Training and validation of search and rescue teams is perhaps the most fundamental purpose of the ISARC. Since 2002, the member agencies of ISARC have sought to ensure continued development and consistency in the Illinois SAR curriculum. We provide this curriculum through the use of certified instructors who are current leaders and practitioners in the field of SAR.
If you would like to request additional information on any of the training programs offered by ISARC, or wish to schedule a course for your agency please email us. To request a course, please use our course request form.
The Introduction to Search and Rescue (SAR) course is designed to offer an overview of SAR concepts and operations. It provides a broad overview of SAR fundamentals, such as the definition of search, the scope of SAR operations, and SAR resources. This course is designed to address the needs of agencies that locally respond to SAR incidents and the 87% of incidents which are resolved in 3 hours by local resources. The components of the National and Illinois SAR Plans as well as ESF #9 are also covered in this course. This course is intended for all emergency responders, including police, fire, and emergency management personnel, who might be involved in a search incident during the normal course of their duties. Prior SAR training or experience is not required to successfully complete this course.
This course is specifically designed to provide members of a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) with an overview of the ground SAR system. This course provides basic instruction in search techniques and essentials of lost person behavior, personal safety, and team dynamics to build upon the skill set of the trained CERT responder. This course is designed for those CERT programs which may be asked to assist on a search, but where SAR is not a core mission. This course includes 3 hours of classroom training and five hours of field practical training.
This course is designed to provide the training necessary for a searcher to perform essential land navigation tasks on a search mission. This course includes map reading, compass work, and Global Positioning System (GPS) tools and builds upon classroom instruction to allow the trainee to solve a variety of land navigation problems in the field. This course is appropriate for anyone who needs navigational skills for remote locations.
The Ground SAR course is considered the basic training course for personnel who have responsibilities to respond to a SAR incident as a field searcher. This course provides a broad overview of SAR fundamentals, lost person behavior, scope of SAR operations, SAR resources, search techniques, and search crew field operations. This course is designed to provide the training necessary for emergency management personnel to function on a SAR mission as specified in the ESDA Administrative Rule. This course is intended for all emergency responders, including police, fire, emergency management, and parks & recreation personnel, who might be involved in a search incident during the normal course of their duties. Prior SAR training or experience is not required to successfully complete this course, however basic land navigation and ICS-100 level are recommended.
The Search Management Course provides the technical skills necessary to manage a missing person search. This course is intended for command level law enforcement, emergency management, and SAR personnel who may serve in a search management capacity for their jurisdiction. Course topics include: Search psychology & behavior, search strategy & tactics, applying ICS to Search Management, resource selection & allocation, public affairs & media management, managing external influences, documentation & litigation issues, and best practices & common mistakes.
This interactive course engages the student through individual and group exercises and is presented using a combination of classroom lecture, discussion, video tapes, case studies, and culminates with an interactive, practical tabletop search exercise which allows the students to put into practice the skills learned throughout the course. The course material reflects the latest search management thinking, and includes the latest data, theories, and case studies.
The 16 hour course is intended for public safety personnel. The 24 hour course is targeted more for SAR personnel or public safety personnel who belong to a dedicated SAR organization. The 24 hour course includes additional exercises and case studies. ICS-200 and the GSAR Course are both recommended pre-requisites for this course.
The Technical Search Planning Course builds upon the fundamentals of the Search Management Course to go beyond the end of the first operational period. While the concepts of the SAR Management Course will cover about 90% of searches which do not last longer than 12 hours, the TSP course gives SAR planners the tools necessary to utilize accepted planning methodologies to create a long-term SAR plan which emphasizes putting the right resources in the right order efficiently and effectively, and reallocating those resources when necessary to maximize the probability of success. This course is intended for Search Managers from SAR organizations who may be called upon to function in the Planning Section of a search mission ICS structure. This course requires successful completion of the SARM Course and ICS-300 prior to enrollment.
The ISARC is continuously evaluating the training programs and content to ensure that the needs of the Illinois SAR community are being met. Curriculum is reviewed at least every three years (and usually more often) to ensure that material is always current and incorporates best practices.
Currently, the ISARC is exploring additional course offerings. Two courses have been developed and are in beta delivery status. The first is a Crew Leadership course which provides additional training in small group leadership, problem-solving, and tactical considerations for the Ground SAR crew leader. The second is an 8 hour basic water rescue course for land-based searchers, which meets the ASTM F1739 standard. Both of these courses, pending approval, should be available for general delivery beginning in the summer of 2009.
Future courses being considered also include an Advanced Land Navigation Course, Basic Wilderness Rescue Course, and an Air Search Awareness Course.
Like other technical rescue and hazardous materials teams, Search and Rescue teams undergo a significant amount of training in order to keep their skills up to the level necessary to perform their missions safely and effectively. To ensure this, the members of ILSARC have instituted a resource validation program that helps to ensure that SAR teams meet certain benchmark performance standards. These validations occur every three years, and are conducted through a peer review process which tests a series of mission critical performance skills. Teams that fail validation are offered training and assistance to re-validate, thereby improving their performance and ensuring quality. Should a team fail to validate, they will be removed from the ISARC resource directory.
Validation criteria is available from ISARC by request to info@illinoissar.org.