TEAM ROLES
In NSAR there are many skills you can develop within a multitude of roles, some of which are listed below.
BST – BASIC SEARCH TECHNICIAN:
Trained and assessed to Lowland Rescue national standards. Search Technicians are the boots on the ground searching for missing people on live callouts.
BANK SEARCHER:
Specialist training which enables the Search Technician to safely and effectively search 3 meters from the bankside of any watercourse, this may be a canal, river or lake.
LOWLAND RESCUE FIRST RESPONDER:
Search Technicians can undertake extra First Aid training to become a First Responder. They are responsible for administering First Aid to team members or the missing person on a callout.
TEAM LEADER (TL):
An experienced and confident Search Technician may do extra training and have further assessments in order to become a Team Leader. They take charge of a small team whilst on a search and are responsible for the safety of the team, ensuring the search is conducted effectively and supervising the team whilst on a callout.
RADIO OPERATOR:
Search Technicians are responsible for using team radios, updating Search Control of teams status, maintaining radio communications and voice procedure at all times.
SEARCH PLANNER:
The role of Search Planner works closely with the Police to plan scenarios, search areas and sectors for the teams to check whilst being based in the team Control Vehicle. Good organisational skills, logical thinking and an excellent understanding of missing person behaviour are essential. Most Search Planners have several years of experience as a Search Technician before moving into the role.
SEARCH OPERATIONS:
The Search Operations team are in charge of executing the instructions drawn up by the Search Planner. They need to be confident using PC’s, radios and understand how to read maps to a high standard. Search Operations team members have great organisational skills and must be able to work under pressure.
FUNDRAISERS:
Without having a team of people supporting the team by doing fundraising, we’d not be able to continue the work we do. From raffles and auctions to abseils down towers, writing grant applications and managing collection tins, we rely on fundraisers to help us keep the team running.