Explorer Search and Rescue
Encyclopedia
Explorer Search and Rescue (ESAR) are teams of Explorers
in the Learning for Life
program of the Boy Scouts of America
who are trained and deployed for search and rescue
missions. Well-developed ESAR programs emerged in the state of Washington in the mid 1950s (Beginning with King County in 1954) and were followed by others in California
and elsewhere. The rugged, mountainous terrain of these areas often require massive amounts of manpower for proper searches for missing people, not to mention their rescue and evacuation from remote areas. The ESAR mission has also expanded over the years to include urban search and rescue
and other disaster
-related disciplines. Many ESAR groups also provide wilderness safety training to the public.
Hundreds of youths and adult advisors regularly participate as trained search specialists or provide other support services related to wilderness search and rescue. Some Law Enforcement Exploring
groups also participate in ESAR training and missions. At times, qualified ESAR teams have also assisted in locating evidence of crimes, such as victims of Ted Bundy
, in 1974, or Gary Ridgway
(The Green River Murderer) in the 1980s, and searching for notorious aircraft hijacker
D. B. Cooper
in 1971. Generally, however, their skills are applied to finding overdue hikers
, hunters
, or carrying injured mountaineers
to safety when airborne MEDEVAC
is not feasible.
Training can be rigorous and demanding, and may take years to accomplish. Members are generally proficient in wilderness survival, navigation
, and first aid
, and take advanced training in wilderness searching techniques including tracking
, grid-searching for missing persons
, and various types of rescue
. There are also specialty areas including Incident Command System
, radio
communications, commissary and logistics provisioning
, and progressive leadership advancement.
The first level of certification is that of "Brush Monkey" and it is awarded only after an individual is able to demonstrate proficiency in search techniques, advanced wilderness navigation and depending on the region an Explorer post may be in a weekend of snow training. The extensive King County ESAR training course takes place during the winter months at Camp Brinkley in Snohomish County, Washington.
Once a brush monkey is certified they can progress to the rank of team leader where they are in charge of a search team of anywhere from 2-15 individuals. Field leaders are in charge of the various teams in the field and report to the Operations Leader who in turn reports to the overall search coordinator who is responsible for coordinating all search and rescue efforts on a mission.
Certified teams are generally on-call 24 hours per day, 365 days per year, ready to assist local authorities, in cooperation with other SAR agencies. Many members go on to round out their skills with volunteer ski patrol
, mountain rescue
, Civil Air Patrol
or as other professionals.
ESAR Teams, especially the Seattle and Tacoma, Washington units are very busy as a first responder ground SAR units.
Exploring (Learning for Life)
Exploring is a worksite-based program of Learning for Life, a subsidiary of the Boy Scouts of America, for young men and women who are 14 through 20 years old...
in the Learning for Life
Learning for Life
Learning for Life is a United States school and work-site based youth program that is a subsidiary of the Boy Scouts of America. It utilizes programs designed for schools and community-based organizations that are designed to prepare youth for the complexities of contemporary society and to...
program of the Boy Scouts of America
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
who are trained and deployed for search and rescue
Search and rescue
Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations...
missions. Well-developed ESAR programs emerged in the state of Washington in the mid 1950s (Beginning with King County in 1954) and were followed by others in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and elsewhere. The rugged, mountainous terrain of these areas often require massive amounts of manpower for proper searches for missing people, not to mention their rescue and evacuation from remote areas. The ESAR mission has also expanded over the years to include urban search and rescue
Urban search and rescue
Urban search and rescue involves the location, extrication, and initial medical stabilization of victims trapped in confined spaces due to natural disasters, structural collapse, transportation accidents, mines and collapsed trenches.USAR teams in different countries may be organised in a...
and other disaster
Disaster
A disaster is a natural or man-made hazard that has come to fruition, resulting in an event of substantial extent causing significant physical damage or destruction, loss of life, or drastic change to the environment...
-related disciplines. Many ESAR groups also provide wilderness safety training to the public.
Hundreds of youths and adult advisors regularly participate as trained search specialists or provide other support services related to wilderness search and rescue. Some Law Enforcement Exploring
Law Enforcement Exploring
Law Enforcement Exploring also known as Police Explorers is a career-oriented program that gives young adults the opportunity to explore a career in law enforcement by working with local law enforcement agencies. Founded on July 12, 1973, it is one of the Exploring programs from Learning for Life,...
groups also participate in ESAR training and missions. At times, qualified ESAR teams have also assisted in locating evidence of crimes, such as victims of Ted Bundy
Ted Bundy
Theodore Robert "Ted" Bundy was an American serial killer, rapist, kidnapper, and necrophile who assaulted and murdered numerous young women during the 1970s, and possibly earlier...
, in 1974, or Gary Ridgway
Gary Ridgway
Gary Leon Ridgway is an American serial killer known as the Green River Killer. He murdered numerous women in Washington during the 1980s and 1990s, earning his nickname when the first five victims were found in the Green River. He strangled them, usually with his arm but sometimes using ligatures...
(The Green River Murderer) in the 1980s, and searching for notorious aircraft hijacker
Aircraft hijacking
Aircraft hijacking is the unlawful seizure of an aircraft by an individual or a group. In most cases, the pilot is forced to fly according to the orders of the hijackers. Occasionally, however, the hijackers have flown the aircraft themselves, such as the September 11 attacks of 2001...
