A full-scale search and rescue training exercise was held by the White County Fire Services in late October. The exercise took place at the Buck Shoals Wildlife Management Area in Cleveland. Agencies involved were White County Fire Services, White County Emergency Management, the White County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), White County 911 Communications, and the Helen Fire Department.
Training simulation
Emergency response personnel were able to experience a simulation, designed to replicate the challenges of locating a missing juvenile in a densely wooded environment. One of the benefits of the training was to give local agencies the ability to assess and enhance search and rescue capabilities.
Important elements of the training involved response functions, the efficiency of ground search efforts, and interagency communication and coordination.
White County Fire Services, Battalion Chief Josh Taylor, remarked, “Exercises like these are crucial to ensuring we’re fully prepared to respond when someone’s lost or missing.” Taylor continues, “Exercises allow us to evaluate our strategies and adjust our approach so that we can provide the most efficient response when it truly matters.”
The search time
It took approximately an hour of searching for personnel to locate the simulated missing juvenile. They covered an 80-acre area, utilizing man-tracking techniques, and leveraged lost person behavioral data to identify likely locations and prioritize search areas.
An After Action Review (AAR) was conducted to discuss successes and areas for improvement. White County Public Safety is constantly learning and evolving to meet the needs and provide the best possible service to the community. White County Public Safety emphasized the importance of providing the highest standard of service to its residents and visitors. Programs such as this one ensure its success.
