The ASRC was founded to provide highly skilled assistance to local agencies to respond to wilderness missing person and rescue situations. This remains the prime mission of the conference and member Groups. 
The intent of this manual is to be a performance guide for ground search and rescue for ASRC members. 
FEMA (the US Federal Emergency Management Agency) says:
A wilderness, in contrast with those areas where man and his works dominate the landscape, is hereby recognized as an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain. 
Land/wilderness search and rescue requires knowledge and skills that can be grouped and titled in different ways. As discussed in the , we have divided the Field IV, III, II and I standards, educational goals, curricula and terminal learning objectives into the following areas:
Safety, Health and First Aid
Communications
Land Navigation
Operations, Management and Leadership
Search
Rescue
The core competency of the ASRC is the effective and efficient application of field search and rescue skills. To effectively manage missions, search managers must understand field operations and skills. Field Team Leader and Field Team Member are operational titles. To avoid confusion, this document uses the separate titles of “Field Level XX.” Field credentialing is based on members acquiring knowledge and skills in the above-listed aspects of ground search and rescue. Assigning members with various credentialing levels to operational assignments is at the discretion of incident management.

Based on the typical operational needs found in the ASRC service area, those at all levels of ASRC Field credentialing should prepare for a 24-hour field task deployment. If extended self-sufficient operations are required, field teams will receive prior notice and should consider having the additional supplies and equipment in their vehicles to prepare for up to 72-hour deployments.

The , a separate publication from these Training Standards, describes the ASRC training and credentialing system in detail. It also has training curricula for all the levels. Here, and in the grid that follows, is a summary of the ASRC Field training levels:
Field Level IV (Trainee)
Awareness-level search
Awareness-level horizontal litter handling (nontechnical evacs) 
Awareness-level for area wilderness search and rescue hazards 
Field Level III 
Member of a field team
Operations-level search
Operations-level horizontal litter handling (nontechnical evacs)
Awareness-level low angle rescue (semi-tech evacs)
Field Level II 
Technician-level search: leads simple search tasks 
Operations-level for low angle rescue (semi-tech evacs): participates in these rescues
Technician-level for horizontal litter handling (nontechnical evacs): leads these rescues
Credentialed with wilderness first aid
Field Level I 
Specialist-level for search: leads complex search tasks, may serve as briefer/debriefer in Base
Technician-level for semi-tech evacs (low angle rope rescue): leads these rescues

To maintain operational effectiveness, the “force protection” aspects of wilderness first aid are essential. The Field levels integrate wilderness first aid force protection knowledge and skills, as well as subject/patient assessment and treatment knowledge and skills at the basic wilderness first aid level. 
Groups that elect to integrate wilderness first aid training into their field training should incorporate the wilderness first aid skills that are located at the beginning of each level.  Groups may elect instead to require members to seek external wilderness first aid certifications in accordance with the ASRC medical policy. Regardless of how Groups manage their members’ wilderness first aid training, internally or externally, all ASRC members are expected to meet the first aid standards for the various levels consistent with Wilderness Medical Society guidelines.

These acronyms and terms are used in this document:
GTO Group Training Officer 
TO Training Officer
AHJ Authority Having Jurisdiction: in ASTM F-30 Committee in SAR, includes both RAs and organizations such as the ASRC that credential individuals, but often used as a synonym for RA
RA Responsible Agency (a government entity)
ICS Incident Command System
IC Incident Commander
ASRC Appalachian Search and Rescue Conference
PPE Personal Protective Equipment
SAR Search And Rescue
SM Search Manager 
Awareness level A basic competency level that stresses hazard recognition
Operations level Individuals who identify hazards, use equipment and apply limited techniques specific to search and rescue 
Technician level Individuals who identify hazards, use equipment and apply advanced techniques specific to search and rescue
Specialist level Individuals who identify hazards, have a very in-depth and highly advanced level of knowledge regarding search and rescue, use equipment and apply advanced techniques specific to search and rescue

These standards address the knowledge and skills expectations for able-bodied team members. The ASRC wishes to include and benefit from the skills provided by members who have physical or other limitations. 
In consultation with the Conference Training Officer,  Group Training Officers shall provide accommodations to members with such limitations. While alternate means of skills or knowledge assessment may be offered, due to the life-safety nature of the work performed, no knowledge requirements may be omitted.
Waiver of physical skills is acceptable. However, the Group must have a mechanism in place to ensure that the member is restricted from performing those waived skills at a mission.

Each accredited group shall:
Maintain a current database or record of individual certifications, including:
Field and Search Manager training level
Specialized skills & equipment
Participation in training
Relevant external certifications held
Develop training and testing materials for team-specific aspects of this standard, including alerting procedures and AHJ/RA-specific requirements
Classify members, based on their physical capabilities, to complete various types of SAR tasks
Maintain policies, based on the local jurisdiction, for: drug and alcohol use, dependency, and abuse; sexual harassment; and culture, race, sex/gender, and age sensitivity
Operate within the National Incident Management System (NIMS)/Incident Command System (ICS)
Maintain a training and education program with a goal of preventing SAR-related death, injuries, or illnesses
Develop and maintain a risk management plan
Identify regional and mission risks 
Determine its significance
Implement training to address each risk

Some Groups have chosen to pursue skills or credentialing to meet specific local needs such as cave rescue, Mountain Rescue Association accreditation for high-angle rescue, wilderness medicine, and support for nearby national and other parks. We encourage these skill sets to the extent that they do not detract from fulfilling our core mission.  We encourage Groups to develop or adopt stand-alone standards and training programs for the other missions that the Group chooses to support.  
Groups may add these mission-driven requirements to the Field IV-I levels to meet Group needs.  We encourage Groups to develop materials (including testing) to ensure that members are familiar with local alerting, response, and external agency relations, as well as the additional skill the Group requires of members.
Search Manager standards are Conference-wide. Groups may not make additions or deletions from the Search Manager standards.

All members shall: 
Meet the minimum age requirement, as determined by the Group policy or local jurisdiction
Meet the minimum educational requirements, as determined by the Group policy or local jurisdiction
Meet the minimum fitness requirements, as determined by the Group policy or local jurisdiction
Complete the medical requirements, as determined by the Group policy or local jurisdiction
Complete background checks, as determined by the Group policy or local jurisdiction
Meet, or exceed, minimum participation requirements for training and operations, as defined by the Group policy or local jurisdiction
Demonstrate proficiency in individual skills and abilities as implemented in the following performance standards
Wear environmentally appropriate identifiable uniforms, or markers, as determined by the Group policy
Possess adequate food, water, and equipment to sustain themselves for at least 24 hours, in any season, or longer as determined by Group policy or local jurisdiction in the anticipated areas of operation
Know and follow safe driving procedures, as determined by the Group policy or local jurisdiction
Be prepared to wear the ASRC Blue uniform shirt for multi-Group training and responses
(Trainee) 
Overview
A Field IV has the knowledge, skills and equipment to: 
Respond safely to a ground search and rescue incident
Avoid becoming a significant burden
Participate in on-the-job training during search and rescue operations
A Field IV is expected to maintain effectiveness and avoid becoming a burden on the field team for at least 6 hours.
A Field IV can recognize the hazards and risks in field training and operations in the usual search and rescue environment in the ASRC area. A Field IV also knows enough followership to not get in political trouble, for example, by saying the wrong thing to the wrong person. Field IVs are not to engage in any direct subject/patient care, so are not at risk for bloodborne pathogens.  That is, unless they are licensed as physicians, Physician Assistants or Nurse Practitioners, or certified as an EMT or other EMS professional. In that case bloodborne pathogens training is required of them as part of that licensure or certification. We require knowledge of bloodborne pathogens and risk mitigation at the Field III level.
If approached for search and rescue help, a Field IV knows enough about Group alerting and the ASRC policy of not self-deploying to be able to: 
Assist a representative of an Agency Having Jurisdiction/Responsible Agent (AHJ/RA) to alert the Group
For someone who is not from an AHJ/RA, explain how to contact the appropriate AHJ/RA, likely by calling 9-1-1, and why this is necessary. 
Trainees at this level function only under direct supervision of a more senior member. As a best practice, trainees should not enter a high-hazard zone, such as at the edge of a cliff during a cliff rescue. However, they may serve other support functions outside the high-hazard zone. Field IVs may accompany field teams if they have the equipment, knowledge, and skill sets needed for the task.
Field IV is a temporary entry level credential. The local team’s Group Training Officer acts as the executive agent of the ASRC Credentialing Board in conferring the Field IV credential. Within a short period of time (we recommend a maximum of 18 months; the term must be specified by each Group’s policy), all Field IV members must progress to a higher level of credentialing.
To become a Field IV, we require no prior wilderness, first aid/medical or search and rescue experience. 
Administrative Requirements
To be credentialed as a Field IV, an individual must:
Complete the Group application process
Acquire all Group-required clearances (e.g., criminal background check, child abuse clearance) 
Gain an understanding of the Group’s policies and procedures
Successfully complete, and possess certification for, the FEMA online course IS-100.b (ICS-100.b),  (ICS-100.c): Basic Incident Command System for Initial Response, or a subsequent equivalent
Study the free online ASRC text , and pass a brief online test on this material administered by the ASRC Credentialing Board, as reflected in the following Field IV performance standards
Demonstrate possession of all minimum required equipment, as listed in the next section 
Participate in a minimum of one group practical field training or exercise (preferably should pass the Field IV the written test on hazard awareness before practical training)
Be able to safely accompany a field team on a supervised simulated or real search or rescue task; in case the Field IV gets separated from the field team, this includes determining and reporting via handheld radio or cellphone the member’s current USNG grid position

