Study guides · Stuff Every Search and Rescue Scout Should Know
Practice facts for the Search and Rescue merit badge. Not an official Scouting America credential. Grab a snack: this guide is the friendly version, with the answers explained and a groan-worthy joke waiting at the end of most cards.
Knowing Search and Rescue Scout saves you money, time and the occasional embarrassment.
▶ Play the game About this deck
Short answer: A search locates a missing person; a rescue removes a person from danger
A search finds someone whose location is unknown. A rescue happens once the person is found and must be brought to safety.
Groan of the day: Searchers really know how to find their calling.
Sources: Scouting America: Search and Rescue
Short answer: It can develop during long hours of activity and needs prevention and first aid
Searchers and subjects can develop dehydration during a SAR situation, so first aid and prevention both matter.
Groan of the day: Don't let dehydration drain your plans.
Sources: Scouting America: Search and Rescue
Short answer: Eye injuries are a listed hazard that first aid and prevention address
Eye injuries are among the conditions searchers learn to prevent and treat.
Groan of the day: Keep an eye out for eye hazards.
Sources: Scouting America: Search and Rescue
Short answer: Watching footing and using proper support and technique
Ankle and knee sprains are listed SAR injuries, so prevention through careful movement matters.
Groan of the day: Don't let a sprain twist your plans.
Sources: Scouting America: Search and Rescue
Short answer: Bug bites like ticks are a hazard to prevent and treat
Bug bites of chiggers, ticks, mosquitoes, and biting gnats are listed hazards, so prevention and first aid are taught.
Groan of the day: Ticks really get under your skin.
Sources: Scouting America: Search and Rescue
Short answer: Spider bites are a listed hazard needing first aid
Bites of spiders are listed among the hazards searchers study for first aid and prevention.
Groan of the day: Don't get tangled up in spider worries.
Sources: Scouting America: Search and Rescue
Short answer: They are a listed hazard requiring first aid and prevention
Sting of a scorpion is listed among the conditions searchers learn to prevent and treat.
Groan of the day: Don't let a scorpion sting your confidence.
Sources: Scouting America: Search and Rescue
Short answer: It is a listed hazard needing first aid and prevention
Bite of a wild mammal is one of the listed SAR hazards searchers study.
Groan of the day: Don't let a bite take a chunk out of your plans.
Sources: Scouting America: Search and Rescue
Short answer: Learn first aid and prevention for venomous snake bites
Bite of a venomous snake is a listed hazard, so searchers learn prevention and first aid.
Groan of the day: Don't let a snakebite rattle you.
Sources: Scouting America: Search and Rescue
Short answer: They help address hazards and stay safe before rescue
The essentials address outdoor hazards and help lost Scouts stay safe until they are rescued.
Groan of the day: Essentials are the bare necessities for safety.
Sources: Scouting America: Search and Rescue
Short answer: It helps with staying found and getting found
A trip plan and buddy system both help Scouts stay found and be found if lost.
Groan of the day: Plan your trip so you don't trip up.
Sources: Scouting America: Search and Rescue
Short answer: Weather changes affect how you plan a trip
Seasonal and daily weather changes affect trip plans, so plans must account for them.
Groan of the day: Weather or not, plan ahead.
Sources: Scouting America: Search and Rescue
Short answer: Sending signals that alert ground, airborne, or water teams
A lost Scout can send signals to alert ground, airborne, or water SAR teams to their location.
Groan of the day: Signal well and you won't be left in the dark.
Sources: Scouting America: Search and Rescue
Short answer: Reflecting light to signal rescuers
A signaling mirror reflects light so rescuers can spot a lost person's location.
Groan of the day: A mirror can reflect well on your survival skills.
Sources: Scouting America: Search and Rescue
Short answer: It helps rescuers locate a person in distress
A PLB is an emergency beacon that helps rescuers find a person in distress.
Groan of the day: A beacon is a bright idea for being found.
Sources: Scouting America: Search and Rescue
Short answer: Date, Description, Details, Direction or Declination, Distance
The 5 D's of map navigation are Date, Description, Details, Direction or Declination, and Distance.
Groan of the day: The 5 D's help you map out success.
