The Departmental SAR Coordinator
& Volunteer SAR Unit Resources

Defining the SAR Coordinator
A department member that is responsible with maintaining the functionality of the search and rescue response on behalf of the sheriff department. This charge being pursuant to mandated department procedures and current laws.

One example of a SAR Coordinator job description: Serves as county specialist on SAR. Provide program development and
establishes operating procedures for the Department. Serves as liaison to outside agencies and resources regarding SAR and natural disaster incidents. Develop county SAR plan and coordinates county training.

Tasks include:
· Implement preventative SAR program(s)
· Organize and develop county SAR program(s)
· Evaluate SAR incident responses and develop program improvements
· Plan, coordinate, and track SAR training(s)
· Evaluate, maintain, and improve emergency SAR equipment
· Function as the department representative in all incidents of SAR

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
· Knowledge of National SAR Plan, State OES plan, Regional mutual aid SOPs, and local SAR procedures
· Ability to develop pre-plan for local SAR incidents
· Ability to work with outside agencies
· Ability to organize and maintain relationships with volunteer SAR organization(s)
· Skill at coordinating training opportunities
· Knowledge of accepted SAR equipment features and specifications

Examination Of The SAR Coordinator Role
One may question: What rank should a SAR Coordinator be?

The role of SAR Coordinator demands a functional position that may be outside of the job scope of a sergeant or a deputy. This level of staff may be overwhelmed by their individual tasks to maintain baseline departmental duties without giving the proper attention to the development of a volunteer SAR group. Experience has given us that volunteer search and rescue (VSAR) units that have a SAR Coordinator of the rank of Lieutenant or higher seem to generate higher levels of attendance and performance -- year after year.

In the majority of counties in California, the charge of SAR Coordinator will go beyond the role of merely a Departmental Representative and includes the active team management of a VSAR Team. This team management is not the same as during an incident management which has been adequately covered by the state's ICS & SEMS program. It involves the 'down time' relationships, development, and management of your volunteers to separate them from the 'spontaneous volunteer' that suddenly appears during incidents. This management will take on multiple formats due to the unique nature of each unit's MOUs or other organizational agreements.

Defining the SAR Volunteer
... someone who willingly gives unpaid help, in the form of time, service or skills, through an organization or group. An organization or group is any body with a formal structure. Purely ad hoc, informal and temporary gatherings of people do not constitute an organization.

The definition of volunteering that is most widely accepted currently includes three important concepts:
1) The provision of a service to the community.
2) Freedom of choice to become involved.
3) Non-payment of the service provided

Volunteers Fulfilling the SAR Resource For The County's SAR Response
Nationally Recognized and Functioning Resource
Organized Team -- Public knows who they are
Uniformed -- Offering implied control of an incident

Connected -- Pagers, Two Way Radios, cell phones
Disciplined - Following ICS/SEMS chain of command
Committed Membership
Long term commitment requested to join the SAR Unit (3-5 years)
Will usually remain committed to incident until released
Officially established by agreements and expectation
Stable Resource
Established Chain of Command
Practiced in working as a team
Remains loyal to subject(s) not politics
Trained To Complete The Tasks
Skills can be developed to a known standard
Certificated levels of training attainable
Trained to use equipment needed to accomplish mission

Citizens' Expectations
Why do we desire volunteer SAR units?
The successful completion of incidents involving citizens who have simply become lost, victims of air crashes, or any other sort of natural disaster will depend on your department's use of organized, efficient, competent volunteers to help them. These events are happening around the world, every year - showing a need for the use of trained volunteers. The value and the capabilities of an organized VSAR Team should not be under estimated. It is an indisputable fact that emergencies happen at all hours of the day, in all sorts of weather, and can exist in duration for weeks. Overwhelming the budgets and capabilities of your paid personnel. Additionally it is known that disaster emergencies may overwhelm the response capabilities of your department as well as all county EMS personnel. Citizens within our counties will expect a departmental response to incidents that touch their
lives. If the county does not meet their expectations they will create ad hoc search teams assembled by family and friends, as well as scores of civilian volunteers who might exert political pressure to switch to less effective search and rescue protocol. This expectation generates a possible liability onto the sheriff department and the county if the expected response is not managed properly. A liability that is compounded when an existing VSAR unit is not called out or their skills are not maintained to any accepted standard. Understand that, they (VSAR) are eager to help and the citizens of this county, 'expect' them to be activated during incidents. It is the duty of the SAR Coordinator to have the VSAR Units trained and developed within the span of their control -- ready to perform.

Demographic Characteristics Of Volunteers

Rather than having an abundance of spare time the volunteer in the 2000's is likely to have dependent children and participate in the full-time workforce. The life cycle stage of individuals' has an impact on the nature of their voluntary work and the time commitment they make. Young volunteers are more likely to be motivated by the need for work experience, school community service, and opportunities to learn new skills. Single parents with dependent children, who are also in the paid workforce, are often involved in voluntary work that revolves around their children's participation in the education system and sport and recreation. As people get older those involved in voluntary work make a larger time commitment and are more likely to become involved in welfare and community organizations. The volunteer today is a professional who expects training and support, a clear role with meaningful work to do, supervision and recognition. Volunteers are encouraged to understand their motives for doing voluntary work and to maximize the opportunity for reciprocity so that the volunteer can both give and receive.