To be credentialed as a Field IV, an individual must demonstrate possession of the following equipment:
Appropriate field pack
Food for 24 hours
Water (at least 1 liter)
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):  
Medical Gloves (non-latex, at least 2 pairs)
Leather palm (or similar) Work gloves
High-visibility vest with reflective markings
Eye protection (safety glasses)
Ear plugs (disposable type acceptable and recommended as very light; for protection when working with helicopters)
Clothing 
Outerwear appropriate to the current weather and sufficient for unexpected changes in weather
Footwear appropriate to the current weather
Survival Equipment
Trash bags (5)
Five one-gallon zip lock bags
Fire-starting material
Matches or lighter (waterproof)
Whistle (plastic, without cork)
Personal first aid kit 
Small knife or multi-tool 
Search Equipment
Orienteering style compass (clear rectangular base)
GPS unit or GPS smartphone app recommended but not required
Headlamp and second light source (with extra set of batteries for each)
Pencil and paper in a zip-lock bag, or waterproof paper/pen
Roll of plastic surveyor’s flagging tape 
Permanent marker (e.g., Sharpie) to write on flagging tape

, Health and First Aid 
Know the difference between objective and subjective hazards
Be able to maintain effectiveness and avoid becoming a significant burden on a field team, other than mentoring of the Field IV trainee, for at least 6 hours. This comes from knowing, anticipating and recognizing hazards and risks that are encountered during typical tasks, and taking appropriate measures to mitigate them. These hazards and risks include:
Fatigue and falling asleep at the wheel
Lightning strikes
Slips and falls
Rockfall
Streams and lakes
Pedestrian-vs-vehicle and pedestrian-vs-train accidents 
The following wilderness search and rescue dangers, also recognition and basic field treatment for injury or illness from: 
Hypothermia 
Frostbite
Dehydration, including monitoring urine amount and color
Heat exhaustion
Heatstroke
Bees and wasps
Ticks
Poison ivy
Be able to select and use proper personal protective equipment for the field tasks, including clothing and footwear appropriate for the current weather, and when PFDs (personal flotation devices) are appropriate
Be able to select extra clothing, shelter and other gear and supplies to carry in the field pack, appropriate for possible changes in weather or a forced overnight bivouac
Know how to recognize an immediate stress reaction
 
Be able to effectively communicate, in English, a USNG position:
Using a handheld radio 
Following ASRC communications standard operating procedures as outlined in the  (“Commo Crib Sheet”) except for, at the Field IV level, memorizing the phonetic alphabet 
 
Be able to, using the candidate’s choice of a personal GPS device, a personal smartphone with a GPS app (USNG app is sufficient), or a Group-owned GPS device, determine and report his or her current USNG position
Know what a safety direction is, and how to use it if lost
, Management and Leadership 
Know the candidate’s Group alerting process, member dispatch/tracking, and the candidate’s role in the system
Be able to sign in and out of a mission, and know potential problems from not signing into or out of a mission
Know a good definition of a wilderness/land search and rescue staging area
Know good definitions of the terms freelancing and self-deploying in the wilderness/land search and rescue context
Know good reasons why freelancing/self-deploying can interfere with an organized search effort
Know good principles for interfacing with the media
Know best practices for raising safety or other concerns with a leader as recommended by the International Association of Fire Chiefs (Crew Resource Management):
Opening or attention getter
State your concern
 State the problem as you see it
 State a solution
 Obtain agreement
Know the followership principle of graded assertiveness
Know that all ASRC members have stop work authority (principle that all SAR team members have the right and responsibility to immediately call for a good faith stop of dangerous activities – those without adequate hazard controls in place or communicated to the members, and to refuse dangerous tasks.) 

Know ASRC standard best practices for:
As part of a 6 person team, picking up, carrying and putting down a litter, including laddering and toenailing, with attention to back safety 
Rotating litter bearers off and on the litter and through the litter bearer positions
Giving and responding to litter movement commands

A Field III has the knowledge, skills and equipment to respond to a ground search and rescue incident.
Typical roles for ASRC members trained to the Field III level are to: 
Lead teams on simple linear tasks (i.e., trail or road walking)
Supporting a Field II or Field I member to coordinate and supervise untrained emergent volunteers on a search task
Serve as a field team member on a complex search task
Serve as a field team member on a nontechnical evac or semi-tech evac (low angle rope rescue)
A Field III can recognize the common hazards and risks of search and rescue tasks and how to mitigate them.
A Field III can operate common search field team equipment such as handheld radios and GPSs, and can perform basic land navigation.
A Field III knows enough of the mechanics of leadership, and of search tactics, to manage a team of Field IV and Field III members on a simple, easy search task. A Field III can identify and provide initial management for a potential crime scene. A Field III should be able to serve as a member of a field team on both day and night tasks.
A Field III can confidently and competently serve as a litter team member in a a nontechnical evacuation: no ropes involved. 

To be credentialed as a Field III, a member must:
Successfully complete, and possess certification for, IS-200.b: ICS for Single Resources and Initial Action Incidents; : Basic Incident Command System for Initial Response; or a subsequent equivalent

In addition to the equipment required for Field IV, the Field III must demonstrate possession of the following equipment:
1 inch tubular webbing (25’ length for average weight member or 30’ length for larger)
2 locking carabiners, minimum 15 kN major axis strength
2 lengths of 7 mm or 8 mm climbing-grade accessory cord suitable for tying Prusik loops (recommend 5’ (60”, 153 cm) and 4’ 2” (50”, 127 cm)) 
A mountaineering helmet with chin strap (may be team helmet loaned to member; the member must demonstrate donning and adjusting to fit head and snugging chinstrap)

, Health and First Aid
Know how to deal with hazards and confidentiality issues: 
Ward against communicable diseases through good hygiene in the field and at Base
Recognize and manage fatigue and exhaustion in self and others with attention to nutritional needs and sleep
Recognize the risks of blood-borne diseases and use personal protective equipment to protect against blood-borne pathogens 
Know the hazards of waterborne illness and the advantages and disadvantages of current field water purification methods
Follow ASRC confidentiality best practices and other legal constraints as far as subject, mission and any first aid or medical issues, particularly as regards the press
Be able to camp overnight at an austere Base with backpacking-type sleeping bag, pad and tent or over-the-bag bivouac sac (may use borrowed or rented gear)
Be able to, and know how to, pick and improve a forced bivouac site, either for temporary shelter from the weather or for an overnight bivouac, for self or for a team with a patient, including:
Picking location
Building a debris shelter, and improving natural shelters such as caves or under large evergreen trees or beside large downed trees
Improvised insulation
Advantages and disadvantages of building a fire
Be able to use a handheld radio using ASRC communications standard operating procedures as outlined in the  (“Commo Crib Sheet”) to communicate effectively and efficiently in English during field tasks:
Using the phonetic alphabet and numerals
Using standard best practices for talking over a handheld radio
Without reference to written communications references
Be able to confidently and reliably operate standard handheld radio controls and perform the following tasks on a Group-owned radio:
Operate off/on switch
Operate volume adjustment
Operate push to talk
Operate channel selector
Attach and detach antenna
Replace battery, and if available, install AA cells in an empty AA-cell battery pack
Toggle keyboard/channel select lock if available
Know other buttons might accidentally hit and how to recover from them
Know best practices for using cellphones for wilderness search and rescue communications, including: 
Methods to improve communications
Advantages of texting over voice communications
Know the uses, advantages and disadvantages of
Signal mirrors and improvised mirrors (knifeblade, mirror on compass)
Whistles 
Smoke
Flares
Chemical luminescent light sticks
Know that whistle and hand signals can be used for rescue system management and are on the ASRC Radio SOP Crib Sheet
Be able to interpret the following topographic map features:
Contours, including index and supplemental contours
Power lines, pipelines and fences
Buildings, including schools and houses of worship
Cemeteries
Highways, roads, trails, bridges, and railroads
Bodies of water, rivers, perennial streams, intermittent streams, marshes and swamps
Woodland overprint
Border (map margin) information: 
Scale and scale bars
Datum
Declination and date of map
North arrow declination indicators:
True north
Grid north
Magnetic north
Contour interval
Be able to measure distance on topographic maps:
Use scale bars
Know that UTM/USNG grids are 1 km 
Use transparent grid overlays (i.e., grid readers)
Be able to:
Plot a set of UTM/USNG coordinates on a map
Read off UTM/USNG coordinates from a point on the map
Know the three most common different grid datums and their importance (WGS84/NAD83, NAD27)
Know the advantages, disadvantages, common uses and differences of the following grid coordinate systems:
Latitude/longitude
UTM
USNG
ASRC Grid System
Know the definitions of true north, grid north and magnetic north
Be able to use an orienteering type compass to correct for magnetic declination, going from map to compass and compass to map
Be able to do the following with the member’s choice of a personal GPS, a personal GPS app, or a Group GPS:
System Operations:
Turn unit on and off or open and close app (and make app stop using cellphone battery)
Check battery charge
If applicable, change battery; if cellphone, how to attach external battery charger
Setup:
Set datum to correct datum (usually WGS84 or NAD83 but not NAD27)
Set units for distance (usually miles or meters/kilometers)
Set the grid location format to USNG (US National Grid), or MGRS, or as a last resort UTM 
Determine the UTM and USNG coordinates for your current location
Track Logging:
Clear the track log (if available on the unit or app being used)
Turn track logging on and off
Rename a track
Find an existing track on the GPS unit or GPS app
Waypoints:
Mark your current location as a waypoint
Select a point on the map and mark as a waypoint
Locate a previously stored waypoint
Input USNG coordinates to create a new waypoint (e.g., a find to which you must navigate)
Rename a waypoint
Locate a particular waypoint stored in the GPS unit or GPS app
Be able to orient a map:
By inspection (terrain association)
By compass
Know and be able to use the following orienteering concepts:
Handrail
Catching feature
Map simplification (creating a simplified mental map containing just features essential for navigating the route)
Comparing routes as far as difficulty of travel/hazards, elevation change, and difficulty of navigation/”safety” in terms of getting lost
Attack point
Aiming off
Rough vs precision navigation
Thumbing a map (keeping your thumb on your position on the map, and updating from time to time, as a means of quickly finding your current position on the map as you travel)
Be able to navigate using a paper topographic map, a compass and a GPS, and basic orienteering concepts, to complete a basic-level orienteering course safely and confidently during the day
, Management and LeadershipKnow and be able to use basic field team leadership skills to manage a search field team:
Using a Task Assignment Form as a guide, obtain a briefing at Base for all relevant available information and use this information to brief team members, including the field team’s planned strategy and tactics
Know the standard field team position terms and duties of each, and when each should be delegated:
Field Team Leader
Assistant Team Leader 
Navigator
Radio Operator 
Medic
Rescue Specialist
Safety Officer
Canine Handler
Dog team flanker for a dog task (area and trailing)
Left and right flaggers (for hanging and retrieving flagging tape at the edges of a sweep, particularly when doing close-spaced line/saturation search)
Anticipate and prepare for emergencies during the task, including selecting appropriate equipment and supplies to take
Assess team members’ capabilities and measure them against the expected task requirements
Follow ASRC best practices for beginning, middle and end of task:
Radio check before leaving Base
Check in with Base via radio (or cellphone or text) as starting task:
Team identifier
Starting task 
At time starting task 
Check via radio (or cellphone or text) during task as per timing on TAF; if not specified on TAF, check in every hour on the hour unless directed otherwise by Base via radio
Team identifier
Continuing task 
At current time 
Report clues to Base as found.
Check in with Base via radio (or cellphone or text) when finish task:
Team identifier
Completed task 
At time finished task
Consciously develop situational awareness of the environment, of self and of others, and model this situational awareness for other field team members
Manage the team’s pace, keep the team together, and monitor task progress and accomplish the task if within the capabilities of the team’s members
Debrief the team after finishing the task, and then provide debrief information to Base
Know best practices for what you should do if you are the first member of your team to arrive at a mission:
If your Group is the first SAR team at mission
If other SAR teams are already on scene
Know essential best practices for initial find management:
Assess for hazards and which major hazards for which to check
Determine subject’s ASRC Status Code (Status 1, 2 or 3)
Communicate to Base your team name, and ASRC Status Code “Base from Team X, Status Y”; know the importance of omitting the word “find”, and omitting all details from any status message
Prepare to provide your USNG location to base when requested
Determine likely best evacuation route, and what medical and rescue equipment should come to the scene of the find
Prepare team members for a wait, with a sheltered location.
Make it easy for incoming teams to find the find location. 
Know essential actions of field team when becomes aware of find by another field team

