4.1 This guide establishes the minimum knowledge, skills, and abilities that a person must have to perform as a Land Search Team Member. No other skills are included or implied.

4.2 Every person who is identified as a Land Search Team Member shall have met the requirements of this guide.

4.3 This guide is to be used by individuals and agencies having jurisdiction that wish to identify the minimum training required for a Land Search Team Member.

4.3.1 The AHJ shall determine the depth or detail of training required to meet these needs.

4.4 Though this guide establishes the minimum standard of training, it does not imply that a Land Search Team Member is a “trainee,” “probationary,” or other similar term member of a team, organization, or agency.

4.4.1 Determining the requirements and qualifications for land search team members is the responsibility of the AHJ.

4.4.2 Nothing in this guide precludes an AHJ from adding additional requirements for its own members.

4.5 This guide can be used to evaluate a document or training program to determine if its content includes the topics necessary for training individuals to operate as a Land Search Team Member.

4.6 This guide does not stand alone and must be used with the referenced documents to provide the specific information needed by a Land Search Team Member or AHJ.

4.7 This guide by itself is not a training document. It is an outline of the topics required for training or evaluating a Land Search Team Member.

4.8 This guide can be used to evaluate a book or other document to determine if its content includes the information required for training a Land Search Team Member. Likewise, the guide can be used to evaluate an existing training program to see if it meets the requirements of this guide.

4.9 The knowledge, skills and abilities defined in this guide are not presented in any particular order and do not represent a training sequence.

4.10 A Land Search Team Member shall document his or her training by completion of a position task book, compliant with Guide F3068, or by field demonstration under qualified supervision.

4.11 Unless stated otherwise, an ability or proficiency in a skill shall be demonstrated for initial qualification and then as often as required by the AHJ.

4.12 Except where a physical skill or ability must be demonstrated, the AHJ shall determine the best way to evaluate a person’s knowledge. This may be by written exam, oral exam, demonstration, or by some combination of the three.

1.1 This guide establishes the minimum training requirements for land search personnel as it relates to their general, field, and search specific knowledge and skills.

1.2 A Land Search Team Member searches on the surface of the land only, including urban or disaster areas that may be isolated or have lost supporting infrastructure.

1.3 This guide does not provide the minimum training requirements for searching in partially or fully collapsed structures, in or on water, in confined spaces, or underground (such as caves, mines, and tunnels.)

1.4 Personnel trained to this guide are not qualified to perform rescue. No knots, rope, high angle or low angle litter, or other rescue skills are required of a Land Search Team Member.

1.4.1 Basic rescue skills and knowledge are found in Guide F2751.

1.5 Personnel trained to this guide are not qualified to operate in leadership positions.

1.6 Land Search Team Members are eligible to be members of Type II search teams or crews as defined in Classification F1993.

1.6.1 Type II teams which may utilize personnel trained to this guide are:

1.6.1.1 Kind A (wilderness);

1.6.1.2 Kind B (urban);

1.6.1.3 Kind J (evidence/cadaver);

1.6.1.4 Kind K (missing aircraft).

1.6.2 Land Search Team Members are eligible to be members of Kind C (mountainous) teams provided that they are supervised by a Mountain or Alpine endorsed team member.

1.7 Further training may be required before a Land Search Team Member can participate on a particular Kind of search team, depending on local needs, regulations, or policies of the authority having jurisdiction.

1.8 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory requirements prior to use.