COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA
DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
SEARCH AND RESCUE PROGRAM
STANDARDS AND CREDENTIALING POLICY FOR
MANAGEMENT TEAM LEADER
iNTRODUCTION & SCOPE
A. The Incident Management Team Leader (MTL) Standards (Section I) are intended to define the operational expectations for individuals who manage search and rescue (SAR) incidents within the Commonwealth of Virginia's search and rescue system.
B. Certification (Section II) identifies the training and testing program to ensure that MTL candidates meet the standards.
C. Qualification (Section III) identifies experience and other additional requirements necessary to attain the MTL credential from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) SAR program.
D. Credentialing (Section IV) describes the process for obtaining the MTL credential from the VDEM SAR program. Credentials issued under this policy according to these standards are a requirement only for those personnel who voluntarily participate in the search and rescue program of the Virginia Department of Emergency Management at the level indicated in the standards
NOTE: The credential awarded does not constitute a license to practice skills tested, but signifies only that the person holding the certificate has met an established standard of knowledge and performance and has demonstrated competency at the level indicated at the time of issuance and shall be valid for three years from the date of issue.
E. Accreditation (Section V) of training programs, instructors, and certification testing; recognition of SAR groups able to recommend members for certification and credentialing; and issuance of credentials are authorities reserved to VDEM, unless otherwise specified.
F. Re-certification and Disciplinary Processes are described in Sections VI and VII, respectively.
TERMINOLOGY
The definitions listed here are for the purpose of these standards only. They may or may not reflect the definitions used by other individuals, groups, or agencies.
Coordinator of Emergency Management - The individual appointed by the Governor, pursuant to Title 44 of the Code of Virginia, as the agency head of the Department of Emergency Management. The coordinator has the responsibility to coordinate and administer Emergency Management operations in the Commonwealth.
Incident Action Plan (IAP) - The IAP contains general control objectives reflecting the overall incident strategy, and specific action plans for the next operational period. The IAP IMT prepared on ICS Form 202, with attachments.
Incident Command - A single person (Incident Commander) or multi-agency (a Unified Command) that is responsible for establishing incident objectives, and management of all incident operations at the incident site.
Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) - The individual and/or agency having legal responsibility for the emergency response to a SAR incident. In ICS this person is known as the "Agency Administrator"
Local SAR Coordinator - The individual responsible for the coordination of SAR operations in any given jurisdiction.
SAR Emergency - Any SAR incident, whether related to any other type of incident or not that requires utilization of resources to resolve, due to the threat or potential threat to life or property.
SAR Mission Coordinator (SMC) - The person designated by the Legally Responsible Agent to coordinate and manage on-scene operations during a specific SAR Incident. Depending upon the management system used and the organizations involved, this person may be called the Mission Coordinator (MC), On-Scene Commander (OSC), or the Incident Commander (IC).
State Coordinating Officer - The person designated by the Coordinator of Emergency Management to be the agent of the Coordinator during a specific SAR incident.
State SAR Coordinator - The person designated by the Coordinator of Emergency Management to coordinate the Search and Rescue program of the Department of Emergency Management and to coordinate overall state SAR operations.
Type I Incident - Largest, most complex search incident. Multiple state, local and SAR agencies involved, which may require the use of two or more divisions/branches for one shift or more. Significant external influences present.
Type II Incident - Multiple SAR resource types required.
Type III Incident - Single SAR agency/resource type involvement. Limited number of resources may be available. Often initial stage of a search incident.
i. Standards
A. General Knowledge: MTL should be able to know and perform the following functions in the general environment of the Commonwealth of Virginia:
MTL should be capable of performing these functions at the level for which they are qualified in any location needed, any time of the year, day or night, and in all weather conditions experienced in the Commonwealth. MTL may work with a variety of individuals and organizations, including law enforcement, fire and rescue, emergent volunteers and family members of the missing subject(s).
