SARTECH II QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS | LATEST SARTECH II CERTIFICATION
STUDY GUIDE 2026/2027
Chapter 1 - Define search - correct answer ✔✔an operation using available personnel and
facilities to locate persons in distress
Chapter 1 - Define rescue - correct answer ✔✔an operation to retrieve persons in distress,
provide for their initial medical or other needs, and deliver them to a place of safety
Chapter 1 - What are the 3 categories of fundamental SAR skills - correct answer ✔✔1) search,
2) rescue and 3) survival/support (i.e. navigation)
Chapter 1 - What is NASAR - correct answer ✔✔a not-for profit membership organization of
dedicated paid and unpaid SAR professionals that offers formal training opportunities
Chapter 1 - What is the purpose of the SAR TECH certification criteria - correct answer ✔✔these
criteria were developed to evaluate three levels of search responder so that a measurable level
of individual and crew capability could be made available for Incident Commanders
Chapter 2 - Which 2 organizations coordinate member countries' efforts to provide SAR services
on a global basis - correct answer ✔✔International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the
International Maritime Organization (IMO)
Chapter 2 - What are the 5 stages of a SAR operation - correct answer ✔✔awareness, initial
action, planning, operations and conclusion
Chapter 2 - Which international conventions pertain to SAR - correct answer ✔✔Convention on
International Aviation, International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue and the
International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS)
,Chapter 2 - Define positive control - correct answer ✔✔followed by radar and in direct
communication with air traffic controllers
Chapter 2 - What is Cospas-Sarsat - correct answer ✔✔an international humanitarian SAR
system that uses satellites to detect and locate emergency beacons carried by ships, aircraft or
individuals; the system consists of a network of satellites, ground stations (Local User Terminal),
mission control centers (MCC) and rescue coordination centers (RCC)
Chapter 2 - What are the 3 different types of emergency locator beacons - correct answer
✔✔Emergency Locator Transmitters (aircraft), Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons
(maritime) and Personal Locator Beacons (individuals)
Chapter 2 - Define a SAR Region (SRR) - correct answer ✔✔an area of defined dimensions,
associated with a rescue coordination center (RCC), within which SAR services are provided; for
every SRR, there is one RCC
Chapter 2 - Who are the SAR coordinators for the United States - correct answer ✔✔the U.S. Air
Force for the continental United States, the U.S. Pacific Command for Alaska and the U.S. Coast
Guard for the maritime SRRs that coincide with the ocean environments and Hawaii
Chapter 2 - How are emergency management and disaster response handled - correct answer
✔✔responsibility for responding to emergencies and disasters begins at the local level, the next
higher level of response (county, state, national) is activated when resources and capabilities are
exhausted
Chapter 2 - What is the scope of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) - correct
answer ✔✔NIMS is intended to provide a consistent, flexible and adjustable national
framework within which government and private entities at all levels can work together to
manage domestic incidents, regardless of their size, location or complexity; it is also intended to
provide a set of standardized organizational structures (i.e. ICS) and requirements for processes,
procedures and systems designed to improve interoperability among jurisdictions
, Chapter 2 - What is the National Response Plan (NRP) - correct answer ✔✔the purpose of the
NRP is to establish a comprehensive, national, all-hazards framework for domestic incident
management across a spectrum of activities including prevention, preparedness, response and
recovery; the NRP incorporates best practices and procedures from various incident
management disciplines and integrates them into a unified coordinating structure
Chapter 2 - What are the 3 criteria that should be met before an AMBER Alert is activated -
correct answer ✔✔1) law enforcement confirms a child has been abducted, 2) law enforcement
believes the circumstances surrounding the abduction indicate that the child is in danger of
serious bodily harm or death and 3) there is enough descriptive information about the child,
abductor and/or suspect's vehicle to believe an immediate broadcast alert will help
Chapter 3 - What the the 5 major functional areas or sections of the Incident Command System
(ICS) - correct answer ✔✔command, operations, planning, logistics and finance/administration
Chapter 3 - Define span of control - correct answer ✔✔important management functions must
be delegated in order to maintain a manageable span of control (3 to 7 persons according to ICS
but 5 or less is preferred)
Chapter 3 - What is the role of the Command function - correct answer ✔✔the command
function provides overall management of an incident and in ICS this function is carried out by
the Incident Commander (IC) and the Command Staff
Chapter 3 - What is the role of the Incident Commander - correct answer ✔✔the Incident
Commander ensures effective management of the incident, selects an overall strategy,
establishes incident objectives, approves the Incident Action Plan and coordinates and approves
requests for resources
Chapter 3 - Who makes up the Command Staff - correct answer ✔✔the Safety Officer, the
