SAR Acronyms
This command system enables unified command when multiple jurisdictions or agencies share authority.
What is ICS?
Incident Command System
When pressure from survivability, media, or family begins influencing decisions, this RADeMS factor is increasing.
What are external influences?
This is the minimum length of First Aid certification a GSAR volunteer must hold prior to completing the GSAR course.
What is 7 Hours?
This person bears full responsibility for safe operation and legal compliance of any vehicle used during a GSAR response.
Who is the Driver?
These two roles are specifically responsible for conducting and recording risk assessments using RADeMS during a response.
Who are GSAR Leaders and Safety Officers?
This certification or license must be valid for GSAR volunteers operating powered watercraft where required by law.
What is a Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC)?
These two common callout conditions can significantly impair a GSAR volunteer’s ability to respond safely.
What are exhaustion and sleep deprivation?
This type of vehicle includes ATVs, UTVs, snowmobiles, and other motorized off-road conveyances used in GSAR operations.
What is an Off-Road Vehicle (ORV)?
BCSARA and the AdventureSmart program emphasize public education and prevention to minimize the need for rescue operations. They recommend these "3 Ts" of trip planning.
What is Trip Planning, Training and Taking the Essentials?
This acronym identifies the role accountable for risk acceptance when operational urgency conflicts with safety concerns.
What is SARM?
Search and Rescue Manager
This document must be developed and reviewed before training begins to manage safety risks.
What is a training safety plan?
This is the maximum time window before expiry in which a First Aid certificate may be renewed and still be considered valid.
What is within 6 months of expiry?
The driver will maintain a speed consistent with the safe operation of the vehicle under prevailing conditions. Is it true that if conditions permit, the maximum speed limit may be exceeded.
What is True? In accordance with Section 122 of the BC Motor Vehicle Act.
If a risk assessment shows hazards cannot be reduced to acceptable levels, this action must be taken immediately.
What is halting or suspending the response or activity?
This factor may require operations to be delayed, modified, or cancelled even when a vessel and crew are available.
What are unsafe environmental or weather conditions?
This role holds the final authority to determine actions needed to protect a GSAR volunteer who may be unfit for service.
Who is the GSAR Leader?
This requirement must be met before a GSAR volunteer is permitted to operate an ORV during training or response.
What is being trained, authorized, and deemed competent by the GSAR group?
Some searches will reach a stage where Initial Response and Sweep Searches have been unsuccessful in finding the missing person. A more thorough search of the higher probability areas may be required. This situation will normally result in this type of search.
What are Closed Grid Searches?
This acronym refers to a documented, task-level risk assessment required before committing teams into higher-risk environments.
What is RADeMS?
Response Assessment Decision Making Support
This clearly defined phrase or signal is used to immediately stop a training exercise in a real emergency.
What is “NO DUFF”?
Teams of this size or greater assigned outside the ICP should include a member with at least 16 hours of First Aid training.
What is four or more members?
When responding in a personal or non-emergency vehicle, GSAR volunteers have no special exemptions from this legislation.
What is the BC Motor Vehicle Act and Regulations?
This documentation requirement applies when GSAR volunteers conduct risk assessments while moving through terrain.
What is recording the RADeMS output score?
This item must be worn by GSAR members whenever operating in or near water during watercraft operations.
What is a Transport Canada–approved Personal Flotation Device (PFD)?
When a task is expected to extend into a second operational period, this proactive action should be taken as early as possible to manage fatigue and risk.
What is requesting mutual aid from neighbouring GSAR groups?
All members are required to wear a helmet, clothing suitable for the environment and this while operating or are transported in/on a WGSAR ORV.
What is eye protection?
This practice is the best way to identify potentially unsafe practices or procedures.
What is Fresh Eyes?
The provincial authority that validates tasking, authorizes resources, and provides operational oversite.
What is EMCR?
Emergency Management and Climate Readiness
Ensuring the effectiveness of a group's safety program is an ongoing process. Three ways of achieving this are by group management or business meetings, periodic safety program reviews and this.
What are Operational briefings?
When responder numbers exceed 25 or specialized rescue is involved and transport time to definitive care exceeds 20 minutes, this level of First Aid training is required for the designated First Aid Attendant.
What is a minimum of 70 hours of First Aid training?
To reduce risk and congestion, GSAR volunteers should travel from an assembly point using this vehicle strategy.
What is the minimum number of vehicles required?
This planning requirement must be included in a training safety plan to clearly identify when an exercise will stop.
What are defined stop conditions for training?
This safety requirement ensures watercraft operators are capable of safely handling the vessel under operational conditions.
What is demonstrated training, competency, and experience?
A GSAR Leader determines a volunteer may be unsafe to drive home due to fatigue; this cost-incurring option is explicitly allowed under the guideline.
What is arranging accommodations or alternate transportation at task expense?
When ORV operations involve multiple machines, this practice reduces collision and rollover risk.
What is maintaining safe spacing and controlled speeds?
As a result of a number of common Near Misses, this slogan was developed to help remind members of safe practices when using a trailer during task or practice.
What is "LES is More"? LOAD, ELECTRICAL and SECUREMENT?
A qualified individual with specialized knowledge or experience who provides authoritative advice to support complex or high-risk SAR decision-making.
What is SME?
Subject Matter Expert
Leadership for the periodic safety program review should be provided by this committee.
What is the WGSAR Joint Operational Health and Safety Committee?
During large or complex responses, this team—often including the First Aid Attendant—must be immediately available to access, stabilize, and transport an injured responder.
What is a Rapid Intervention Team (RIT)?
Even during urgent responses, this safety priority must never be compromised in order to save time.
What is the safety of GSAR volunteers and the public?
Personnel training, Personnel experience, Personnel mental & physical preparedness, Planning and Resources are part of this scoring method of RADeMS.
What is Response Capability Score?
This two part action must be taken if a watercraft, trailer, or safety equipment is found to be unsafe or defective.
What is removing the vessel from service and reporting the issue?
This operational adjustment reduces risk when volunteers must return vehicles but are too fatigued to drive safely.
What is assigning two volunteers per vehicle or dispatching fresh drivers?
For the purposes of this Operational Guideline, ORV's include: ATV's, UTV's, Snowmobiles, Motorcycles, Tracked vehicles and this more common backcountry vehicle.
What is a bicycle?
It was this year that the SAR Safety Program Guide was created.
What was 2009?