1. Understand the search and rescue system used in the Commonwealth, including management systems that are in use.
2. Understand the role of federal, state, and local government agencies in the management of SAR incidents and cooperate with any agency that may be involved in an incident.
3. Understand and work within the legal constraints and issues involved with SAR in the Commonwealth.
B. General Skills: MTL should be able to perform the following skills to be able to perform in the general environment of the Commonwealth of Virginia:
1. Evaluate, organize, coordinate and manage missing person search missions in urban, suburban rural, and wilderness environments according to their level of certification.
2. Evaluate, organize, coordinate and manage the ground search portion of a missing aircraft search mission according to their level of certification.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of the theoretical and practical application of current search theory as it applies to a missing person search and to the ground portion of a missing aircraft search within the scope of their responsibilities.
4. Prepare and deliver briefings to staff, the responsible agent(s), family and media as directed by Incident Command.
5. Address the needs and concerns of the subject's family, to include providing appropriate information, coordinating mental health services, assisting with facility arrangements and providing staff liaison services as assigned by Incident Command.
6. Coordinate the incident investigation as directed by Incident Command.
7. Ensure that SAR-incident documentation is complete and that all reports are prepared and distributed appropriately.
8. Evaluate the safety considerations of the incident and initiate appropriate safety measures.
. C. Management Team Leader: MTL shall have all of the capabilities of MTM. In addition, the MTL will demonstrate the following knowledge and skills.
1. Establish and maintain effective staging and logistic support for a search that exceeds 50 personnel.
2. Evaluate the tasks completed to determine the need for further resource application and make recommendations for additional resources
3. SAR Operations
a. Describe how state missions originate and how additional resources are acquired for a search mission;
b. Describe how to define a search area;
c. Properly segment a map given the restrictions for application of various resources;
d. Conduct a Mattson analysis, or equivalent method of consensus, to determine resource priorities;
e. Define and demonstrate how to determine Probability of Area;
f. Define and demonstrate how to calculate Probability of Success;
g. Define and demonstrate how to calculate Probability of Detection; and
h. Describe how lost person behavior applies to the search mission.
4. Legal Aspects
a. Outline the delegation of authority and responsibility for search and rescue in the Commonwealth.
b. Explain how the following legal concepts apply to search and rescue operations:
i. Good Samaritan laws;
ii. Civil suits and criminal actions;
iii. Standards of patient care;
iv. The right to emergency assistance and duties to provide emergency assistance;
v. Abandonment;
vi. Implied consent;
vii. Entry on property posted "No Trespassing";
viii. Crime scene protection;
ix. Declaration of death and confirmation of death; and
x. Confidentiality.
5. Determine what tasks need to be done and in what order and complete a TAF properly in order to complete the shift's incident objectives.
6. Brief staff who will be briefing and debriefing field teams on how they should conduct these tasks.
7. Prepare information for dissemination to the media in an appropriate manner as assigned by Incident Command.
8. Brief, investigate and liaise with the family.
9. Describe aircraft crash scene considerations that should be briefed to STLs where such considerations are appropriate to the mission.
10. Describe the process of, considerations for, limitations of, and requirements for establishing Divisions.
11. Describe and list the resources needed for a SAR base operation to meet the needs of a type II mission.
II. Certification
A. MTLs are certified to meet the performance standards for MTL by completing the following courses (or equivalents as determined by the accrediting agency):
1. Management Team Leader
III. Qualifications
A. MTL:
1. Be at least 18 years of age;
2. Be currently certified as an MTM.
3. Be an active member, in good standing, of a search and rescue group currently operating under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Commonwealth, or be a member of an emergency services organization such as a law enforcement agency, a rescue squad, or a fire department that is a part of or operates under federal, state, or local government jurisdiction.