Liaison Officer and the Information officer
STUDY GUIDE 2026/2027
Chapter 1 - Define search - correct answer ✔✔an operation using available personnel and
facilities to locate persons in distress
Chapter 1 - Define rescue - correct answer ✔✔an operation to retrieve persons in distress,
provide for their initial medical or other needs, and deliver them to a place of safety
Chapter 1 - What are the 3 categories of fundamental SAR skills - correct answer ✔✔1) search,
2) rescue and 3) survival/support (i.e. navigation)
Chapter 1 - What is NASAR - correct answer ✔✔a not-for profit membership organization of
dedicated paid and unpaid SAR professionals that offers formal training opportunities
Chapter 1 - What is the purpose of the SAR TECH certification criteria - correct answer ✔✔these
criteria were developed to evaluate three levels of search responder so that a measurable level
of individual and crew capability could be made available for Incident Commanders
Chapter 2 - Which 2 organizations coordinate member countries' efforts to provide SAR services
on a global basis - correct answer ✔✔International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the
International Maritime Organization (IMO)
Chapter 2 - What are the 5 stages of a SAR operation - correct answer ✔✔awareness, initial
action, planning, operations and conclusion
Chapter 2 - Which international conventions pertain to SAR - correct answer ✔✔Convention on
International Aviation, International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue and the
International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS)
,Chapter 2 - Define positive control - correct answer ✔✔followed by radar and in direct
communication with air traffic controllers
Chapter 2 - What is Cospas-Sarsat - correct answer ✔✔an international humanitarian SAR
system that uses satellites to detect and locate emergency beacons carried by ships, aircraft or
individuals; the system consists of a network of satellites, ground stations (Local User Terminal),
mission control centers (MCC) and rescue coordination centers (RCC)
Chapter 2 - What are the 3 different types of emergency locator beacons - correct answer
✔✔Emergency Locator Transmitters (aircraft), Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons
(maritime) and Personal Locator Beacons (individuals)
Chapter 2 - Define a SAR Region (SRR) - correct answer ✔✔an area of defined dimensions,
associated with a rescue coordination center (RCC), within which SAR services are provided; for
every SRR, there is one RCC
Chapter 2 - Who are the SAR coordinators for the United States - correct answer ✔✔the U.S. Air
Force for the continental United States, the U.S. Pacific Command for Alaska and the U.S. Coast
Guard for the maritime SRRs that coincide with the ocean environments and Hawaii
Chapter 2 - How are emergency management and disaster response handled - correct answer
✔✔responsibility for responding to emergencies and disasters begins at the local level, the next
higher level of response (county, state, national) is activated when resources and capabilities are
exhausted
Chapter 2 - What is the scope of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) - correct
answer ✔✔NIMS is intended to provide a consistent, flexible and adjustable national
framework within which government and private entities at all levels can work together to
manage domestic incidents, regardless of their size, location or complexity; it is also intended to
provide a set of standardized organizational structures (i.e. ICS) and requirements for processes,
procedures and systems designed to improve interoperability among jurisdictions
, Chapter 2 - What is the National Response Plan (NRP) - correct answer ✔✔the purpose of the
NRP is to establish a comprehensive, national, all-hazards framework for domestic incident
management across a spectrum of activities including prevention, preparedness, response and
recovery; the NRP incorporates best practices and procedures from various incident
management disciplines and integrates them into a unified coordinating structure
Chapter 2 - What are the 3 criteria that should be met before an AMBER Alert is activated -
correct answer ✔✔1) law enforcement confirms a child has been abducted, 2) law enforcement
believes the circumstances surrounding the abduction indicate that the child is in danger of
serious bodily harm or death and 3) there is enough descriptive information about the child,
abductor and/or suspect's vehicle to believe an immediate broadcast alert will help
Chapter 3 - What the the 5 major functional areas or sections of the Incident Command System
(ICS) - correct answer ✔✔command, operations, planning, logistics and finance/administration
Chapter 3 - Define span of control - correct answer ✔✔important management functions must
be delegated in order to maintain a manageable span of control (3 to 7 persons according to ICS
but 5 or less is preferred)
Chapter 3 - What is the role of the Command function - correct answer ✔✔the command
function provides overall management of an incident and in ICS this function is carried out by
the Incident Commander (IC) and the Command Staff
Chapter 3 - What is the role of the Incident Commander - correct answer ✔✔the Incident
Commander ensures effective management of the incident, selects an overall strategy,
establishes incident objectives, approves the Incident Action Plan and coordinates and approves
requests for resources
Chapter 3 - Who makes up the Command Staff - correct answer ✔✔the Safety Officer, the
Liaison Officer and the Information officer
