Interview and Investigation – Techniques for Search and Rescue Responders.

Instructor: Chris Young

2 hours

Interviewing is an important part of search investigation and yet is often a hastily done and incomplete task. In many searches especially in an urban environment,

an interview may be the largest generator of clues on where to search. This presentation/workshop will discuss why we need to interview and compare and

contrast interview and interrogation in law enforcement and the unique requirements and needs in the Search and Rescue world. It will probe the "how

to" mechanics of conducting a good interview from the setting for the interview, to the demeanor of the interviewer, to the type of in depth questions and how the

information gathered can be used to paint a mental picture and profile of the missing subject. This information can then be used to assist the planning function

in establishing where to look and the best use of SAR resources. The discussions will include initial and post search interviewing, as well as telephone and door-todoor

interviewing. The workshop will also include interview practice exercises.

BIO

Christopher (Chris) S. Young has been active in Search and Rescue since 1981, managed searches since 1986, is the past reserve Captain for the Contra Costa County

Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Team and serves as chairman of the Bay Area Search and Rescue Council, Inc. (BASARC). Chris is a retired Instructor for the POST “Direction

and Control of the Search Function Course” for the State of California Office of Emergency Service for 25 years, is currently an Instructor Trainer for the “Managing the

Lost Person Incident” and “Urban Search Management” (developed by Chris) for the National Association for Search and Rescue (NASAR), he is also an Instructor Trainer in

Emergency Medical Response and first aid for the American Red Cross since 1972, as well as specialized topics in Search Management, including Search Management in the

Urban Environment, and Investigation and Interviewing in SAR. Chris has also written, published and presented search management papers at the National Association for

Search and Rescue conferences, the Canadian National Search and Rescue Secretariat SARSCENE conferences, the William Syrotuck Symposiums on Search Theory and

Practice, the Canadian Coast Guard College, the Provincial Sûreté Du Québec Police, the Ontario Provincial Police, the New Zealand National SAR Conference, the Icelandic

International Search and Rescue Conference, Norwegian Frivillige Organisasjoners Redningsfaglige Forum (FORF) Seminar and several State Search and Rescue

conferences. He is also co-author of the book “Urban Search – Managing Missing Person Searches in the Urban Environment”, published 2007 by dbS Publications as

well as a contributing author on several other books for search and rescue. Additionally, Chris is a Level 1 law enforcement reserve with the Sheriff’s Dept and the City of

Danville and is an EMT 1 Instructor. Chris holds a Master of Science Degree in Construction Management and works as a Senior Project Manager for a large general

contractor based in San Francisco and is responsible for overall management of multimillion dollar ground up commercial, high rise, hospital, educational and hotel projects.