Know the definitions of the following search terms:
Term definitions
Search
Rescue
Recovery
Point Last Seen (PLS)
Last Known Position (LKP) 
Initial Planning Point (IPP)
Active (direct) vs passive (indirect) search
Planning area
Searchable segment
Probability of Detection (POD)
Probability of Area (POA), also known as Probability of Containment (POC)
Decision points (places subject might stray from trail)
Know the advantages and disadvantages of the following search resources in locating a search subject
Human field teams
Dogs
Tracking/Trailing
Air-Scent
Human Remains Detection (HRD)
Water Search
Horses
ATVs
Mountain bikes
Planes
Helicopters
Drones (UAVs)
Be able to describe the following search strategies, including what phases of a mission they would usually be employed
Investigation
Containment
Fixed containment
Containment patrols 
Attraction/Passive search
Hasty search 
Linear tasks
Reflex tasks: likely locations, high-hazard areas
Area search
Sweep (Type II) tasks
Saturation/Line (Type III) tasks
Air-scenting dog tasks
Tracking/trailing
Trailing dog tasks
Man-tracking and signcutting
Know the following information about dogs in SAR
Dogs can train for variety of field disciplines useful in different phases of mission
Different handler-dog teams can have different capabilities even within same discipline
The role of a “flanker” (non-dog handler) in a dog team
Roles the “flanker” may be asked to fill if a find occurs
Know that effective searching engages all senses:
Looking
Listening
Smelling
Know how to, and be able to, lead a team in accomplishing simple linear search tasks, including 
Communicate with those at Base by knowing basic search management terms (e.g., PLS, reflex task)
Identify, mark and protect “sign,” as the term is used in mantracking, and other clues, communicate information about this sign or those clues to Base and request specific instructions from Base
Identify, protect and document potential crime scenes, and maintain chain of custody for crime scenes and request specific instructions from Base
Observe relevant legal principles related to entry upon private property during a search
Rescue
Be able to serve as litter captain for a non-technical evacuation (low-angle rescue without a rope belay), as a litter bearer for a semi-technical evacuation (low angle rescue using a rope), and as a member of a haul team, including:
Coach a litter team to safely lift, carry and put down a litter for a nontechnical evacuation, including standard calls and procedures for litter bearer rotation, laddering and toenailing
Serve as a litter bearer on a semi-tech evac (low-angle rope rescue using a rope belay, lowering system or hauling system), including standard litter captain calls to the rope team, both uphill and downhill
Tie into the litter rail when needed for a steep semi-tech evacuation (steep low-angle rope rescue)
Serve as a member of a haul team for a semi-tech evac with haul system (low angle rope rescue raising the litter), using standard calls
Know the advantages and disadvantages of hauling, and select and perform the appropriate method for the situation at hand:
Walking backwards
Walking forwards
Hand-over-hand
Handle rope and webbing using ASRC best practices, including identifying appropriate ropes for low-angle rescue (semi-tech evacuations), and uncoiling, inspecting, stacking and coiling rope. 
Competently and reliably tie 
Overhand knot
Double fisherman’s knot
Water knot (overhand bend)
3-wrap Prusik knot
A redundant seat harness using webbing (one where cutting any one piece of webbing will not result in the climber falling), such as the ASRC Seat Harness

A Field II possesses the minimum knowledge, skills and equipment to lead field teams on complex search tasks. 
Typical roles for ASRC members trained to the Field II level are to lead teams on complex search tasks including difficult navigation and cross-country travel (“bushwhacking”), or evac, or serve as a member of the rope team belaying or lowering a semi-tech evac.
A Field II can care for the members of the field team at the standard wilderness first aid level. Credentialing at the Field II level also confers an ASRC wilderness first aid certificate, compliant with the guidelines published in the Journal of Wilderness and Environmental Medicine in 2013.
A Field II is able to apply radio principles to problem-solve when radio or cellphone communications are difficult or equipment seems to be malfunctioning. 
A Field II is proficient in land navigation using orienteering techniques.
A Field II can lead field teams on search tasks that challenge the team’s physical and emotional status.
A Field II is competent at managing potential clues, including mantracking “sign.” 
A Field II can manage a find: assess the need for more resources, provide wilderness first aid to a patient, plan an evacuation, and if need be, operate a low angle rope system (a semi-tech evac).  

To be credentialed as a Field II, a member must successfully complete, and possess certification for, these courses:
IS-700.a: National Incident Management System (NIMS), An Introduction; , An Introduction to the National Incident Management System; or a subsequent equivalent
A hazardous material awareness training course: one of the following or an equivalent approved by the ASRC Credentialing Board:
: An Introduction to Hazardous Materials or a subsequent equivalent
NFPA 472: HazMat Awareness
OSHA 1910.120(Q)(6)(i): HazMat Awareness Training
CERT HazMat Introduction
To be credentialed as a Field II, a member must participate in at least 3 field search tasks, at least one of which must be at an actual search or a full-scale exercise (search simulation)
Pack Check List 
There are no pack check requirements for Field II beyond what is required at the Field IV and Field III levels, but the member must continue to possess or have that equipment available during missions such equipment. 

