Mock search and rescue scenario in Lethbridge coulee

LETHBRIDGE- Police scouring a field, combing the ground for signs of a missing person; it’s a scenario no one wants to see. For search and rescue teams that is a scenario that can be all too real.

Over the weekend in Lethbridge, local search and rescue organizations put their skills to the test in a mock situation. Four police search managers were involved in the collaborative exercise with civilian members of the Lethbridge Area Search and Rescue Association (LASARA), Pincher Creek Search and Rescue and the Canadian Search Dog Association.

“We want to replicate what it’s like to have a large scale search going on so that our members have a chance to practice all of their individual skills, but also to work together with our various partners,” said Erin Olsen, a member of LASARA.

For this mock search, two teenage girls had gone missing in the coulees.

The process started at police headquarters. Armed with the latest information, the tasking agency -in this case the police- formulated a coverage plan.

When search crews are tasked with unique terrain like the coulees, effective planning is crucial. It is then up to the searchers to apply proper searching tactics.

“We (are) trained to look up, down and all around so we’re trying to break from looking at continuous patterns out there to find clues,” said Adam Browning, a member of LASARA.

Most searchers are semi-professional with lots of training who volunteer their time. Groups like LASARA are always looking for more recruits.

For more information on LASARA, visit the organization’s website.