D. B. Cooper
D. B. Cooper
D. B. Cooper is the name popularly used to refer to an unidentified man who hijacked a Boeing 727 aircraft in the airspace between Portland, Oregon and Seattle, Washington on November 24, 1971. He extorted $200,000 in ransom and parachuted to an uncertain fate...
in 1971. Generally, however, their skills are applied to finding overdue hikers
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
, hunters
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
, or carrying injured mountaineers
Mountaineering
Mountaineering or mountain climbing is the sport, hobby or profession of hiking, skiing, and climbing mountains. While mountaineering began as attempts to reach the highest point of unclimbed mountains it has branched into specialisations that address different aspects of the mountain and consists...
to safety when airborne MEDEVAC
MEDEVAC
Medical evacuation, often termed Medevac or Medivac, is the timely and efficient movement and en route care provided by medical personnel to the wounded being evacuated from the battlefield or to injured patients being evacuated from the scene of an accident to receiving medical facilities using...
is not feasible.
Training can be rigorous and demanding, and may take years to accomplish. Members are generally proficient in wilderness survival, navigation
Navigation
Navigation is the process of monitoring and controlling the movement of a craft or vehicle from one place to another. It is also the term of art used for the specialized knowledge used by navigators to perform navigation tasks...
, and first aid
First aid
First aid is the provision of initial care for an illness or injury. It is usually performed by non-expert, but trained personnel to a sick or injured person until definitive medical treatment can be accessed. Certain self-limiting illnesses or minor injuries may not require further medical care...
, and take advanced training in wilderness searching techniques including tracking
Tracking (hunting)
Tracking in hunting and ecology is the science and art of observing animal tracks and other signs, with the goal of gaining understanding of the landscape and the animal being tracked...
, grid-searching for missing persons
Missing Persons
Missing Persons is an American band who plays a blend of New Wave and Pop rock. The band was founded in 1980 in Los Angeles by guitarist Warren Cuccurullo, vocalist Dale Bozzio, and drummer Terry Bozzio. They went on to add bassist Patrick O'Hearn and keyboardist Chuck Wild. Dale's quirky voice...
, and various types of rescue
Rescue
Rescue refers to responsive operations that usually involve the saving of life, or prevention of injury during an incident or dangerous situation....
. There are also specialty areas including Incident Command System
Incident Command System
The Incident Command System is "a systematic tool used for the command, control, and coordination of emergency response" according to the United States Federal Highway Administration...
, radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
communications, commissary and logistics provisioning
Provisioning
In telecommunication, provisioning is the process of preparing and equipping a network to allow it to provide services to its users. In NS/EP telecommunications services, "provisioning" equates to "initiation" and includes altering the state of an existing priority service or capability.In a...
, and progressive leadership advancement.
The first level of certification is that of "Brush Monkey" and it is awarded only after an individual is able to demonstrate proficiency in search techniques, advanced wilderness navigation and depending on the region an Explorer post may be in a weekend of snow training. The extensive King County ESAR training course takes place during the winter months at Camp Brinkley in Snohomish County, Washington.
Once a brush monkey is certified they can progress to the rank of team leader where they are in charge of a search team of anywhere from 2-15 individuals. Field leaders are in charge of the various teams in the field and report to the Operations Leader who in turn reports to the overall search coordinator who is responsible for coordinating all search and rescue efforts on a mission.
Certified teams are generally on-call 24 hours per day, 365 days per year, ready to assist local authorities, in cooperation with other SAR agencies. Many members go on to round out their skills with volunteer ski patrol
Ski patrol
A Ski Patrol is an organization that provides Emergency Medical and rescue services to skiers and participants of other snow sports, either at a ski area or in a back country setting. Patrollers are trained in Basic or Advanced Life Support to stabilize and transport patients to definitive care,...
, mountain rescue
Mountain rescue
Mountain rescue refers to search and rescue activities that occur in a mountainous environment, although the term is sometimes also used to apply to search and rescue in other wilderness environments. The difficult and remote nature of the terrain in which mountain rescue often occurs has resulted...
, Civil Air Patrol
Civil Air Patrol
Civil Air Patrol is a Congressionally chartered, federally supported, non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force . CAP is a volunteer organization with an aviation-minded membership that includes people from all backgrounds, lifestyles, and...
or as other professionals.
ESAR Teams, especially the Seattle and Tacoma, Washington units are very busy as a first responder ground SAR units.
See also
- Fire Service ExploringFire Service ExploringFire Service Exploring is one of the career-oriented programs offered by Learning for Life, a branch of the Boy Scouts of America....
- Law Enforcement ExploringLaw Enforcement ExploringLaw Enforcement Exploring also known as Police Explorers is a career-oriented program that gives young adults the opportunity to explore a career in law enforcement by working with local law enforcement agencies. Founded on July 12, 1973, it is one of the Exploring programs from Learning for Life,...
- ExploringExploring (Learning for Life)Exploring is a worksite-based program of Learning for Life, a subsidiary of the Boy Scouts of America, for young men and women who are 14 through 20 years old...
- Mountain rescueMountain rescueMountain rescue refers to search and rescue activities that occur in a mountainous environment, although the term is sometimes also used to apply to search and rescue in other wilderness environments. The difficult and remote nature of the terrain in which mountain rescue often occurs has resulted...
- Wilderness first aid
- Multnomah County Sheriff's Office Search and RescueMultnomah County Sheriff's Office Search and RescueMultnomah County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue is a non-profit volunteer search and rescue resource for the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office in Multnomah County, Oregon, United States...
- Marin County Sheriff's Office Search & RescueMarin County Sheriff's Office Search & RescueMarin County Search and Rescue is an all-volunteer organization in Marin County within the county's Sheriff's office. With approximately sixty active members year round, Marin County's Search and Rescue responds to searches for missing children and adults, evidence and other search requests in...