To say that time is of the essence in search and rescue operations is like
saying that oxygen is important in your life. Though both are obviously necessary,
they're not always appreciated.
"If you don't do things quickly -- very quickly -- in any emergency
rescue, people will die," says Lois Clark McCoy. "You have to move fast. Period.
Some people will sort of stand around and say, 'We need more time'
or, 'We need more information.'
"Of course we can always use more time. We can always use more information.
But you need to move, move, move. This isn't a perfect world and you
can't operate with perfect, complete information. Some people just don't
get it sometimes."
Quick action was the only thing that prevented a mountain brush fire in
southern California from causing more damage that it did, Clark McCoy recalls.
"This fire just came down the hills like a waterfall," she explains. "Within
minutes, it burned our main firehouse, the sheriff's department and the
county jail. It was the fastest, most destructive fire we'd ever seen.
It was 6 p.m. on a summer's night and the smoke just turned everything
black and cloudy."
The crew did what it could, but the fire had its own agenda.
"It destroyed 678 dwellings and killed one person before it simply burned
out to the ocean. But it could have been worse. We did everything we could
to narrow its path."
Clark McCoy was the planning and preparedness coordinator for emergency
response in Santa Barbara County at the time. She is now president of the
National Institute for Urban Search and Rescue (NIUSR). She's involved
with policy issues; specifically, the linking of all search and rescue and
emergency response groups.
"It was something of a mistake that I got into this field," she chuckles.
"I was born and raised as a seafarer in New England. When I got to San Diego
and the desert area, I just learned everything I could about deserts. I spent
many, many hours out in the desert.
"Then -- it was about 1966 or so -- a couple of young men got lost in the
Baja. In those days, there were no roads or highways like there are today.
It was undeveloped wilderness.
"After a few days, the one's grandfather reported him missing. I got
in touch with a man who knew the area and, to make a long story short, 11
days later the young men were found. They were on a tiny ledge and survived
by eating water from the melting snow."
She was fascinated as she watched the man tracking in the remote area.
"I was hooked. This has been a wonderful, exciting career. And I enjoy it
to this very day."
One way to get started in the profession is to become involved as a member
in training (MIT) with a local SAR team. MITs usually can take part in practices
and learn a lot about SAR skills, says coordinator Martin Colwell. But you
can't participate in actual missions.
"Once you have completed a year or two as an MIT and have reached the age
of a legal adult, the team will usually make the MITs a full team member and
permit them to go on searches. This is beneficial to both the MIT and the
SAR team. The team has had an opportunity to examine your skills and you,
upon reaching the age of adulthood, can immediately become a full member of
a SAR team."
Ross Peterson became a SAR coordinator after serving as a volunteer for
15 years.
Peterson says his job covers a lot of areas -- including administering
the SAR teams, making sure damaged equipment is replaced and filing reports
and claims after missions.
"This position I occupy is somewhat unique. If someone is looking for opportunities,
particularly in a community that has an active search and rescue
team -- like any other career path -- getting your foot in the door through
volunteering is a very appropriate way of doing things," Peterson advises.
"Working as a volunteer gives you a unique perspective on the way things work."
All those years as a volunteer give Peterson a real appreciation for the
line of work he's doing today. There's a lot of satisfaction working
in the front lines of SAR.
"There has to be," says Peterson. "The pay, the hours and the working conditions
are abysmal. If there wasn't that personal satisfaction, the work simply
wouldn't be done."