IV. Credentialing
A. Applicants for MTL credential must submit to State SAR Coordinator;
1. Complete the VDEM application form and attach documentation of the following:
a. Completion of MLSO, or equivalent;
2. A letter from their group or agency that recommends the candidate for the MTL credential.
3. Following the successful review of the application by the State SAR Coordinator or his/her designee, and providing that all requirements are met, the candidate will be Issued a credential by VDEM that they have met the requirements as an "Management Team Leader" in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
V. Accreditation
A. Accreditation of Training. The State SAR Coordinator, or other designee of VDEM, has the authority to accredit programs of training, including those specifically listed in this credentialing policy. Accreditation may extend to include authority to specify qualified instructors and to review and update course material.
B. Accreditation of Certification. The State SAR Coordinator, or other designee of VDEM, has the authority to accredit courses of evaluation or testing to ensure certification that the performance standards are adequately demonstrated. Accreditation may extend to include authority to review and update testing materials for the courses specified in this credentialing policy.
C. Recognition of SAR Organizations. The State SAR Coordinator, or other designee of VDEM, has the authority to determine those organizations eligible to recommend candidates for MTL credentials, including search and rescue groups currently operating under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Commonwealth, and emergency services organizations such as law enforcement agencies, rescue squads, or fire departments that are part of, or operate under, federal, state, or local government jurisdiction.
D. Acceptance of Alternative Qualifications. With the endorsement of the candidate’s SAR group, a candidate may apply for a waiver of any of the qualifications, at the time of application for certification. The candidate will need to produce proof of similar experience or training offered as equivalent. The State SAR Coordinator will have the authority to prove or deny these exceptional requests.
VI. Re-Certification Procedures
A. Certification may be renewed by successfully meeting all the requirements for certification for that MTL that exist at the time of re-certification.
B. Each person is responsible for making individual arrangements for re-certification with the SAR Coordinator.
C. Certification will be valid for three years from the date of issue.
D. Failure to re-certify
1. If the MTL fails to re-certify within three months of the expiration date, the certification will be dropped and they will revrt to a MTM.
2. If the MTL wishes to be certified after certification has been dropped, the entire process described in Section V must be repeated for the level of certification.
3. If there are extenuating circumstances that prevent the MTL from re-certifying within the allotted time, he or she should file for an extension with the SAR Coordinator. Extension will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
VII. SUSPENSION AND DECERTIFICATION PROCEDURES
A. Suspension of an MTL
1. An MTL may be suspended by the State SAR Coordinator or designee from an active search, or from responding to future searches as a state MTL, for the following reason:
a. When requested by the RA, the SCO, or the local SAR Coordinator.
b. The State SAR Coordinator or designee received sufficient information from any source to determine that retaining the MTL will impair the incident and potentially endanger the missing subject(s), or will compromise the integrity of the incident, or that such a situation has existed on a previous search.
c. Evidence of gross negligence or willful misconduct.
2. The State SAR Coordinator will investigate the allegations as soon as possible and may reverse the suspension if allegations prove unfounded.
3. If allegations appear to have merit, the State SAR Coordinator will schedule a review panel that will meet within thirty days of the effective date of the suspension. The review panel will be composed of the SAR Coordinator or designee, and two current certified Search Mission Coordinators selected by the Coordinator.
4. The review panel will review all available information pertaining to the case. The panel will hear pertinent testimony, and will render a recommendation to the Coordinator of Emergency Management that the suspension be reversed, that the suspension be continued for a specified period of time, or that the MTM be decertified. The panel may also recommend corrective actions.
5. The Coordinator of Emergency Management will render a final decision on the case.
B. De-certification
1. An MTL may be decertified for the following reason:
a. Following a suspension when ordered by the Coordinator of Emergency Management.
b. Failure to maintain membership affiliation as described in paragraph IV.A.2
c. Failure to re-certify as described in paragraph VI.D .
2. An MTL who has been decertified for reasons other than an order from the Coordinator of Emergency Management may reapply for certification within one year of the date of decertification. All the requirements described in Section V CERTIFICATION PROCEDURES must be met.
3. An MTL who has been decertified by order of the State Coordinator of Emergency Management will be considered for re-certification only if so ordered by the direction of the Emergency Management Coordinator.