Speed, slope, and synchrony: Empirical insights into SAR searcher behavior

Area of Science:

• Wilderness Search and Rescue (SAR)
• Human Mobility Modeling
• Operational Research

Background:

• SAR missions are time-critical and terrain-dependent, requiring efficient resource allocation.
• Current SAR planning relies on expert judgment, with limited validation from field data.
• A gap exists in formally validating assumptions about movement and coordination in SAR operations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze GPS tracks from SAR incidents to quantify the impact of search tactics and terrain on movement.
• To validate and refine assumptions used in SAR resource allocation and modeling.
• To provide empirically derived parameters for improving SAR mission efficiency.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of GPS tracks from 61 SAR incidents across 13 cases.
• Categorization of tracks by search tactic (hasty, sweep, team sweep) and terrain.
• Statistical analysis including speed-slope fits, Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests, and ANOVA to quantify movement parameters.
• Team movement analysis using correlation and transfer entropy to assess coordination and leader-follower dynamics.

Main Results:

• Uphill and downhill speeds are statistically similar, supporting symmetric slope modeling.
• Hasty searches are significantly faster than sweep searches, independent of terrain slope.
• Team SAR operations exhibit tightly coupled movement with short follower reaction lags, indicating identifiable leaders.

Conclusions:

• Empirically derived parameters for baseline speeds, slope effects, and coordination bounds can enhance SAR coverage calculations and agent-based models.
• Integrating real-world field data refines human mobility assumptions within the existing SAR operational framework.
• This research provides a data-driven foundation for optimizing SAR resource allocation and mission planning.