Using GIS in
Search 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
SAR Information and Resource Flowchart
Field Updates
Clues, Location, etc.
Orders
Debriefing
Dispatcher
Dispatcher
Clues, Location, etc.
Log
Analysis
Clues, Location, etc.
Ops
Search
Dog Ops
Planning
Lead
Investigator
Air Ops
Tasks
Operations
Investigations
Walk, Ride,
Fly
Briefing
Equipment
Helos,
Trucks
Logistics
Assignments
Team
Assignments
Resource
Unit
Investigator
Common Operating Picture
Available to All
Spare Ovals
Field Updates
ArcGIS Explorer Desktop
Clues, GPS Locations
Debriefing
Orders
Flex Viewer
To GIS Server
Dispatcher
Clues,
GPS Tracklogs & Waypoints
Dispatcher
Log
Analysis
MapSAR
ArcGIS 10
Ops
Investigations
Investigator
Search
Dog Ops
Operations
Clues
Air Ops
Planning
Tasks
Walk, Ride,
Fly
Maps:
Team, Briefing
Equipment
Assets
Briefing
Assignments
Assignments
Teams
Helos,
Trucks
Logistics
Team
Resource
Unit
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 used
as 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.
Team safety, situational awareness & speeding up planning
cycle: remote tracking of field teams
Infinity GPS MiiC:
Tracking via radio system.
Inmarsat BGAN Satellite
communication: Phone & Internet
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 with
Child, Merced River, Yosemite National Park
George Durkee: gedurkee@sonic.net
Using GIS in SAR for Emergency Responders:
http://groups.google.com/group/sar-and-gis