Using GIS in Search and Rescue Search: To locate persons in distress

Using GIS inSearch and Rescue

Search: To locate persons in distress

Rescue: To retrieve persons in distress, provide for their initial medical or other needs, deliver them to a place of safety and get your teams out safely.

Search is often the more time-consuming task:

• Where to look?• What resources to use?• How long do you look?

SAR: The Basic Map

A map is not the territory it represents, but if correct, it has a similar structure to the territory, which accounts for its usefulness.

-- Philosopher and Scientist Alfred Korzybski, 1931

• “What hampers me as a searcher is that I don't think like a lost person (well, mostly ...). Maybe one (two?!?) out of 10 times have I looked at a map, waved my divining rod over it and said: "There!" and been anywhere close to right. Each SAR is like learning all something new each time. So the priority tools (and tech devices), for me, would be those which contribute to better organizing and visualizing the SAR and the terrain.”

Robert Koester, Lost Person Behavior

GIS & MapSAR Significantly Enhances Situational Awareness And Provides a Common Operating Picture

Walk, Ride, Fly

Tasks

Analysis

InvestigationsOperations

Debriefing

Planning

Equipment

Team

Briefing

Search

Field Updates

DispatcherDispatcher

Log

Assignments

Helos,Trucks

Ops

Clues, Location, etc.Orders

Air Ops

Dog Ops

ResourceUnit

Logistics

LeadInvestigator Investigator

Assignments

Clues, Location, etc.

Clues, Location, etc.

SAR Information and Resource Flowchart

Walk, Ride, Fly

Tasks

Analysis Investigations

Operations

Debriefing

Planning

Equipment

Team

Briefing

Search

Field Updates

DispatcherDispatcher

Log

Assignments

Helos,Trucks

Ops

Orders

Air Ops

Dog Ops

ResourceUnit

Logistics

Spare Ovals

Investigator

Clues, GPS Locations

Assignments

Maps:Team, Briefing

Assets

Flex ViewerTo GIS Server

MapSARArcGIS 10

Teams

Clues,GPS Tracklogs & Waypoints

Clues

Common Operating PictureAvailable to All

ArcGIS Explorer Desktop

GIS & MapSAR: Capture spatial information in organized and retrievable structure.

Next: Quickly produce accurate team and briefing maps.Get teams into the field!

MapSAR: Allows automatic customization of team maps. DDP produces those maps quickly.

3D Image (ArcGIS Explorer or ArcGlobe): Effective Visualization of terrain for teams and Incident Command

ArcGIS Explorer can be set to poll data automatically, giving it the potential to be usedas a semi-realtime situation map projected into the Incident Command Post.

SAR dispatch enters clues and team locations in networked geodatabase which become immediately available to Command staff.

Used with GIS Server, Dynamic & Enhanced Common Operating Picture

Analysis: Surface Created with Cross Country Mobility Analysis with Roads and Trails

Dementia STATS

Training all team members in GIS:Use ArcGIS Explorer Desktop to capture initial reports and produce maps for initial hasty search.

Understanding GIS to Avoid Mistakes

Using GIS in SAR:Sometimes The Map is Not the Territory

Understand the mapping software you use.Practice with different types of coordinate systems and converting between them.

Inmarsat BGAN Satellite communication: Phone & Internet

Infinity GPS MiiC: Tracking via radio system.

Team safety, situational awareness & speeding up planning cycle: remote tracking of field teams

GeoPro Messenger: Satellite Tracking & Messaging

Screen Capture GeoPro track projected onto ArcGIS Explorer, Zion National Park

When applied to GIS, Korzybski’s “the map is not the territory” is a warning not to make maps or computer analysis a substitute for local knowledge and a team’s skill.

For all of this technology’s potential, the lost and injured are found and rescued by dedicated searchers working in difficult and dangerous conditions far from help themselves.

Effective SAR is founded on the actions of searchers voluntarily leaving a warm and comfortable environment to go out in often horrendous weather and terrain to look for a lost person. SAR will always require people with specific knowledge of an area to be able to properly evaluate and make decisions based on that experience.

GIS, though, is a vital tool to efficiently and effectively envision complex information – turning a flat piece of paper into a better approximation of the territory.

A Good Day for SAR: Yosemite Ranger Dave Pope withChild, Merced River, Yosemite National Park

George Durkee: gedurkee@sonic.netUsing GIS in SAR for Emergency Responders:http://groups.google.com/group/sar-and-gis