NIMS

The National Incident Management System.

Every search & rescue responder within the United States should be familiar with the NIMS courses. NIMS provides a unified, systematic approach to a search emergency. (among other things) Under the Department of Homeland Security, NIMS was developed to integrate all agencies involved with a search, from the emergent volunteer, to the governmental organizations and local law enforcement.

Most SAR personnel are required to take the following NIMS courses:

1. ICS 100 - Introduction to the Incident Command System
2. ICS 200 - ICS for Single Resources and Inital Action Incidents
3. ICS 700 - National Incident Management System (NIMS), An Intrrduction
   
4. ICS 800 - National Response Framework, An Introduction
   
5. ICS 809 - Emergency Support Function (ESF) #9 - Search and Rescue

Effective Use of Dogs in Search Management

By David Godfrey-Smith, Search & Rescue Dogs of Tasmania

The original purpose of this paper was to provide guidelines for police officers and search managers in Tasmania on when to call in and how to make effective use of search and rescue dogs as part of responding to reports of a missing person. Much of the information presented is equally applicable in other jurisdictions, both within Australia and overseas.