All ropes must be inspected each time you rig with it, while in use and again as you bag it.

K. Carabineers must be aligned in a manner of function and constantly monitored.

L. All personnel within 15' of any waterway must wear a PFD.

M. Belay systems and devices must be used in the following cases:

1) When rock climbing.

2) In all rescue situations where there is a chance of falling.

3) When a person is unsure of him/herself attempting a new skill.

4) When environmental factors such as an area slick with ice are present.

5) When a persons physical or mental capabilities are diminishing, as when he/she has been injured or taken ill.

6) Any time when one or more persons are being either lowered or raised with ropes.

N. When an edge manager is needed for a lowering or haul system, he or she will handle communication between the litter team and the lowering or haul teams.

O. It must be of top priority to the Incident Commander to get an EMT and a team leader to the victim as soon as possible. While the patient is being treated, the team leader can assess the situation and request additional resources.

P. All personnel near the edge must be tied to a secure anchor.

Q. Whenever possible, stabilize the patient before evacuation.

R. Use accepted Medical Protocols to care for and protect the patient at all times.

S. All personnel should carry enough survival equipment to spend the night out in the field if necessary.

T. When executing a carry out, use litter teams of six to eight people. A minimum of three teams will be needed.

U. When executing a carry out, appoint someone to serve as a route finder, with a radio and flagging tape, to report any hazards or problems.

V. Rescue personnel should always choose the safest and easiest route and rescue techniques.

W. As Command Functions are appointed utilize TABLE OF ORGANIZATION FORM.