The training known as a "Mock Search" can be part training and part testing of a team's readiness. It's best to know as part of the setting up of this training what your goal might be.

Out team has attempted to run the "Mock Search Scenario" as close to an actual real search as possible. This means that the missing subject is actually a volunteer that gets "lost" in a predefined area. Lost meaning they are carrying the appropriate equipment to be in the field for several hours and a radio to stay in contact with the event coordinator. In no way is a subject placed in harms' way.

The team is dispatched through our normal page/call out process, our overhead team and trailer shows up to plan assignments while the team arrives, protects the PLS, and gears up.

Our trackers perform a "PLS Approach" to determine any potential direction of travel the subject may have used to exit the PLS (place last seen). Our teams are instructed to perform field interviews. Yes, occasionally we recruit trail hikers to have clues.

The best mock searches we have had have all had minimal "staging" of the scenario. Meaning: the subject doesn't follow any pre-conceived plan or path, they just get lost somewhere within the predefined search area. Often the coordinator doesn't even know where the person is exactly.

We typically train to both responsive and unresponsive subjects. We often call upon our local dog team partners (CARDA) to participate with us. We run the scenario from call out to completion with the location of the subject, a quick medical assessment and plan for patient care and transport.

After the training is over we debrief to give everyone an opportunity to express lessons learned and hopefully provide constructive feedback about how to be a better team when we are responding to a real search situation.