GSAR

Ground Search and Rescue (GSAR)

Searches for lost subjects on the ground, as opposed to air or water terrain (however, for some teams it may include ‘frozen water’ especially if the basis of their Ground SAR training is NFPA Wilderness SAR) and often 'near' water at awareness level but not "in" water.

The conduct of a search and rescue operation to assist persons lost, stranded, trapped, or injured in an area on land, often other than mountainous or cavernous environments.

    • Training includes

    • mobilisation methods,

    • kit and equipment

    • clothing / uniform

    • PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)

    • some wilderness SAR,

    • rope rescue methods,

    • navigation, ------------------------------->

    • field survival,

    • lost person behaviour,

    • search methods

    • recognising hazards, etc.

It should also include searching in built up urbanised areas - such as towns and villages - and the working between the two. (Also known as ‘Urban Ground SAR.’)

Rescue work forms the basis of recovering a person/s to a place of safety and incorporates obvious medical stabilisation methods and treatments as first responders to get 'hands on' a lost or distressed casualty.

It may also include the use of specialist and technical adjuncts such as

  • The Use of Search Dogs

  • The Use of Mountain Bikes

  • The Use of Horses

  • The Use of NVGs (Night Visions Goggles) / Thermal Imaging, etc