Missing or lost persons are the focus of the Search and Rescue team. The scope of this service may include urban, wilderness, or water incidents. Search and Rescue is a formal sub-team within the Operations Team that is staffed by Operations Officers and Searchers. Separate, extensive, and continual training is required for team membership.

The McLean County EMA Search and Rescue (SAR) team was reformed in the middle of 2006. The team started out with around eight members and trained once a month. Since then, the team has grown in size and responsibility.

Once a year, the Operations Team holds a two day training class for new members to learn the theory and techniques of search and rescue. During the annual training event, course participants learn search theory, lost person behavior, and techniques of searching. The attendees then go into the field and receive applied hands-on experience by searching for a variety of objects / persons in different terrains and conditions.

The team trains on the last Saturday of every month with the exception of December. The goal of training is to keep the team updated on current searching techniques and essential skills. Training alternates between classroom and field exercises so the team receives a balanced focus of theory and practical, hands-on experience. During field trainings, team leaders and Operations Command Staff strive to incorporate every function of a search and rescue mission. A field-level exercise typically consists of the full SAR team, the Unified Command Post, at least one local Geographic Information System (GIS) specialist, and the appropriate EMA Operations staff to manage a search. By taking this approach, every aspect of a mission is covered in training and scenarios more closely reflect real-life search incidents.

For more information about the SAR team, we invite you to review our informational brochure: McLean County EMA SAR Team Brochure.

If you are interested in joining the SAR team or want to speak to an officer for details, please contact the team's commander, Sergeant Alex Trickett.