Mock Search

This year, with the MRA ice and snow re-accreditation scheduled for early March, BAMRU has begun the recruiting season early. On Saturday January 14th we held the first of two trainings intended to introduce those who are new to search and rescue to the ins and outs of a search scenario.

We started the day at 0800 in Redwood Memorial Park. After brief introductions, the 18 guests were divided up into teams, each led by a BAMRU team proctor. Individuals were assigned roles within their team such as lead medical, navigator and comms (communications). With little to no search and rescue experience, the guests did an impressive job of carrying out their search assignments safely and efficiently.

Along the way we discussed search tactics such as how to call out to a subject, probability of detection in various landscapes, how to safely split up to perform hasty searches up drainages, how to manage clues and even a little bit of tracking.

Once the subject was located the finding team requested the needed resources from CP and we soon all converged in the area where the subject was located. Thinking we were on our way "out of the woods" so to speak, the proctors threw in another twist and one of the team leaders found herself with a lower tib-fib fracture. The guests quickly devised a plan to get her splinted up and carried out of the field.

While one patient was carried out on the shoulders of her teammates, the initial patient was packaged into a litter and the guests proceeded with what became an arduous carry out including a cold stream crossing and a surprise flat tire on the litter wheel which made the evacuation quite difficult. Despite many detours and obstacles the group did a great job and never gave up. It was wonderful to see a group of strangers come together and complete such a difficult task.

After lunch and a well deserved break, the BAMRU attendees set up a high angle system demonstration over the side of a bridge. It was a great opportunity for the guests to get their hands on a 1:1 hauling system and see what it feels like to hoist a patient, a litter and a litter attendant up 25 feet or so during a rescue.

We really appreciate everyone who chose to spend their entire Saturday working with us in the cold shade of the Redwoods. It was a pleasure getting to know you!

Below is a video of the tired team rolling the patient into CP (Comand Post).  Well done team.