, Health and First Aid
Know legal concepts relevant to wilderness first aid, including: 
Informed consent
Implied consent
Express consent
Competence and capacity to make informed decisions
Restraint
Duty to act
Abandonment
Negligence
First aid versus medical or EMS care by those licensed or certified to provide such care
Assessment
Know how to assess and manage patients at the wilderness first aid level, including: 
Scene safety survey and assessing the need for more help
Primary survey:  
Recognize and manage cardiac arrest with external cardiac compression with or without artificial respiration 
Manage the airway without adjuncts
Know the advantages of commercial and improvised barrier devices for mouth-t0-mouth artificial respiration 
Manage respiratory arrest with mouth-to-mouth artificial respiration
Recognize respiratory distress, including flail chest without attempting to stabilize flail segments and tension pneumothorax, and know to monitor for respiratory compromise
Determine ASRC Status 1, Status 2 or Status 3, including determining death
Secondary survey:
Taking a basic history 
Assess level of consciousness
Know how and when to visualize and palpate a chest and recognize respiratory sounds that may be audible without a stethoscope
Be able to apply and operate an Automated External Defibrillator (AED)
Be able to apply and appropriately tighten and secure both pre-made and improvised tourniquets to control severe bleeding
Be able to measure and record radial pulse and respiratory rate
Be able to palpate the following pulses:
Carotid
Radial
Femoral
Dorsalis pedis
Posterior tibialis
Know principles of human thermoregulation, including: 
Heat balance
Physical modes of heat loss
Human compensatory mechanisms including:
Sweating
Vasodilation and vasoconstriction
Shivering
Know how to recognize and manage, at the standard wilderness first aid level, heat illness, including: 
Dehydration
Heat syncope
Heat cramps
Heatstroke, including: 
Pathophysiology
Cooling methods
Cooling goals and when to stop
Know how to recognize and manage hypothermic team members and subjects, including: 
Incipient hypothermia
Mild hypothermia 
Signs and symptoms of severe hypothermia
Diagnosing hypothermia without a thermometer
Treating severe hypothermia in the field, including: 
Insulating and adding heat as much as possible
Not being concerned about rewarming shock in the field except to evacuate the patient flat
Avoiding bumps that might cause ventricular fibrillation
For an unconscious hypothermic patient:
When to start CPR on a hypothermic patient versus determining death 
The need for a longer pulse check
That prolonged cardiac arrest is more survivable for hypothermic patients
That prolonged CPR may be indicated even if interruptions are anticipated
Know standard wilderness first aid treatment of: 
Minor and major wounds
Blisters
Burns, including grading of burns and assessing extent of burns using the size of the patient’s hand as a guide
Nosebleeds
Musculoskeletal 
Know management of musculoskeletal injuries, including:
Bruises/contusions
Sprains and strains
Twisting injuries of the ankle including taping
Using the Ottawa criteria to determine which ankle injuries should not be weight-bearing and which might be weight-bearing
Closed and open fractures
Joint dislocations including how to reduct digit and patella but not other dislocations
Improvised splinting
Understanding the pathophysiology of compartment syndrome, recognizing potential compartment syndrome and knowing the urgency of diagnosing and treating it
Be able to apply and secure both pre-made and improvised extremity splints
Know basic multisystem trauma recognition and management, including the concept of the golden period and general principles for managing multisystem trauma in the backcountry
Know common injury patterns from lightning strikes, and know triage and immediate treatment for a group struck by lightning
Know search-and-rescue-focused, standard wilderness first aid level assessment and management of trauma, including: 
Head (brain) trauma
Pelvic fractures
Using the NEXUS criteria to avoid the need for cervical spine immobilization
The advantages and disadvantages of immobilization for fractures, including suspected spinal fractures
Chest trauma including: 
Pneumothorax and hemothorax
Hemothorax
Broken ribs and flail chest
Flail chest
Sucking chest wounds
Submersion injury (near-drowning/drowning)
Know how to recognize and treat “dry” and envenomated bites from local pit vipers
Know standard wilderness first aid level recognition and treatment of common or severe medical problems, including “red flags” (indicators of a serious problem), specifically: 
Hypoglycemia
Chest pain
Decreased level of consciousness
Seizures
Know “red flags” (indicators of a serious problem) for the following medical problems: 
Abdominal pain
Vomiting and diarrhea
Urine problems including urinary tract infection and hematuria (blood in urine)
Cough
Fever
Know the seriousness of:
Persistent blurred vision
Uncontrolled nasal or other bleeding
Head injury with decreasing level of consciousness
Airway compromise
Know the factors that go into evacuation urgency decisions
Know basic improvised evacuation methods, including: 
Poles-and-blanket and poles-and-parkas stretchers
Split-coil and sling piggyback carries
Packstraps and pole carry
Know basic radio principles relevant to the ASRC, including
Electromagnetic waves, wavelength and frequency, and effect of frequency on radio signal propagation
The difference between AM and FM and how speaking loudly on FM decreases signal strength
Simplex vs duplex
Retransmitters (remote bases) and repeaters
Antenna principles, including: 
Antenna radiation patterns and effective radiated power (ERP)
The effect of ground planes and reflectors and how to improvise them in the field
How to use other teams to relay to Base
The effect of altitude on radio communications
Carrier squelch, monitor buttons, and PL tone squelch
Basic principles of network discipline
Techniques for improving cellphone communications in the backcountry, including use of texting instead of voice, and ways to improve antenna effective radiated power (ERP)
Be able to interpret the following information on a USGS topographic map:
Interpreting contour lines and reliably identifying:
Ridges and summits
Valleys and depressions
Even, convex and concave slopes
Saddles and knolls
Information conveyed by various colors
In addition to the requirements from Field III, identifying the following USGS topographic map symbols: 
Boundaries
Storage tanks, wells, mines, caves, picnic areas and campsites 
Built-up areas 
Boundary monuments, benchmarks and spot elevations
Photorevisions
Know coordinate grids, and how to read them from paper map edge ticks, including degree variants and UTM/USNG variants:
US National Grid (USNG; a slight variation of the NATO Military Grid Reference System = MGRS)
Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM)
Degrees, minutes and seconds (DD° MM’ SS”)
Decimal degrees (DD.DDDDD)
Degrees and decimal minutes (DD MM.MMM)
Be able to competently plot an orienteering-type route between two points on a map, and identify places where the following orienteering concepts could be used:
Handrail
Catching feature
Map simplification (creating a simplified mental map containing just features essential for navigating the route)
Comparing routes as far as difficulty of travel/hazards, elevation change, and difficulty of navigation/”safety” in terms of getting lost
Attack point
Aiming off
Rough vs precision navigation
Thumbing a map (keeping your thumb on your position on the map, and updating from time to time, as a means of quickly finding your current position on the map as you travel)
Be able to read and navigate using a paper topographic map, a compass and a GPS, and basic orienteering concepts to complete a basic-level orienteering course safely and confidently during the night
Given a map showing an assigned approximately 20 acre task area with one “side” that is indistinct (not along a linear feature), navigate to assigned area using map, compass and GPS, and circumnavigate the assigned area, during the day
Be able to use a personally-preferred GPS device (smartphone app or a dedicated GPS unit) to transfer .gpx files and from a laptop computer in Base
, Management and LeadershipKnow the meaning of the following concepts as related to field team and individual field team member morale:
Esprit de Corps
Human capital
Member engagement
Recognition
Trust
Concern for welfare and opinions of team members
Prestige
Be able to brief an assigned field team, using the basic principles of rhetoric, including public speaking basics 
Know the meaning of the following concepts as related to the family liaison role 
Physical support: food, water, shelter, rest
Emotional support: not leaving family alone, while still providing necessary grieving room
Using the “D” word (“dead”) and techniques for breaking bad news to family
Maintaining personal mental health when serving as liaison with family: recognizing immediate stress reactions in self and seeking help if needed
Know how to deal with family members in the field:
Prepare for immediate stress reactions and grief reactions in field
Emotional support
Physical support
Plan for support for family getting back to Base safely
Plan for family that refuse to leave field and their safety	

Know basic search tactics and be able to lead a team as follows:
Coach untrained team members in basic lost-person search techniques, including assessing, marking, protecting and communicating clues
Observe relevant legal principles related to entry upon private property during a search
Lead the following type of tasks:
Hasty tasks
A sweep (wide-spaced, Type II) search task
A line (close-spaced, saturation, Type III) search task, placing and removing markers at the edges for at least two instances of placing and removing edge markers
Serving as “flanker” for search dogs or mantrackers
As part of these tasks, perform the following
Receive a briefing by Base
Assemble field team
Assess team members’ capabilities and limitations and comparing with assigned task
Brief field team 
Delegate duties/positions as appropriate
Acquire necessary equipment for task
Complete Task Assignment Form (TAF)
Perform task
Assess for completion of task
Debrief field team members
Assess team members’ condition at end of task and arranging for rest and rehab or return to duty as appropriate
Debrief task with Base

Know how to do paving, turtling and lap pass, and be able to coach a litter team in performing them
Know basic care principles for nylon kernmantel rope, nylon webbing, carabiners, rescue pulleys and lowering devices including the rappel rack, figure 8 descender and other mechanical belay and lowering devices owned by your team
Know the properties, advantages and disadvantages of wrap-3, pull-2 and modified basket hitch anchors, and be able to rig them
Know the properties, advantages and disadvantages of the knots required of a Field III (overhand knot, double fisherman’s knot, water knot, 3-wrap Prusik knot, and the ASRC seat harness including square knot and bowline) and the following knots, and be able to reliably and confidently tie: 
Figure 8 knot
Figure 8 on a bight
Figure 8 follow-through loop around an object
Figure 8 bend
Clove hitch
Be able to reliably and confidently use best practices for a semi-tech evac (low angle rope rescue) to 
Belay and lower a litter with tree wraps
Lower a litter with a mechanical device
Belay a litter with Prusik loops and with a mechanical device
Perform as a member of a rotating belay/lowering team, both uphill and downhill rope team rotations, and managing (but not rigging) a 3:1 haul system.
Know and be able to use standard best practices for packaging and securing a patient in a litter for semi-technical evacuations (low-angle rope rescue)
Know and be able to use standard best practices for rigging a rope to the head of a litter for semi-technical evacuations (low-angle rope rescue)

The Field I possesses the minimum knowledge, skills and equipment to :
Lead a field team on a complex search task
Supervise a simple rescue involving ropes
Apply a deep understanding of leadership principles to lead a large team
Typical roles for ASRC members trained to the Field I level are to lead teams on search tasks that are long, in unfavorable weather, or involve difficult navigation or cross-country travel, and to supervise a steep low-angle rope rescue (semi-tech evac). Specific duties include:
Oversee field team members in their usual tasks
Set an example for the field team members to live up to
Serve as disciplinarian and counselor
Maintain order in the field but, along with the medic, being observant of physical or emotional problems within the field team
Keep the team intact throughout the task
Keep the team informed
Determine and monitor the abilities of each team member
Ensure people and equipment are prepped for the task
Divide the workload fairly
After each task, make sure to
Return team equipment returned to serviceable condition 
Return individual team members and their equipment to serviceable condition
A Field I can use knowledge of the area’s geography, climate, microclimate, weather, flora and fauna to provide an expert assessment of hazards to be expected on a search task, to assess and manage emergency stream crossings, and to select and prepare emergency overnight bivouac sites for a field team.
A Field I can set up and operate a Base radio, and apply large-network best practices to maintain network discipline during a large search.
A Field I can communicate grid positions to aircraft in terms pilots understand.
A Field I has a deep understanding of field team leadership, and can lead field teams on search tasks that challenge the team physically and emotionally, such as a long-duration task or one with many untrained volunteers.
A Field I knows enough about search management terminology and concepts to communicate effectively with Base staff, to assist in Base with briefing and debriefing teams, and manage attraction stations and large-team saturation (line) search tasks.
A Field I can rig and supervise a steep semi-tech evac (steep low-angle rope rescue), including using a Radium load-releasing hitch to switch from raise to lower and from lower to raise; and to use a Münter hitch when other alternatives are not available.

To be credentialed as a Field I, a member must participate in at least 3 field team tasks (total 6 since joining ASRC), including at least 3 at a real mission or full-scale exercise, and at least 2 serving as leader of a field team.
To be credentialed as a Field I, a member must pass a review with Group equipment, and be able to answer the following questions:
Demonstrate proficiency in the use and operation of all Group Equipment
What is its proper name?
What are its primary functions? 
What are its primary features?
What are some of the “do” and “don’t” for proper handling/use?
Describe the inspection procedures for function, wear and damage
To be credentialed as a Field I, a member must know the standard search operating procedures, requirements, and protocols of the state and other major local AHJ partners.

