THE ROLE OF THE MANAGEMENT TEAM IN A LARGE SEARCH
by J. W. (Bill) Wade
National Park Service
The key to the overall success of a search mission is its management.
Carrying out the essential functions on a large search is the role of
the management team, consisting of specialists for each essential
function. It's unrealistic to expect experts in all functions to be
immediately available at the site of every potential search. The
solution to this dilemma is the "overhead team". Comparable to those
used on large fire suppression efforts, this team would be made up of
well-trained people, although each member might reside in locations
considerably distant from any given search area, and significantly
separated from each other. The team could be called to a mission when
it reached certain proportions. The result will be an increase in
efficiency, effectiveness and economy.
Reduced to simplest terms, there are three primary elements
that will influence the success of a large search. One is the
resources. Obviously if the RIGHT people, equipment, and other
resources (dogs, aircraft, etc.) are readily available, the chances
for a successful result are higher than if not. Another element is
strategy and tactics -- the way in which the resources are used. The
third, and most critical, is the function of managing the whole thing!
THE objective of a search mission always has been to find the
lost person in good condition. Taking nothing away from this -- the
ultimate goal -- but conditions nowadays dictate that we must
accomplish it efficiently, effectively, and economically. Efficiency
is doing things right -- meaning, perhaps, well-trained resources.
Effectiveness is doing the right things right -- well-trained
resources combined with good strategy and tactics. But what pulls all
this together and makes it run smoothly, and therefore economically,
is good management.
It's important to understand that economy, as it's used here,
does not necessarily mean to cut out something; because one thing
nearly everyone will agree on is that when a human life is at stake,
no amount of skimping is acceptable. Economy is something that will
result when the mission is being managed well.
Aside from the general high cost of everything these days,
economy is tremendously important to consider because of the vast
amounts of time (the majority of which is volunteered) expended on
large searches.
Economy isn't the only reason for good management on a search.
The chances of finding the subject will also be improved because good
management creates opportunities and causes things to happen.
The stark fact is that good management is lacking on most
searches. There is ample effort, but problems exist and we're
approaching their solutions unrealistically.
Good management is capable people, knowing what to do (given a
set of circumstances) and then carrying it out through other people.
Knowing what to do is obviously a key. The essential functions that
must be attended to, on any search, are:
- The Boss -- responsible for all "on-the-scene" activities and the
associated minute-to-minute decisions. Accountable for the
overall success or failure of the mission.
- Plans -- responsible for getting information and advising on
strategy and tactics.
- Operations -- responsible for carrying out the tactical
activities.
- Support Services -- responsible for providing supplies and
equipment necessary for carrying out the mission.
- Communications -- responsible for installing, maintaining and
operating communications systems.
For a moment, think of the above strictly as FUNCTIONS, rather
than people filling out an organization chart. Because, no matter how
long a search has been going on, nor how many people are involved,
these functions must be considered. Immediately after a lost person
is reported, something starts to happen in each of them. There may be
only one or two people involved at that time. Then, as the number of
people involved begins to grow, and the information, strategy and
tactics, and resources become more complex, the need for more highly
competent people to carry out each of the functions increases.
We have begun, in the last few years, to provide training for
people who will likely perform as members of a Search Management Team.
That's a step in the right direction. But so far, this training is
still pretty general. That is, we're giving the same training to
everyone, regardless of which "position" they're likely to occupy in
the team.
In order to really become effective, the team must consist of
members who are SPECIALISTS; persons who are highly competent to carry
out particular functions. Take a search where the area involved is
100 square miles and there are 200 people, dogs, trackers,
helicopters, etc. This is not too unusual. It is unlikely that any
one person can effectively feed, lodge, and supply all the people;
direct the activities of the helicopters; and be an expert in search
strategy and tactics. There needs to be an "expert" directing each of
these important functions.
It's unrealistic, though, to expect, in every area where the
potential for a search of this magnitude exists, that there can be a
management team of this caliber available right there. In other
words, every responsible agency just isn't able to have such a team
available at each site where it might be needed. And even if this was
possible, there wouldn't be enough real searches at each of these
locations to keep the teams really sharp. Land management agencies
recognized this years ago with regard to the specialists required to
manage the suppression of large (project) forest fires. Their answer
was to train a core of people for each specialty. These individuals
could then be called to fires as their complexity grew beyond the
capabilities of the "local" crews. Usually the specialists form
"overhead teams" and an entire team (5-6 people) may work on a number
of fires each season. They have trained together and be working
together, they become a cohesive, effective management team.
Incidentally, the functions listed above are nearly identical to those
identified as critical in a fire suppression effort.
Certainly, saving lives is more important than saving trees.
So why are we using a similar approach to managing a search for a lost
person? Two reasons are usually cited:
- A team coming in from the "outside" wouldn't be effective managing
a search in an unfamiliar environment.
RESPONSE: Critical to any management team, whether it is managing
the suppression of a fire, a search, or General Motors, is that is
must get the information it needs from the sources that have it.
Part of being effective is knowing what information is needed,
where to get it, and what to do with it. Certainly the
environmental factors affect a fire suppression effort every bit
as much as they do a search.
- It's too expensive to bring in people from some distance away.
RESPONSE: Think about what it might actually cost to transport
five persons a few hundred miles. Even a round trip plane ticket
wouldn't average $200 apiece, at the maximum. That's $1000, which
is a small price to pay to improve the chances of saving a life.
And the increased effectiveness of the operation probably will
result in saving more than the initial expense. Very likely, not
investing in specialists is false economy. Chances are good,
anyway, that the Military could transport at no cost.
If everyone were totally frank, another underlying reason
would undoubtedly emerge in some instances. It is a reluctance to
allow "outsiders" to come in and "run the show". Jealousy and
selfishness. The focus of concern on where it should be -- the lost
person -- sometimes becomes distorted.
So, the availability of strategically located specialists who
could be called quickly when the intensity of the search exceeds the
capabilities of the local jurisdiction makes much better sense than
trying to train enough people to perform these functions in the
several hundred specific locations in which they may be needed.
The scope of the problem can be lessened even more. Because
some of these functions are so similar to those for fire suppression,
much of the training is already done. Because there is little, if
any, difference in supporting 200 people on a search, or on a fire,
there's no reason why a person trained in this function (Service
Chief, they call it) on a fire could not be used successfully on a
search. Many people in federal land use agencies (and probably many
from state agencies, as well) have attended highly specialized schools
for several functions that could be useful on searches. Included are
Support Services (or Service Chief); Communication; Maps and Records;
Air Operations; Camp Officer and probably others. Let's take
advantage of this expertise!
Sheriff's departments all over should be checking with local
offices of the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management,
National Park Service, Department of Natural Resources, etc., to see
what expertise is available.
I challenge the National Sheriff's Association and State
Emergency Services Departments to get solidly behind the concept of,
and USE of, overhead teams. Support the training and sharing of
specialists who will be strategically located. Unquestionably, the
result will be an increase in efficiency, effectiveness and economy --
and we may even find a few more lost people quicker.
