SARTECH II TEST QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
1. Chapter 1 - Define search
Answer an operation using available personnel and facilities to locate persons in distress
2. Chapter 1 - Define rescue
Answer an operation to retrieve persons in distress, provide for their initial medical or other
needs, and deliver them to a place of safety
3. Chapter 1 - What are the 3 categories of fundamental SAR skills
Answer 1) search, 2) rescue and 3) survival/support (i.e. navigation)
4. Chapter 1 - What is NASAR
Answer a not-for profit membership organization of dedicated paid and unpaid SAR
professionals that otters formal training opportunities
5. Chapter 1 - What is the purpose of the SAR TECH certification criteria
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
6. Chapter 2 - Which 2 organizations coordinate member countries'
efforts to provide SAR services on a global basis
Answer International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Maritime
,Organization (IMO)
7. Chapter 2 - What are the 5 stages of a SAR operation
Answer awareness, initial action, planning, operations and conclusion
8. Chapter 2 - Which international conventions pertain to SAR
Answer Convention on Interna- tional Aviation, International Convention on Maritime Search and
Rescue and the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS)
9. Chapter 2 - Define positive control
Answer followed by radar and in direct communication with air traffic controllers
10. Chapter 2 - What is Cospas-Sarsat
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)
11. Chapter 2 - What are the 3 different types of emergency
locator beacons-
Answer Emergency Locator Transmitters (aircraft), Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons
(maritime) and Personal Locator Beacons (individuals)
12. Chapter 2 - Define a SAR Region (SRR)
,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
13. Chapter 2 - Who are the SAR coordinators for the United States
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
14. Chapter 2 - How are emergency management and disaster
response han- dled
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
15. Chapter 2 - What is the scope of the National Incident
Management System (NIMS)
Answer NIMS is intended to provide a consistent, flexible and adjustable national framework within
which govern- ment 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
16. Chapter 2 - What is the National Response Plan (NRP)
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
17. Chapter 2 - What are the 3 criteria that should be met before
an AMBER Alert is activated
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
18. Chapter 3 - What the 5 major functional areas or sections of
the Incident Command System (ICS)
Answer command, operations, planning, logistics and finance/administration
19. Chapter 3 - Define span of control
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)
20. Chapter 3 - What is the role of the Command function
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 Statt
21. Chapter 3 - What is the role of the Incident Commander
Answer the Incident Commander ensures ettective management of the incident, selects an
overall strategy, establishes incident objectives, approves the Incident Action Plan and coordinates and
approves requests for resources
ANSWERS
1. Chapter 1 - Define search
Answer an operation using available personnel and facilities to locate persons in distress
2. Chapter 1 - Define rescue
Answer an operation to retrieve persons in distress, provide for their initial medical or other
needs, and deliver them to a place of safety
3. Chapter 1 - What are the 3 categories of fundamental SAR skills
Answer 1) search, 2) rescue and 3) survival/support (i.e. navigation)
4. Chapter 1 - What is NASAR
Answer a not-for profit membership organization of dedicated paid and unpaid SAR
professionals that otters formal training opportunities
5. Chapter 1 - What is the purpose of the SAR TECH certification criteria
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
6. Chapter 2 - Which 2 organizations coordinate member countries'
efforts to provide SAR services on a global basis
Answer International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Maritime
,Organization (IMO)
7. Chapter 2 - What are the 5 stages of a SAR operation
Answer awareness, initial action, planning, operations and conclusion
8. Chapter 2 - Which international conventions pertain to SAR
Answer Convention on Interna- tional Aviation, International Convention on Maritime Search and
Rescue and the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS)
9. Chapter 2 - Define positive control
Answer followed by radar and in direct communication with air traffic controllers
10. Chapter 2 - What is Cospas-Sarsat
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)
11. Chapter 2 - What are the 3 different types of emergency
locator beacons-
Answer Emergency Locator Transmitters (aircraft), Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons
(maritime) and Personal Locator Beacons (individuals)
12. Chapter 2 - Define a SAR Region (SRR)
,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
13. Chapter 2 - Who are the SAR coordinators for the United States
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
14. Chapter 2 - How are emergency management and disaster
response han- dled
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
15. Chapter 2 - What is the scope of the National Incident
Management System (NIMS)
Answer NIMS is intended to provide a consistent, flexible and adjustable national framework within
which govern- ment 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
16. Chapter 2 - What is the National Response Plan (NRP)
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
17. Chapter 2 - What are the 3 criteria that should be met before
an AMBER Alert is activated
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
18. Chapter 3 - What the 5 major functional areas or sections of
the Incident Command System (ICS)
Answer command, operations, planning, logistics and finance/administration
19. Chapter 3 - Define span of control
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)
20. Chapter 3 - What is the role of the Command function
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 Statt
21. Chapter 3 - What is the role of the Incident Commander
Answer the Incident Commander ensures ettective management of the incident, selects an
overall strategy, establishes incident objectives, approves the Incident Action Plan and coordinates and
approves requests for resources