There are no pack check requirements for Field I beyond what is required at the Field IV and Field III levels, but the member must continue to possess or have that equipment available during missions such equipment.  

, Health and First Aid
Know the basics of mid-Appalachian terrain, climate, weather, botany and zoology pertinent to SAR team members serving in the field:
Know the effects of altitude on precipitation
Know the danger and likelihood of injury or illness from flora and fauna, including animal and insect attacks, and irritant plants:
Dangers from fauna:
Bears
Mountain lions
Coyotes
Feral pigs
Humans
Bees and wasps
Venomous snakes
Dangers from flora:
Poison ivy and poison sumac
Stinging nettles
Thorns
Giant hogweed
Know the basic climate and weather of the mid-Appalachian region, including common seasonal weather patterns:
Climate vs weather
Continental vs. maritime climates
Elevation and latitude effects on temperature and flora
Climate change effects on the mid-Appalachians including increased risk of flash flooding
Atmospheric trade-wind cells (Hadley cells)
Prevailing westerlies, the Great Lakes, the Gulf of Mexico, and their effects on precipitation including the rain shadow effect
Hurricanes
Nor’easters
Polar vortexes and bomb cyclones
Summer weather and thunderstorm patterns 
Using smartphone apps and reading the sky to predict very near-term weather
Know about emergency stream crossings, as an individual and as a group
Know and be able to set up and properly operate a radio station at Base, including:
Considerations for placing Base antennas with reference to communications efficacy, high points and ground planes, and dangers including wind and lightning
How to assemble handheld radios, and properly handle sign-in/sign-out of such radios
How to change handheld radio batteries
How to set up and use battery chargers
How to identify and prioritize batteries for charging or sign-out
How to determine when battery charging is complete 
Observing the FCC rules under which ASRC operates:
Use and number of units allowed for each FCC licensed frequency used by ASRC
Announcing the ASRC callsign
Concerns with interference with other channel users
Carrying out the duties and responsibilities of Net Control
Using the Equipment Log to track radio equipment and the Communications Log to track radio traffic
Be able to use a GPS or smartphone GPS app to ascertain and communicate DD MM.MMM coordinates of a given location (either current location or another specified location) to a helicopter as a landing zone (LZ)
Be able to navigate using a paper topographic map, a compass, and basic orienteering concepts, but without a GPS, to complete a basic-level orienteering course safely and confidently during the day
, Management and LeadershipBe able to be an effective leader, including clear demonstration of the following characteristics, in the course of the specific tasks listed in items 3 and 4 below:
Personal characteristics and knowledge of leadership styles (especially one’s own style)
Confident but flexible and inclusive decision-making
Basic public speaking skills
Know important field leadership the following concepts and how they affect the ability to lead, including but not limited to:
Effects of fatigue, including decision fatigue, on leadership performance
Effects of task overload, task-switching and multitasking on leadership performance
Effects of mental rules of thumb (heuristics) that may cause cognitive bias in decision-making
Leading a field team during a change in conditions or task scope
Dealing with difficult or unskilled team members
How to create a safe and effective leadership climate (e.g., psychological safety) within a team
Be able to lead a complex and stressful search task, which may be characterized by length of task, physical separation/isolation from base, size of a team (greater than span of control), or lack of skilled supporting members on the team
Be able to lead a complex rescue task, which would involve combining of multiple field teams into a single rescue team to form a rescue team greater than typical span of control (e.g., at least a dozen team members) and lead either a difficult extraction or a semi-technical portion of the evacuation, or a long-duration evacuation (e.g., greater than 2 hrs)
Be able to implement a formal team discussion for risk/benefit analysis of a field team’s assigned task, including:
Allowing and encouraging all team members to speak their minds
Preventing groupthink, by having members speak in reverse authority gradient or by some other mechanism
Having members analyze safety different aspects of the team and the task that affect risk, such as task complexity, fitness of team, environment and hazards, need for improvisation
As Base support, be able to brief field team leaders of teams going into the field and debrief field team leaders of teams returning from the field

In addition to the terms required in Field III, know the following terms used in SAR, their definitions, and their implications
Areas of expertise/types of SAR
USAR: Urban Search and Rescue 
Urban Search
Wilderness Search and Rescue
Search Strategy/Planning Terms and Concepts
ICP: Incident Command Post
Base
POS: Probability of Success
MPQ: Missing Person Questionnaire 
GIS: Geographic Information System
Statistical model for determining POA
Travel-time model for determining POA
Trail-based model for determining POA
Mattson consensus method for determining POA (“Mattson”)
Shifting POA
Sweep width
Bike wheel model
Axle
Rim
Hub
Spokes
Reflectors
Canine-specific terms
Field team vs Dog team
Alert (dog team)
Refind (dog team)
Scent-discriminating
Know the principles and planning considerations for an attraction station along a road and one that requires a backcountry camp-in
Know the differences in leading a team on a hasty or sweep (wide-spaced search) and leading a large team on a saturation (line) search task

Know the properties, advantages and disadvantages and be able to reliably and confidently tie and use: 
The Münter hitch, including the Super Münter
The butterfly knot (Alpine butterfly) and know its uses
The Radium load-releasing hitch
Be able to use the following for belaying and lowering, give considerations for when they are appropriate, and discuss concerns with using them in rescue situations:
Münter hitch and Super Münter
Rappel rack
Figure 8 descender
Other mechanical belay and lowering devices owned by your team
Be able to rig and manage lowering and raising systems for steep low angle rope rescue (steep semi-technical evacs) including: 
Mechanical braking systems 
3:1 hauling systems, including using a Radium load-releasing hitch and other rigging to switch from lower to raise and from raise to lower
Know the advantages, disadvantages, safety considerations and appropriate situations for use of: 
Single-line systems
Single-line systems with a separate belay
Two-tensioned (dual-capability) line systems
Know general principles for setting up a helicopter landing zone (LZ), and principles for those on the ground interacting with a helicopter crew, including essential elements of safety
Documentation and Process for ASRC 
The ASRC BOD makes a certification decision for each candidate based on the letter of the training standard, and based on the spirit of the training standard. 
The letter of the training standard is interpreted here by requirements for documentation and other supporting materials to meet the qualifications as they are written in the training standards. 
The spirit of the training standard is by necessity a subjective trust decision as to whether the candidate can fulfill the expected future duties of the position on a variety of incident types, based on current and past personal knowledge and experiences by others with the candidate. This document does not yet describe a process for spirit assessment.
These documentation and process rules here are intended to address several principles of certification:
Independence – documentary evidence should not be based on the candidate’s own evaluation/validation where possible. These rules allow candidates to attest in some cases because of the extreme difficulty that obtaining some forms of hard copy documentation would present (such as signed debriefed TAFs as proof of FTL team leadership for the IS requirement). Generally, members of the ASRC BOD and an independent auditor should be able to look at the documentation and arrive at the same decision that the ASRC BOD make with regard to whether the letter of the qualification was met.
Accountability – by providing this documentation, the individuals involved (e.g. the candidate, the GTO and others making attestations) and the ASRC BOD are held accountable for ensuring the candidate meets the letter of the qualification.
Standardization – this document provides a clear set of requirements for all candidates that are standardized by the ASRC BOD, and included as part of the ASRC training standards.
Consistency – these documentation guidelines help ensure BOD certification decisions are consistent. They minimize the per-candidate subjective interpretation of what documentation is “good enough” to meet the standard. A checklist for each position provides quick and consistent briefing how the relevant qualifications are met.
Experiential Requirements – these documentation guidelines describe how to document mission, simulation and other experience. Other people are required to validate the candidate did in fact have the qualifying experience. The Conference Training Officer (CTO) may contact these people during the vetting process to confirm.
Periodic Recertification – the ASRC training standards defines different requirements for recertification than for initial certification. This document provides rules for showing evidence of continuing education and experience.
All applicants are strongly encouraged to keep and submit, as part of their application, their mission log that shows all incident participation or a relevant subset to help the ASRC BOD decide whether the spirit of the standard can be met. The log that is submitted should be summarized, but may be in whatever format the candidate maintains. If possible the log should contain the following information: mission name, mission number, date, length of deployment, role and tasks, SM/OPS contact details, supervisor contact details, any special tasks performed or noteworthy accomplishments (e.g. difficulty of task). No independent verification of the accuracy of the log is required.
The CTO vetting is done by verifying that all the documentation requirements are met and accurately reflected on the checklist, and may or may not include contacting the persons who attest to various qualifications are met. The forwarding of the application to the ASRC BOD may be done by combining all forms of documentation into an electronic package (e.g. a single PDF containing all copies of documentation, or multiple PDFs) and sending by email to the asrc-bod@asrc.net email list. Or it may be done by providing a single hard-copy of all documentation at a BOD meeting for reference by the ASRC BOD members. 
Where written evidence is required from an authoritative source (e.g. GTO, SM, instructor or class participant), it can be provided in hard-copy letter, by fax, or in electronic copy using email. It must include the person’s first and last name, signature (or email), contact phone and optionally an email address. To allow for easier confirmation, these forms can be used by a 3rd person who is an officer of a group or of the ASRC or designated by one to perform this action, who confirms they spoke or otherwise verified the information from the authoritative source. For example, the CTO or his designate can talk by phone, instant message, text or email to the SM of a mission in the process of vetting an application to confirm a candidate’s staff role and hours worked. The documentation will contain the name of the authority, the date that it was created, authorized, approved or received, and who did the verification if not by the authority themselves.
In the case of hard copy letters with signatures and other supporting documentation for the application, the master copy should be maintained by the candidate. The contents of the application are not personal private information owned by the candidate. The candidate should have no expectation of privacy for this information. In making the application, the candidate is aware that distribution of this information is necessary to process the application. The candidate expressly and irrevocably assigns all copyrights or other intellectual property rights for this material to the ASRC Corporation. The ASRC secretary must receive a full electronic or hard copy of all application materials and is expected to maintain a copy of it for as long as the ASRC BOD determines is appropriate. The ASRC CTO, ASRC BOD members and other officers may maintain their own records of application materials as well, and may maintain notes and emails that contain feedback gathered about the candidate. In order to protect the quality of such feedback, feedback that is requested by the provider to remain private may not be shared with the candidate or the ASRC BOD. But any other materials and information and notes and emails gathered or written by the CTO or by any assisting the CTO or the ASRC BOD with regard to evaluating the candidate and the application for certification are considered confidential property of the ASRC Board of Directors. As such, any and all copies must be irrevocably deleted from personal computers, email accounts, archives and disk storage upon request.