Sources: Scouting America: Search and Rescue
Short answer: Altitude, latitude, longitude, and US National Grid coordinates
You can record altitude, latitude, longitude, and US National Grid coordinates and describe how they differ.
Groan of the day: Coordinates keep you right on point.
Sources: Scouting America: Search and Rescue
Short answer: Take a bearing to another location
Orienting the map lets you take a bearing to another map location and estimate distance and terrain.
Groan of the day: Get oriented before you get lost.
Sources: Scouting America: Search and Rescue
Short answer: Using natural or human-made boundaries to limit the search area
Containment uses natural or human-made boundaries to limit where a subject could go.
Groan of the day: Containment keeps the search from going off the map.
Sources: Scouting America: Search and Rescue
Short answer: Both organize people into clear roles and leadership
ICS and the patrol method both organize people with clear roles and leadership.
Groan of the day: Patrol method and ICS are two peas in a leadership pod.
Sources: Scouting America: Search and Rescue
Short answer: They train for and manage SAR situations
Local community agencies train for and manage search and rescue situations.
Groan of the day: Training today keeps trouble at bay tomorrow.
Sources: Scouting America: Search and Rescue
Short answer: Locating and aiding people in distress
SAR teams are responsible for locating people in distress and providing aid.
Groan of the day: SAR teams really find their purpose.
Sources: Scouting America: Search and Rescue
Short answer: Urban SAR deals with collapsed buildings and entrapments in cities
Urban SAR focuses on locating and rescuing people from collapsed buildings and urban entrapments.
Groan of the day: Urban SAR knows how to handle a crushing workload.
Sources: Search and rescue
Short answer: A swift water rescue team
Specialist teams include swift water rescue, technical rope rescue, and over-snow rescue.
Groan of the day: Swift water teams go with the flow.
Sources: Search and rescue
Short answer: The last place the subject was seen
PLS is the place last seen, while LKP is the last known point.
Groan of the day: PLS points you in the right direction.
Sources: Scouting America: Search and Rescue
Short answer: It helps teams coordinate and share information
Effective communication helps SAR teams coordinate and share critical information.
Groan of the day: Clear communication keeps everyone talking the same language.
Sources: Scouting America: Search and Rescue
Short answer: Predictions help determine search plans for different subjects
Predictions of lost person behavior help determine SAR search plans for children, teens, and adults.
Groan of the day: Behavior predictions help you stay ahead of the search.
Sources: Scouting America: Search and Rescue
Short answer: Deciding how quickly a search must start
Evaluating search urgency helps decide how quickly and intensely to search.
Groan of the day: Urgency evaluation keeps the search from dragging.
Sources: Scouting America: Search and Rescue
Short answer: Detect a subject's scent in an area
Area air scent dogs detect a subject's scent in a search area.
Groan of the day: Air scent dogs really sniff out success.
Sources: Scouting America: Search and Rescue
Short answer: They help teams share information before and after a search
Briefing and debriefing help teams share information and improve after a search.
Groan of the day: Brief well and you won't be briefed badly.
Sources: Scouting America: Search and Rescue
Short answer: Noticing details that could be clues
Clue awareness means noticing details that could be clues left by the subject.
Groan of the day: Clue awareness keeps you in the know.
Sources: Scouting America: Search and Rescue
Short answer: It keeps clues intact for investigators
Evidence preservation keeps clues intact so they can be used in the search and investigation.
Groan of the day: Preserve evidence so clues don't vanish.
Sources: Scouting America: Search and Rescue
Short answer: Following signs and footprints left by the subject
Tracking a subject means following signs and footprints they left behind.
Groan of the day: Tracking keeps you on the right trail.
Sources: Scouting America: Search and Rescue
Short answer: A quick search of likely areas early on
A hasty search is a quick early search of likely areas to find the subject fast.
Groan of the day: Hasty searches are quick on their feet.
Sources: Scouting America: Search and Rescue
Short answer: Searching along a trail for the subject
A trail sweep search checks along a trail for signs of the subject.
Groan of the day: Trail sweeps keep the search on track.
Sources: Scouting America: Search and Rescue
Short answer: To review hazards, safety, essentials, and gear
A PAUSE briefing reviews hazards, safety concerns, essentials, and gear before the search begins.
