Often Asked Questions

 

· Does Elkland Search and Rescue respond outside of Elk County?

                 Yes, Elkland will respond out of Elk County, Please Remember, we are a volunteer team so the team responding will be smaller,

        but we still respond with all available manpower. When we go out of town, we let some equipment at our base, to cover our

        "Home Area," just in   case we get another call and the "At Home" team responds elsewhere.

· Does Elkland Search and Rescue have Search Dogs?

                Elkland has search dogs available through our Mutual Aid agreements within the Pennsylvania Search and Rescue Council.

        They are only a telephone call away; some are within an hour travel time and are more than happy to respond. There are many

         different kinds of dogs available please call and request them!

· What can be done without dogs, for a search?

                  Search dogs are only one tool to use during a search situation. There are people trained in Mantracking, an art of

        following individuals direct footprints to the missing individual. There are numerous statistics to be used to properly

        search for a missing individual, and there is much information that can be obtained by the person properly trained in investigation.

        Please remember that a Search dog is only a resource, they should not be the "Center Hub" of any search situation.

· How long does it take for Elkland to get someone in route to a search?

               Elkland 's Chiefs now carry pagers and the team is using a "New" telephone dispatch system allowing all members

        to be called in 5 minutes or less. Once Elkland's Chiefs are contacted, via pager by Elk County Control, the team is

         dispatched by the Chiefs moments later. The Chief then responds to the scene and the team follows shortly after that.

          The Mobile Command is usually in route within 15 – 20 minutes of dispatch. We would rather turn around on a find

           then be delayed on a missing person incident.

· Who pays for Elkland Search and Rescue's services? 

                    There will never be a bill from Elkland SAR; we are a strictly non-profit volunteer team that is only concerned

          about the missing/lost individual.

· What do you need to supply to the Elkland SAR team? 

                 Nothing, our people are trained to be self-supporting  and all the supplies are located in our Mobile Command Unit.

· How long will the team search?

             That is a question that needs to be discussed between the requesting agency and Elkland's Chief who takes the call.

        We try to make a minimum 12-hour commitment to a search. Travel time and the situation of the search needs to be

         addressed. The Elkland team also has many resource search teams available if at the end of Elkland's shift or during

          the shift if the requesting agency so wishes can be called in for more manpower. All of Elkland's resources are

          members of the Pennsylvania Search and Rescue Council, this way all responding search teams follow the same standards.

· What is Elkland's recommendation for saving the "Point Last Seen"?

               We ask that the farther everyone stay from this location the better for the missing/lost individual. We ask that

         this area be not used for a staging or Command post at any time. We ask that No One but trained persons in mantracking

         be allowed to visit the site. We ask that as the incident grows, the area be watched so individuals stay away from the area.

         Even though there appears to be no clues, they are there and need to be protected as evidence. This area can also be

          used to gather direction of travel, both from mantrackers and tracking/trailing dogs, the more scent or tracks in the area,

          the more work the search teams have to do.

· When should you call for a search team?

                  We feel that any time a requesting agency is uncomfortable with the situation or the individual is in danger,

         please call a search team. Limited manpower, darkness, weather, time missing and health issues are all things that

         need to be addressed. Locally, Elkland responds with many fire departments for any lost/missing individual, the

         departments have added Elkland to their dispatch call boxes. If the requesting agency has any questions, please

          call and discuss the issues with Elkland Command, even from the field if Elkland can assist you, please

          call Elk County Control, (814) 772-0000, they can page Elkland and Elkland's Command can call you in

          the field to discuss the situation.

· Should you wait till morning to call Elkland?

                     Elkland would much rather receive the call from the requesting agency right away, then the requesting

        agency and Elkland Command can discuss the best way to handle the situation. Each situation is different, how long

         the individual is missing, weather, time of the call, all need to be discussed and the response should be discussed

         between the agencies.