Search Manager IV standards define the minimum requirements necessary to perform in the role of a NIMS compliant General Staff position, including Operations Section Chief and Planning Section Chief) for missing person and the ground portion of a missing aircraft search.
SM-IV (PTB)
An ASRC SM-IV PTB is available for the Group Training Officer and applicant to utilize to track progress toward completion of the SM-IV qualification requirements.
The spirit of the Search Manager-IV standard is that the SM-IV certified member be trusted to confidently serve as Ops or Plans or Logistics section chief, as ASRC Agency Representative on a reasonably large incident (200 people, 15 agencies) without much supervision by the SM, and with effective coordination with other staff, field resources, participating agencies and proper handling of media interactions and intrusions. The SM-IV member serves as an experienced FTL who is responsible for creating a variety of appropriately prioritized tasks based on the incident objectives for both foot searchers and dog tasks that achieve an effective use of available resources and time with the goal of containing the search area, and finding clues to help reduce and focus the search area and find the subject alive and well. The SM-IV certified member is also expected to perform evacuation planning and rescue coordination. The SM-IV candidate is an experienced, qualified FTL to ensure they can lead a team in the event that the needs of the mission, as determined by the SM, RA or otherwise, require the IS person to serve as an FTL instead of a staff role. Also, the SM-IV may be the only experienced and available person able to lead a rescue when a find happens out of area, or if existing field teams are deployed out of range, or out of touch. The SM-IV role must also be able to serve as ASRC agency representative to know, adhere, educate and enforce for ASRC member participants the ASRC standard operating procedures and standards of conduct.

To become Search Manager IV certified, the applicant must:
Be an ASRC Field Team Leader (FTL).
Have served as FTL on at least three field tasks.
Meet the technical standards set below, as determined by the Group Training Officer. 
Complete ICS-300, Intermediate Incident Command System (24 hours).
Complete a minimum total of 64 hours of classroom training in Search and Rescue management. Classes which may be used to satisfy this requirement include, but are not limited to (course hours for ICS-300 may be used to meet the 64 hour requirement):
Managing Search Operations (40 hours);
Managing the Search Function (40 hours);
Managing Land Search Operations (40 hours);
Practical Search Operations (40 hours);
Search Manager for Ground Search and Rescue (24 hours);
Planning Section Chief for Search and Rescue (24 hours);
National Inland SAR Planning Course (40 hours);
National Basic Inland SAR Course (20 hours);
Virginia Management Team Member (40 hours);
Virginia Management Team Leader (40 hours);
Incident Commander for Ground Search and Rescue (32 hours);
Lost Person Behavior (8 to 32 hours);
Urban Search and Investigation (16 hours);
Wide Area Search (24 hours); and
Other approved equivalent classes, as approved by the ASRC Credentialing Board. 
Serve as a member of the Command Post or Base Staff on one incident within the last three years.
Receive a favorable simple majority vote of the member’s Group.
Be proposed for Search Manager IV certification by the Group Training Officer through the Conference Training Officer at an ASRC Board of Directors meeting and receive a favorable simple majority vote.

Upon being approved for certification by the ASRC Board of Directors, the ASRC Conference Training Officer will provide a certificate of certification to the member. This certificate will be in the official SM-IV Certification Format, as defined by the ASRC Conference Training Officer, and which contains at a minimum:
The full name of the Appalachian Search and Rescue Conference
The ASRC logo
The name of the member granted the certification
The name of the certification granted
The date issued
The date of expiration/recertification
The signature of the ASRC Conference Training Officer

Search Manager IV qualified members must meet the following recertification requirements every three calendar years:
Document a total of at least 3 shifts in staff positions, on a total of at least three ground SAR incidents, during the three years immediately prior to the date of application for re-certification. Simulations may be counted toward re-certification requirements.
Continuing education may only be used for a total of 2 shifts.
The requirements for one shift may be fulfilled with 12 hours of category II continuing education. (One hour of qualifying category II CE will include an hour of classroom instruction or teaching the following SAR related topics: law enforcement, EMS, medical, Fire, hazardous materials, emergency management, disaster management, weather.)
The requirements for two shifts may be fulfilled with 24 hours of category I continuing education or one shift with 12 hours. One hour of qualifying category I CE will include an hour of classroom instruction or teaching the following SAR topics; any topic listed in CQ, FTM, Field Team Signcutter (FTS), FTL, Managing Search Operations (MSO), Practical Search Operations (PSO), Incident Commander for Ground Search and Rescue (ICG), or leadership training.
Receive a favorable vote of the ASRC Board of Directors.
In the event the SM-IV does not receive a favorable vote, they will be put on an immediate suspension as SM-IV. The Board of Directors will prepare a letter stating the reasons for the suspension if for reasons other than non-compliance with section 1. The SM-IV may choose to dispute matters in writing or in person at the next Board of Directors meeting. After a presentation by the suspended staff member the BOD will go into a closed session for deliberations. The BOD may reverse the suspension by a simple majority vote.
The review cycle period shall begin the first January of the year following the SM-IV’s initial certification.
Search Manager-IV qualified members shall meet the recertification requirements every three (3) calendar years. Continuing education may only be used for a total of 2 shifts. 
The requirements for recertification are not the same as for initial certification. For SM-IV recertification, no further refreshers of required classes are required, nor are the GTO and group review. 
Currency in knowledge and techniques learned in MSO and ICS-300 are expected to be reinforced, perfected and enhanced through practical experience doing real mission management. Thus full incident shifts as the designated Ops or Plans section chief are strongly desired for recertification. 
The term “staff positions” originally was interpreted to mean only the section chief roles of operations, plans or logistics. However, not everyone can get appointed to serve a full shift as section chief on the missions they can respond to. Some missions are short. And as always, people should serve in the operational capacity best suited to help the subject and the requirements of the RA. Thus the interpretation of “staff positions” has allowed for a various types of management experience to be credited to meet the letter of the standard. 
A “shift” is interpreted to mean at minimum 8 consecutive hours. It does not include time for transportation to/from the incident, but may include transportation off-scene during the incident and breaks within the period of doing the work as long as the responsibility for the staff work was retained. For quick incidents, a “shift” (8 hours credit) can be claimed if you were assigned to do staff work as part of an overhead team continually during the initial on-scene setup, dispatching of initial tasks, responding to the find, and demobilization. The qualification for 6 shifts is thus met using a total of 6*8=48 hours of work in “staff positions”, and which involves a minimum of 3 different ground SAR incidents.
The qualification for “staff position” can be met to the letter by claiming on-scene work that requires or exercises your search and rescue management training:
Assigned by a SM to be responsible for one or more command staff functions (agency liaison, family liaison, PR, agency representative, investigations, safety officer) or deputy SM, or
Assigned by an SM as to be the section chief (Operations, Plans, Logistics, or Finance), a combination of these (PLOPS), or deputy section chief, 
Assigned by a section chief to a function or job within a section, such as to do a Mattson and search area map and segmentation, write new TAFs, task briefing officer, task debriefing officer, develop/maintain resource status, interviewing for clue follow-up, developing or enhancing the subject LPQ/LPR, creating a searcher information sheet, filling out ICS forms, being communication unit leader responsible for developing and executing the overall incident communications plan, be a division supervisor or branch director or dog coordinator with responsibility for developing new tasking, doing clue tracking/plotting/analysis, doing a tasks complete map with POD and resulting POA adjustment or task reprioritization, medical/evacuation coordinator/unit leader where you develop and execute response plans.
The candidate cannot claim a position that was not assigned. The person making the assignment is considered the supervisor or manager and will need to validate the assigned role and the duration in the documentation requirements.
Excluded from “staff positions” are quasi-field work assignments, administrative tasks, and logistics tasks that could be done by an FTM or FTL or local volunteer, unless these tasks are done as part of a larger management responsibility reviewed above. Example work that would not count as “staff positions” when done on their own without broader responsibilities above are:
Setting up the base radio, being base radio operator, being a communications relay
Doing just a task complete map, or task assigned map
CP/base messenger
Parking cars, directing traffic, developing and posting signs
Attending sign-in, managing a staging area
Making copies of maps or other forms
Getting and serving food
Providing transport for teams
Setting up tables and picking up trash
Conducting interview tasks door-to-door or posting flyers
Taking general phone calls from the public or media
Making phone calls to find supplies
Rescue equipment officer, evacuation team leader
Staff work that is not a full shift is considered “partial shift” time that is counted as actual hours worked to add to the total hours of experience in “staff positions”. For staff work lasting longer than 8 consecutive hours, count the number of actual hours worked towards your total. Partial hours are rounded up to the next hour. 
For example, you arrived at 16:00 on-scene, worked in base helping ops and plans doing various things all night (not just one thing) and then took an hour break at 0:600 to get your field gear ready for a task and came back to get assigned a task. You would count 16:00-06:00 8hrs + 6hrs = 14hrs and one mission towards the recertification qualification. 
For example, if you were not the ops section chief but you did 2 hours of miscellaneous tasks in CP/Base to help plans/ops get tasks deployed, and then went to sleep, signed-out, or took a field task, you can claim those 2 hours as “partial shift” time and the incident as 1 of the 3 incidents.
Failure to Recertify
If the SM fails to recertify by the expiration date, hher certification will be dropped to highest level certification that they have successfully met the recertification requirement for three months after the expiration date. 	
An expired SM may apply for recertification for up to 3 months past the end of their certification. Beyond this grace period, if the SM wishes to be re-certified after certification has been dropped; the entire process described in Section VIII-X must be repeated.
If there are extenuating circumstances that prevent the SM from recertifying within the allotted time, he/she should file for an extension with the ASRC Conference Training Officer. Requests for extensions will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the ASRC Board of Directors.

