Counts By Jesse Theodore, Esri Writer When Every Second Yosemite uses GIS for coordinating search and rescue operations The Yosemite Search and Rescue team and Chief Ranger Steve Shackelton of Yosemite National Park were selected to receive a Special Achievement in GIS award this year. GIS has helped the Yosemite Search and Rescue (YOSAR) team improve its methods of operation and has been used successfully in searches for missing persons in Yosemite National Park. Every year, three million visitors come to Yosemite National Park to enjoy the outdoors. One of the nation's greatest travel destinations, Yosemite provides camping, fishing, hiking, and other activities for guests to enjoy. While most visitors have the time of their lives, a few face the frightening prospect of becoming disoriented or getting injured while hiking the park's many trails. Each year, Yosemite National Park responds to hundreds of calls reporting missing persons. Most often, a lost hiker or vacationer is found during the first 24 hours. However, when someone is missing for more than 24 hours, multiple search teams are dispatched. Search and rescue operations require a significant, coordinated effort on the ground and in the air. For these incidents, the National Park Service calls on YOSAR, a team of specialists. YOSAR is a group of park rangers, technical climbers, helicopter pilots, and incident management staff who are directed by Keith Lober, the emergency services coordinator for Yosemite National Park. These skilled search and rescue operators are known around the world for their ability to make backcountry extractions of injured hikers; perform climbing rescues off of "big walls," such as El Capitan; search for missing hikers; and respond to multi-casualty incidents. They work primarily in the park, but are requested by mutual aid management teams throughout the country. Once activated, YOSAR assembles and deploys ground, technical, canine, and air units and manages the entire incident response process. Managing complex emergency situations requires rapid response capability that ensures a comprehensive, coordinated search is carried out in the fastest possible time frame. Expanding GIS at Yosemite Paul Doherty, a park ranger and GIS specialist for the National Park Service, was hired in May 2008 to establish GIS support specifically for search and rescue operations. "Once I settled in and started working, the GIS needs in the Protection Division were evident and the opportunity to get involved was very exciting," said Doherty. The National Park Service has successfully used GIS in its Resource Management and Science Division, as well as in its response to wildland fires. Protection Division chief Steve Shackelton envisions applying the same technology and services to all branches of emergency response (i.e., search and rescue, law enforcement, disaster management, and structural fire) in the park. Managing a Complex Operation Missing person incidents are common in Yosemite. When a hiker is missing or overdue, it requires an initial response known as a "hasty search." These searches are carried out in the first 24 hours in the immediate vicinity where the lost person was last seen. Trail blocks are established to interview possible witnesses YOSAR's skilled search and rescue operators are reknown for their ability to make backcountry extractions of injured hikers and perform climbing rescues off of "big walls," such as El Capitan. In this photo, a rescuer and the partner of a rescued climber are pulled from Big Sandy Ledge on the face of Half Dome. Photo by David Pope A helicopter rescue technician rappels from Yosemite's contract helicopter H-551. 66 ArcUser Summer 2009 and gather information on hiking conditions. If the person is not found quickly, a large search area of 1–40 square miles is drawn on a map. This area is segmented to create smaller search assignments, and a comprehensive search and rescue case is created. Finding a missing person in the wilderness is a complex process. Maps are at the core of this process. Incident managers and field teams want to know the coordinates where the person was last seen to determine where they should begin the search. They also want to know about the surrounding landscape so they can safely and efficiently locate, stabilize, and extract victims as quickly as possible. These search and rescue operations, managed under the Incident Command System, can increase in complexity very quickly. YOSAR members are adept at implementing modern search theory as well as using lessons learned from previous searches. www.esri.com Photo by David Pope