History of the “Search Management System (SMS)” training course

About 10 years ago many SAR professionals around the country had lost confidence in the ability of search and rescue management training courses to prepare the ranger, deputy, LEO, or SAR volunteer to effectively manage search and rescue incidents.  Much of the course material was outdated, newer material was largely based on unproven theory, and in some subjects was of questionable validity. 
 
These SAR professionals were also frustrated because they observed these same students of these search and rescue training courses manage searches using techniques that were 20 to 30 years old.  
The same group of SAR professionals came to realize key reasons for this related to the failure of current courses to effectively teach search and rescue management training included:

1. Method of instruction.  Current search and rescue training courses are essentially lectured.  Classroom lecture is the least effective adult teaching method.


2. Breadth of information.  Current search and rescue management training courses try to put too much information into the curriculum - students are overwhelmed and intimidated by this amount of material, and there’s no effort to help them understand relative importance of the various information.


3. Course organization.  Current search and rescue training management courses are analogous to a culinary class that spends the entire semester studying the ingredients on a supermarket’s shelves.  The students graduate with the expectation of being able to prepare a complicated meal.  But they haven’t been taught how to combine the ingredients.  They don’t have a clue where to start, and revert to old habits of canned soup, frozen dinners, and jelly sandwiches.


4. Inappropriate focus.  Although other search and rescue training courses are presented as “management” level (i.e. incident commander), they dedicate 25-50% of course time to probability calculations.  Probability calculations are rarely utilized on searches (less than 10% of incidents) and when they are, it’s on large extended incidents.   

Because of these short comings Hugh Dougher, a 30 year seasoned SAR veteran, and Rick LaValla of ERI (one of the original authors of the Managing the Search Function (MSF) and the original Managing Search Operations (MSO) training courses) - asked a number of SAR professional to join a team to develop a new search and rescue training management course

They subsequently developed a two and a half to four day course entitled “Search Management Systems (SMS) - a practical approach to initiating and directing efforts to resolve missing person reports”.  

This new Search and rescue training management course – Search Management System (SMS) is unique in the following ways.  It’s the only search and rescue training management course to:

Incorporate adult learning techniques. 
The SMS search and rescue training management course  include such things as “crawl, walk run” (explain the concept, show the concept, have the student perform the concept

Use exercises based on real incidents.
75% of the exercises use real incidents such as the “Kim” search in Oregon in 2006.  Every 18 months this course is updated.  New workbooks are also printed to reflect these current changes.     

Using instruction, not testing.
Show the correct way to do something, not have the student demonstrate the way he/she currently does it and then tell him/her what he/she did wrong.

Totally incorporate the Homeland Security NIMS ICS. 
This is not billed as an ICS course. But it adopts and teaches ICS principles and terminology. (Actually, parts of some of the units are verbatim out of IS-300). This course is compliant with both DHS/FEMA NIMS IS-200 and NWCG NIIMS I-200.

Addresses search as a law enforcement incident. 
The other search and rescue training courses focus on finding a “lost” person.  This course emphasizes search incidents are investigations into “missing” person reports.  That is, the person might be lost, or he/she might be simply overdue, or the victim of a criminal act, or may be perpetuating a fraud, or may be hiding.

Measure progress by objectives
(rather than whether the subject has been located). This course empisises setting up a system that if implemented will find the missing person.

Uses a functional workbook. 
The MSF families of courses are supported by a “text” that may or may be followed by the instructor.  This course has a book of similar detail, but it is designed to closely follow the instruction, and is regularly used by the student.  A workbook rather than a textbook.

Present information in a logical, sequential manner. 
The sequence parallels the evolution of a search incident.

Emphasizes the team nature of incident. 
By building a team spirit throughout the course.

Meaningful instructor quality control. 
Other search and rescue training management courses can be taught by anyone with minimum SAR experience.   While anyone can purchase the SMS workbook from ERI, the team refuses to release the instructor materials.  There is only a small cadre of instructors (see the BIO page of a few of these instructors).  To be an instructor there are tight standards, including demonstrated ability to educate, and a strong experience base.

Who should attend this course…..

SAR team members
Rangers
Land management law enforcement officers
Deputies
Rural fire and emergency services personnel
Leaders of outdoor adventure groups
Local Police
State Police
Forest Service LEO
National Park employees

….. and others responsible for initiating, implementing, or assisting with searches.  In short, anyone concerned with what to do when faced with a missing person report.

St. Joseph Course

June 9-11

News

“The planning process works! Once we get people trained under this new system things will run much smoother.”

For More Information Contact

Goodman & Associates