Demonstrate a working knowledge of the ICS concepts
Demonstrate a working knowledge of the ASRC Operational Guidance Manual

Outline the delegation of authority and responsibility for search and rescue in states where ASRC is located
Explain how the following legal concepts apply to search and rescue operations: 
Good Samaritan Laws
Civil suits and criminal actions
Standards of care
The right to emergency assistance and duties to provide emergency assistance
Abandonment
Implied consent
Entry, during incidents, on property posted “No Trespassing”	
Crime scene protection
Declaration of death and confirmation of death
Confidentiality

Describe sources of weather information
Assign realistic tasks to field teams, given terrain, weather, personnel and the context of a search
Produce legible color-enhanced copies of maps with ASRC grids

Brief a field team leader properly before a task, including:
Subject information and history, subject’s equipment, behavior and medical history
Weather
Terrain
The search task, how to perform it, what its objectives are, clues in the area
Estimated time to complete the task
Hazards
Describe aircraft crash scene considerations
Describe the proper documentation of, and response to, reported clues
Debrief a field team leader properly after a task, including:
POD, clues, safety hazards, map updates, other pertinent field information, and any other relevant information
Availability for reassignment
Specialty team debriefing as appropriate, including:
Dogs (including obtaining information on air movement)
Aircraft
Direction finding
Tracking
Evacuation (ensuring that paperwork and documentation are completed and checked)
Medical (ensuring that paperwork and documentation are completed and checked)
Plot (triangulate) bearings from Direction-Finding instruments
Handle the media in an appropriate manner (as assigned by the SM
Be able to complete an ASRC map problem defined as follows; given a search scenario and an ASRC OPSKIT, the ASRC SM-IV member must be able to complete an accurate Strategy Map using ASRC and ICS symbols. The SM-IV member must then use the map to:
Use the Task Assignment Procedure to generate a set of appropriate tasks to complete the initial strategy with the given resources
Fill out a Task Assignment Form properly for each task
Start a Status Map using the standard ASRC symbols
Generate Medical, Organizational (including ICS 201), Communications, Evacuation and Demobilization Plans
Equipment:
Be able to set up antennas and relays, using available high points and ground planes
Describe the proper placement of antennas
FCC Rules and communications protocols:
Describe FCC rules under which the ASRC operates:
State the use and number of units allowed for each FCC licensed frequency used by the ASRC
Describe appropriate concerns with interference with other Nets
Describe FCC rules pertinent to the ASRC
Outline common communications protocols as they relate to a SAR event
Management:
Develop a comprehensive Communications Plan for a mission (with multiple nets and base communications)
Describe how to interface with other organizations providing radio communications at missions (CAP, Ham, etc.):
Planning: describe what is needed and how these organizations can be put to best use
Resources: describe what the organizations can provide and when
Operations: find out what they need during operations and try to provide it
Explain when a temporary commercial telephone line installation is practical. Describe the procedure to obtain a temporary installation
Maintain proper records (Communications log and equipment sign-out log)

Search Manager III standards define the minimum requirements necessary to perform in the role of a NIMS compliant Command Staff position, incident commander, or part of a unified command for a missing person search or an aircraft search. 
SM-III (PTB)
An ASRC SM-III PTB is available for the applicant to utilize to track progress toward completion of the SM-III qualification requirements.

To become Search Manager - III qualified the applicant must:
Meet all requirements for Search Manager IV
Be at least 21 years of age
Complete ICS-400, Advanced Incident Command System (16 hours)
Complete a minimum total of 80 hours of classroom training in Search and Rescue management. Classes which may be used to satisfy this requirement include, but are not limited to (course hours for ICS-400 may be used to meet the 80 hour requirement):
Managing Search Operations (40 hours)
Managing the Search Function (40 hours)
Managing Land Search Operations (40 hours)
Practical Search Operations (40 hours)
Search Manager for Ground Search and Rescue (24 hours)
Planning Section Chief for Search and Rescue (24 hours)
National Inland SAR Planning Course (40 hours)
National Basic Inland SAR Course (20 hours)
Virginia Management Team Member (40 hours)
Virginia Management Team Leader (40 hours)
Incident Commander for Ground Search and Rescue (32 hours)
Lost Person Behavior (8 to 32 hours)
Urban Search and Investigation (16 hours)
Wide Area Search (24 hours)
Other approved equivalent classes, as approved by the ASRC Credentialing Board
Document mission/simulation experience as follows:
Field Team Leader or equivalent on 6 tasks. No more than three of these tasks may have occurred during simulations
Serve in a base position in Operations or Plans on at least 4 incidents
Serve as Plans Section Chief, Operations Section Chief (OPS), deputy OPS, division supervisor, or Search Manager on one shift during a mission
Receive a favorable written performance evaluation from the Search Manager or supervisor for the four incidents serving in a base position
Receive a favorable simple majority vote of the member’s Group
Be proposed for Search Manager – III certification by the Conference Training Officer at an ASRC Board of Director’s meeting;
Receive a favorable two-thirds or greater vote of the ASRC Board of Directors present at the meeting
Certification
Upon being approved for certification by the ASRC Board of Directors, the ASRC Conference Training Officer will provide a certificate of certification to the member. This certificate will be in the official ASRC SM-III Certification Format, as defined by the ASRC Conference Training Officer, and which contains at a minimum:
The full name of the Appalachian Search and Rescue Conference
The ASRC logo
The name of the member granted the certification
The name of the certification granted
The date issued
The date of expiration/recertification 
The signature of the ASRC Conference Training Officer

Search Manager - III qualified members must meet the following recertification requirements every three calendar years:
Document a total of at least 6 shifts in staff positions
Two must be as Search Manager, on a total of at least three ground SAR incidents for either, during the three years immediately prior to the date of application for re-certification
Simulations may be counted toward re-certification requirements
Continuing education may only be used for a total of 2 shifts and may not substitute for SM shifts
The requirements for one shift may be fulfilled with 12 hours of category II continuing education. (One hour of qualifying category II CE will include an hour of classroom instruction or teaching the following SAR related topics: law enforcement, EMS, medical, Fire, hazardous materials, emergency management, disaster management, weather)
The requirements for two shifts may be fulfilled with 24 hours of category I continuing education or one shift with 12 hours. (One hour of qualifying category I CE will include an hour of classroom instruction or teaching the following SAR topics; any topic listed in CQ, FTM, FTL, MSO, PSO, ICG, or leadership training
Receive a favorable vote of the ASRC Board of Directors
The review cycle period shall begin the first January of the year following the SM’s initial certification

If the SM fails to recertify by the expiration date, hher certification will be dropped to highest level certification that they have successfully met the recertification requirement for three months after the expiration date. 	
An expired SM may apply for recertification for up to 3 months past the end of their certification. Beyond this grace period, if the SM wishes to be re-certified after certification has been dropped; the entire process described in Section VIII-X must be repeated.
If there are extenuating circumstances that prevent the SM from recertifying within the allotted time, he/she should file for an extension with the ASRC Conference Training Officer. Requests for extensions will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the ASRC Board of Directors.

Define the role of the field team for these types of missions: 
Lost person search
Downed aircraft search
Rescue
Disaster assistance

Demonstrate an understanding of the laws, policies, and procedures, operating instructions, memorandums and agreements that govern SAR operations in the ASRC’s area of operation
Demonstrate an understanding of the NIMS Incident Command System as it applies to SAR and how the system can be adapted to any size incident
Demonstrate an understanding of the SAR resources listed below including how they are obtained, and their appropriate and inappropriate uses:
Air scent search dogs
Tracking/trailing dogs
Trackers/Field Team Sign-cutters
Specialized SAR management teams
Specialized SAR field teams
Mounted search teams
Fixed wing aircraft
Rotary wing aircraft
Demonstrate an understanding of the non-SAR resources listed below including how they are obtained and their potential function in a SAR incident:
Clergy and religious organizations
Critical incident stress management
State Coordinating Officer
Coroner/Medical Examiner
Child Protective Services
Public safety agencies such as fire, police, rescue, National Guard
Federal agencies such as National Park Service (NPS), National Transportation and Safety Board (NTSB), Health and Human Services, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), military units, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and others
Support services such as Red Cross, Salvation Army, and civic clubs
Demonstrate an understanding of the individuals or groups listed below including how they impact a SAR incident, what their concerns are, how to interact with them, when and how to effectively use them, and how to mitigate against inappropriate external influences:
Psychics
Media
Family and friends of the subject(s)
Describe the role of the Search Manager in relation to the Legal Responsible Agent (RA) in the following situations:
When the RA is uncooperative
When the mission involves or expands into other jurisdictions
Describe the role of the SM in relation to the various resources that may participate in a search mission in the following situations:
When the SM has overall responsibility for all resources present
When the mission involves or expands into other jurisdictions
Demonstrate an understanding of certain legal issues related to SAR including: 
Trespassing
Confidentiality
Criminal investigations
Management of deceased subjects
Restricted airspace
Restricting access to various areas
Site security and surveillance
Maintaining the chain of evidence
Use of minors in SAR incidents
Liability for supplies, equipment, and services lent or donated for use during an incident
Use of SAR personnel for apprehension of criminals and crime scene investigation
Discovery of non-incident related illegal activities.