Groan of the day: Pause before you go so you don't pause in trouble.
Sources: Scouting America: Search and Rescue
Short answer: To discuss what worked and what to improve
A debriefing discusses the search, problems, tactics, and ideas for improvement.
Groan of the day: Debriefing helps you tie up loose ends.
Sources: Scouting America: Search and Rescue
Short answer: Use repellent and check for ticks
Bug bites of ticks and mosquitoes are listed hazards. Repellent and tick checks help prevent bites.
Groan of the day: Don't let bugs bug you.
Sources: Scouting America: Search and Rescue
Short answer: With an incident commander and staff
ICS starts with an incident commander who has various staff members reporting to them.
Groan of the day: Command your attention to good organization.
Sources: Scouting America: Search and Rescue
Short answer: It coordinates aeronautical search and rescue
The Air Force Rescue Coordination Center coordinates aeronautical SAR in the United States.
Groan of the day: Coordinate your efforts for a higher level of safety.
Sources: Search and rescue
Short answer: SAR carried out at sea
Maritime SAR is carried out at sea to save sailors, passengers, and survivors of downed aircraft.
Groan of the day: Sea rescue is making waves in safety.
Sources: Search and rescue
Short answer: SAR in rugged and mountainous terrain
Mountain rescue relates to search and rescue operations specifically in rugged and mountainous terrain.
Groan of the day: Mountain rescue reaches new heights of skill.
Sources: Search and rescue
Short answer: A specialized rescue for trapped or lost cave explorers
Cave rescue is a highly specialized form of rescue for injured, trapped, or lost cave explorers.
Groan of the day: Cave rescue is a deep subject.
Sources: Search and rescue
Short answer: SAR carried out during war near combat zones
Combat search and rescue is carried out during war within or near combat zones.
Groan of the day: Combat SAR fights to save lives.
Sources: Search and rescue
Short answer: It promotes information exchange between urban SAR organizations
INSARAG is a UN organization that promotes the exchange of information between national urban SAR organizations.
Groan of the day: Advisory groups advise, not surprise.
Sources: Search and rescue
Short answer: Good decisions early prevent problems
Debriefs often show that one or two early decisions caused the problem, so good decision making matters.
Groan of the day: Decide well early so you don't decide to get lost.
Sources: Scouting America: Search and Rescue
Short answer: A common hierarchy for multi-agency coordination
ICS is a standardized approach giving a common hierarchy so responders from multiple agencies can be effective.
Groan of the day: ICS keeps everyone on the same page and the same chain.
Sources: Incident Command System
Short answer: Each person reports to only one supervisor
Unity of command means each participant reports to only one supervisor, preventing conflicting orders.
Groan of the day: One boss means no boss battle over orders.
Sources: Incident Command System
Short answer: To prevent confusion between agencies
Different agencies may use different words for the same thing, so common terminology keeps communications clear.
Groan of the day: Same words, same world, fewer mix-ups.
Sources: Incident Command System
Short answer: Between three and seven people, with five ideal
ICS requires a span of control between three and seven individuals, with five being ideal, to avoid overloading managers.
Groan of the day: Five is the high five of span of control.
Sources: Incident Command System
The whole guide on one screen. Screenshot it, print it, stick it on the fridge.
Think of your answer first, then peek.
A search locates a missing person; a rescue removes a person from danger. A search finds someone whose location is unknown. A rescue happens once the person is found and must be brought to safety.
It helps with staying found and getting found. A trip plan and buddy system both help Scouts stay found and be found if lost.
They train for and manage SAR situations. Local community agencies train for and manage search and rescue situations.
Noticing details that could be clues. Clue awareness means noticing details that could be clues left by the subject.
SAR carried out at sea. Maritime SAR is carried out at sea to save sailors, passengers, and survivors of downed aircraft.
Read a chapter, then play the deck and see how much stuck.
This guide covers the 50 free cards. The other 13 are in the game for members.
▶ Play Stuff Every Search and Rescue Scout Should Know Find another deck Founding Members: spots are open
Teacher or trainer? It's free for teachers, and you can embed this deck on your own site.