Onsite Data Management for Search and Rescue Units
If you are a new member of an SAR (search and rescue) unit, you may be faced with many choices regarding your equipment, from confined-space gear to night-vision goggles. One of the most important pieces of equipment you choose will be for data management when you are onsite during a search mission. Here are some considerations and recommendations for your data management.
Types of Data Collected in SAR Work
During SAR missions, you will be collecting data from a variety of sources, depending on your environment or special rescue capabilities. Consider all of the following possible data inputs:
- search grid with potential search area, areas covered, local topography, and victim point last seen
- satellite and aerial imagery
- GPS data for search personnel
- markers for evidence location (footprints, personal belongings, DNA, etc.)
- markers for K-9 alerts
- weather information
- transport information (ambulance, medical evacuation helicopters or planes, etc.)
- victim cell phone pings
- nautical data, such as tides, depth, and structures for boats, rescue jumpers, divers, etc.
- radio communication with search personnel and law enforcement/military interface
- other potential information, such as wild fires, mounted search presence, avalanche transceiver data, and confined space/hazardous materials information
Field Coordination
Your unit will need to establish an onsite comm center for monitoring, coordinating, and disseminating all data. Ideally, you want to be in a van or trailer, but you may often be forced to set up in a MASH-style tent or tabletop in remote or fly-in-only areas. Since your data will be largely computerized, your equipment needs to withstand harsh weather, temperature fluctuations, and bumping or jiggling. Using military-grade gear is becoming the standard for many city, county, and independent SAR units.
Data Collecting and Management Equipment
When putting together a budget for your equipment needs, remember you will likely be out of cell tower range on many occasions, so use the following checklist for basic communication and data management:
- radios: multiple channels for simultaneous conversations without talk-over and high Hertz for long-range capability
- satellite Internet connection
- generator and/or inverter for power supply, plus extra batteries and field battery chargers
- high-end hand-held GPS units with "cookie crumb" tracking modes to retrace steps
- waterproof cameras
- night vision and infrared goggles, binoculars, and/or scopes
- map and nautical chart software or feeds
- rugged monitors (AKA displays) with covered keyboards
- cabling and electrical cords rated for outdoor use
Monitor/Display Options
Your monitor choices will be one of the most critical decisions in your overall data management. Military grade monitors that are waterproof will stand up to inclement weather and water searches, and battlefield-ready displays won't be damaged by jostling on rough roads or in the air. Look for monitors that are in a sealed case (usually aluminum) with sealed connectors.
So that you can hook up all of your own equipment, as well as equipment used by other agencies with whom you may be collaborating, try to find monitors with the widest selection of input options, like LVDB, RGB, RS170, HDMI, HD-SDI, DVI, and VGH. Carry extra cables in case any become frayed or damaged during a mission.
Having touch-screen capability will come in handy for using maps or enlarging satellite or aerial images. You want at least one monitor that has graphic overlay capability, so you can, for example, lay a map of your search grid over the area topography. Quad-screen, split-screen, or picture-in-a-picture viewing is also an advantage over toggling back and forth between screens. Make sure too that your monitors are easily readable in sunlight and are anti-glare or anti-reflective.
Field equipment that uses low power consumption is desirable. Also, monitors that can be mounted in a variety of ways (ram or rack) or freestanding will give you greater flexibility and mobility onsite.
Choosing data management equipment for your SAR unit takes time and forethought. With the proper equipment, you can improve your search success rate and keep personnel safer in the process.