Be able to develop or manage the development of an Incident Action Plan, including both daily and overall incident goals and objectives
Be able to develop and manage a staff and describe when, where, and why various functions should be assigned to which staff positions, including the following functions:
Operations
Plans
Logistics
Finance
Media liaison
Interagency liaison
Safety
Investigations
Clue analysis
Be able to communicate with the staff by means of briefings, meetings, and written communications
Describe the internal staff information flow system, including verbal, written and electronic communications, required to insure that information is properly collected, evaluated, disseminated, used, and stored throughout the incident
Be able to work within a unified command system
Describe when and how to contact the appropriate state SAR coordinating agency and what type of incident information it may require
Identify outside influence problems common to search missions, describe solutions and the reasoning
Identify potential safety issues and describe how/if they can be countered
Describe when risk factors outweigh the need to continue operations
Describe the differences in deployment of resources in urban, suburban, rural and wilderness searches, and in the ground portion of an aircraft search
Describe the various search strategies that can be applied to the ground search portion of a missing aircraft mission
Describe prioritization of limited resources and how/if such shortages can be
Describe how to effectively and efficiently use non-SAR resources who may offer help at all types of searches
Describe the process used in making the decision to suspend a mission
Explain the SM’s role after the subject or target has been located
Describe the common signs of incident stress and define the criteria for recommending a critical incident stress debriefing
Be able to complete all necessary mission documentation

Search Manager II meets the same requirements at SM-III, but with an increased level of recent incident command experience. 
SM-II  (PTB)
An ASRC SM-II PTB is available for the applicant to utilize to track progress toward completion of the SM-II qualification requirements.

Meet all the requirements for SM-III.
Document mission experience as follows:
Participate as an Incident Staff Person in Operations, Plans, or Command in at least six type two incidents.
During these incidents, document having served at least 2 shifts as Operations Section Chief or Division Supervisor, and 2 shifts as Plans Section Chief.
Receive a favorable written performance evaluation from the Search Manager or Responsible Agent on four the incidents.
Receive a favorable simple majority vote of the member’s Group.
Be proposed for Search Manager - II certification by the Conference Training Officer at an ASRC Board of Director’s meeting. 
Receive a favorable two-thirds or greater vote of the ASRC Board of Directors present at the meeting.

Upon being approved for certification by the ASRC Board of Directors, the ASRC Conference Training Officer will provide a certificate of certification to the member. This certificate will be in the official ASRC SM-II Certification Format, as defined by the ASRC Conference Training Officer, and which contains at a minimum:
The full name of the Appalachian Search and Rescue Conference
The ASRC logo
The name of the member granted the certification
The name of the certification granted
The date issued
The date of expiration/recertification 
The signature of the ASRC Conference Training Officer

Search Manager - II qualified members must meet the following recertification requirements every three calendar years:
Document a total of at least 6 shifts in staff positions; two must be as a Search Manager, on a total of at least three ground SAR incidents, for either missing person or missing aircraft, during the three years immediately prior to the date of application for re- certification. Field simulations may be used to fulfill up to 3 of the required shifts.
Continuing education may only be used for a total of 2 shifts, and may not substitute for SM shift time.
The requirements for one shift may be fulfilled with 12 hours of category II continuing education.
The requirements for 2 shifts may be fulfilled with 24 hours of category I continuing education or one shift with 12 hours.
Receive a favorable vote of the ASRC Board of Directors.
The review cycle period shall begin the first January of the year following the SM’s initial certification. 

If the SM fails to recertify by the expiration date, hher certification will be dropped to highest level certification that they have successfully met the recertification requirement for three months after the expiration date. 	
An expired SM may apply for recertification for up to 3 months past the end of their certification. Beyond this grace period, if the SM wishes to be re-certified after certification has been dropped; the entire process described in Section VIII-X must be repeated.
If there are extenuating circumstances that prevent the SM from recertifying within the allotted time, he/she should file for an extension with the ASRC Conference Training Officer. Requests for extensions will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the ASRC Board of Directors.

[There are no specific performance standards for Search Manager II]

Search Manager I standards define the minimum requirements necessary to perform in the role of an Area Command Authority overseeing multiple-incident situations. 
SM-I  (PTB)
An ASRC SM-I PTB is available for the applicant to utilize to track progress toward completion of the SM-I qualification requirements.

Meet all requirements for Type II Search Manager.
Complete the FEMA Basic Public Information Officer Course (G-290), or an equivalent course as recommended by the ASRC Credentialing Board.
Successfully complete the National Inland SAR Planning Course (40 hours), or an equivalent course as recommended by the ASRC Credentialing Board. 
Complete a minimum total of 120 hours of classroom training in Search and Rescue management. Classes which may be used to satisfy this requirement include but are not limited to (course hours for the National Inland SAR Planning Course may be used to meet the 120 hour requirement):
Managing Search Operations (40 hours);
Managing the Search Function (40 hours);
Managing Land Search Operations (40 hours);
Practical Search Operations (40 hours);
Search Manager for Ground Search and Rescue (24 hours);
Planning Section Chief for Search and Rescue (24 hours);
National Basic Inland SAR Course (20 hours).
Virginia Management Team Member (40 hours);
Virginia Management Team Leader (40 hours);
Incident Commander for Ground Search and Rescue (32 hours);
Lost Person Behavior (8 to 32 hours);
Urban Search and Investigation (16 hours);
Wide Area Search (24 hours);
Other approved equivalent classes, as recommended ASRC Credentialing Board.
Successfully complete FEMA Independent Study Courses:
IS-1 Emergency Manager: An Orientation to the Position;
IS-22 Are You Ready? An In-depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness;
IS-775 EOC Management and Operations or approved equivalents.
Document mission practical experience as follows: Function as a Type II Search Manager on at least 10 ground missions within the five years prior to making application for this certification. Simulations may not be counted toward meeting this requirement.
Receive a favorable simple majority vote of the member’s Group.
Be proposed for Search Manager-I certification by the Conference Training Officer at an ASRC Board of Directors meeting; 
Receive a favorable two-thirds or greater vote of the ASRC Board of Directors present at the meeting.

Upon being approved for certification by the ASRC Board of Directors, the ASRC Conference Training Officer will provide a certificate of certification to the member. This certificate will be in the official ASRC SM-II Certification Format, as defined by the ASRC Conference Training Officer, and which contains at a minimum:
The full name of the Appalachian Search and Rescue Conference
The ASRC logo
The name of the member granted the certification
The name of the certification granted
The date issued
The date of expiration/recertification 
The signature of the ASRC Conference Training Officer
Document a total of at least 6 incidents as a type II or I Search Manager, for either missing persons or missing aircraft, during the three years immediately prior to the date of application for recertification. Field simulations may be used to fulfill up to 3 of the required shifts.
Continuing education may only be used for a total of two shifts.
The requirements for one incident may be fulfilled with 24 hours of category II continuing education.
The requirements for two incidents may be fulfilled with 40 hours of category I continuing education.
Receive a favorable vote of the ASRC Board of Directors.
The review cycle period shall begin the first January of the year following the SM’s initial certification. 

If the SM fails to recertify by the expiration date, hher certification will be dropped to highest level certification that they have successfully met the recertification requirement for three months after the expiration date. 	
An expired SM may apply for recertification for up to 3 months past the end of their certification. Beyond this grace period, if the SM wishes to be re-certified after certification has been dropped; the entire process described in Section VIII-X must be repeated.
If there are extenuating circumstances that prevent the SM from recertifying within the allotted time, he/she should file for an extension with the ASRC Conference Training Officer. Requests for extensions will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the ASRC Board of Directors.

[There are no specific performance standards for Search Manager I]

Old versions are posted in the ASRC Archive at .
July 2020 (Version 8.1)
Moved followership from Field III to Field IV
Moved immediate stress reactions from Field II to Field IV
Eliminated requirement to follow a track for 5 steps
Moved rhetoric from Field I to Field II
Removed as many eponyms as possible; in some cases where eponyms are very well-known, used the systematic name with the eponym following in parentheses; this included spelling out some management principles from the literature
For terms that are not commonly known, added explanations in parentheses or footnotes
Many other minor changes here and there, fixing typos and duplications and adding small items that were inadvertently omitted from 8.0
In accordance with the discussion at the January 202 Retreat, changed the language “Demonstrate the ability to” to “Be able to” throughout the document; these changes are not highlighted in yellow.
October 2019 (Version 8.0)
Major restructuring, see the new ASRC Training Guide for details. 
January 2017 (Version 7.2)
Reformatted using the new s Branding Guide.
Minor editorial changes, fixed misspellings and typographical errors.
Added a few older versions of the ASRC Training Standards to this list. 
May 2016 (Version 7.2)
Corrected spelling, typographical and formatting issues.
Adjusted verbiage across certification levels for consistency and to remove duplication.
Replaced/corrected online classes that have changed since the last update.
Removed non-search management classes from list of Search Manager approved education courses.
Incorporated ASRC Credentialing Policy Manual concepts.
May 2012 (Version 7.1):
Corrected spelling, typographical and formatting issues.
Corrected missing ICS-700 class in the CQ requirements.
Added additional, recognized classes to Search Manager certifications.
October 2011 (Version 7.0):
Updated knowledge and performance expectations for all certifications.
Updated NIMS/ICS and required training requirements for IC certifications.
Updated required class for NIMS/ICS certifications. 
October 2008 (Version 6.3)
FTM and FTL recertification policy approved on April 9, 2005 was added to the Training Standards baseline.
Corrected typo in IS recertification requirements.
Updated reference to the “Z-Haul” system in the FTL standard to correctly reflect that it provides a mechanical advantage of 3:1 rather than 2:1 as stated in the previous version.
July 2008 (Version 6.2)
Included NIMS/ICS training requirements for each credential, including optional requirements for command and staff certifications.
Included Conference Dispatch Officer certification
The CDO Standard established the NIMS-compliant format and structure for future revisions
March 2003 (Version 6.1)
Updated ASRC address.
Adjusted AO requirements (VII.A.1) based on Feb 2003 BOD meeting to require FTL and MLSO or equivalent instead of being IS.
August 2001
Updated manual produced
March 2001 (Version 6.0)
IS recertification changes
January 2001
IC standards rewritten
April 1997
MS Word Revision
April 1994 & August 1994 (Version 5.3)
CQ changes approved
October 1993 (Version 5.2)
AO standards added
February 1993
IC change
June 1991
IC changes
October 1989
Communications changes
March 1989
May 1987 (Version 4)
Name changed to ASRC Training Standards from ASRC Training Guide.
January 1986 (Version 3.3)
July 1983 (Version 3.0)