Regional Land & Water Rescue Unit Training

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Posted by: TStokes
Date: Sep 16 2012 9:04 AM

The Regional Land and Water Rescue Unit met today at the Chattahoochee State Park for the Horse Posse and Ground Unit Training. Included with about 25 unit members present today, were also 11 horses, 3 ATVs, the water rescue boat, dive equipment, generators, and other various supplies needed for a full search and rescue.

            The unit, based strictly on volunteers from around the area, was founded and organized to aid in the search and recovery of missing persons, lost children, and drowning victims; wherever there is a need, they are there to save lives. The Rescue Unit itself is located in Alabama, but also responds in Florida and Georgia when needed.

            During today’s training, scenarios of a (simulated) missing person were created for both the ground and horse posse units. The “simulated victim” was a 66 year old missing Alzheimer’s patient who had wandered off. The 5’5”, 180 pound white male was last seen in the vicinity wearing a tan shirt, striped overalls, and brown shoes. Evidence, such as pieces of clothing, a cigarette pack, vest, shoe, and over-shirt were placed throughout the park by one of the team members were placed conspicuously throughout the park, and then unit members split up into teams to search for evidence leading to the victim. As members of the unit located certain evidence from the (simulated) victim, it was flagged with an orange marker, and the location and evidence were radioed in to the command center and other team members. Through combined efforts and excellent team work by all the members, the “victim” was located. After lunch and segments of the search were filmed for an episode of Son Country, unit members set out on a second search for a missing person who had ridden off into the woods on an ATV and had not returned. The team members recovered item’s of the victim’s clothing and the ATV, but had to search deeper into the woods until they located the (simulated) missing person.

            In all kinds of situations, in every area of daily life, as sad as it is, accidents will happen, loved ones will be lost or come up missing. But with the combined efforts of the members of the Regional Land and Water Rescue Unit employing every resource possible to a successful search and rescue, closure can be found.

 

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