Release 1.  This is the first release of this unit of competency in the PUA Public Safety Training Package.

This unit of competency involves the skills and knowledge required to search for and locate missing persons and/or items as a member of an aquatic search team working in a range of search terrains.

While normally undertaken in variety of craft, aquatic searches may also include cliff searches and searches assisted by aerial support or other craft. Search operations are generally conducted in support of police and may include searches for missing persons, objects and/or evidence.

Participating in an aquatic search operation, generally as a member of a team, will require the application of a variety of skills. Competence in this unit will include appropriate preparedness, response, direct participation in a search and appropriate post search recovery.

The unit is applicable to lifesavers, lifeguards or other personnel who are required to perform or participate in a search, regularly or occasionally, in an aquatic environment. Successful achievement of this unit will require practical application of skills in a real or simulated search operation.

No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.

Not applicable.

Search and Rescue

Not applicable

ELEMENTS 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

Elements describe the essential outcomes.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.

1  

Prepare for aquatic search 

1.1 

Search operation and task information is obtained and discussed with team members

1.2 

Task information is used to determine personal protective clothing and equipment needed for search operation

1.3 

Search equipment is selected and checked for serviceability and is appropriately stored and/or packed for use

1.4 

Faulty equipment is identified and reported to supervisor

2 

Participate in aquatic search 

2.1 

Specified team roles and functions are carried out, in accordance with organisational procedures and task information

2.2 

Search formation or grids are used to locate missing persons or objects

2.3 

Search boundaries are marked, in accordance with task requirements

2.4 

Observation skills are applied and any clues or objects located are reported immediately, in accordance with organisational procedures

2.5 

Communication is maintained with team members throughout the search, in accordance with organisational procedures

2.6 

Personal capabilities and limitations are recognised and referred to team leader

3 

Maintain aquatic search safety 

3.1 

Search safety procedures are implemented, in accordance with organisational procedures

3.2 

Survival techniques are applied, as required

3.3 

Lost searcher procedures are implemented, when necessary

4 

Recover person or findings 

4.1 

Team leader is immediately advised of located persons or findings, in accordance with organisational procedures

4.2 

Persons or findings are recovered and treated using appropriate search safety procedures

4.3 

Initial preservation procedures are implemented to maintain integrity of evidence, as required

4.4 

Initial scene preservation is conducted, in accordance with organisational procedures

5 

Complete recall and stand down procedures 

5.1 

Search equipment is recovered, cleaned and maintained, in accordance with organisational procedures and manufacturers' guidelines

5.2 

Operational debriefing is participated in and relevant documentation is completed, in accordance with organisational procedures

5.3 

Symptoms of operational stress in self or others is recognised and reported to relevant personnel

Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.

Range is restricted to essential operating conditions and any other variables essential to the work environment.

Non-essential conditions may be found in the Companion Volume Implementation Guide.

This unit replaces and is equivalent to PUASAR011C Search as a member of an aquatic search team.

Release 1.  This is the first release of this unit of competency in the PUA Public Safety Training Package.

Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy all the requirements of the elements and performance criteria on at least one occasion and includes

• applying Work, Health and Safety (WHS)/Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) requirements
• communicating with team members and casualties
• completing recall and stand down procedures
• complying with search orders
• dealing with clues and location of objects or causalities
• determining and maintaining search and task information
• finalising organisational documentation
• following organisational policies and procedures
• identifying and repairing or replacing faulty equipment, in accordance with organisational procedures
• identifying and reporting personal capabilities and limitations
• implementing lost searcher procedures
• maintaining aquatic search safety
• marking and spacing boundaries or grids
• observing situation and/or environment
• observing the safety of self and others during search
• participating in an aquatic search
• participating in operational briefing and debriefing sessions
• preparing for an aquatic search
• preserving rescue scene and recovering evidence
• recognising and reporting operational stress
• recovering missing persons and/or findings
• using personal protective clothing and equipment
• utilising survival techniques
• working in a team

Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy all the requirements of the elements and performance criteria and includes knowledge of

• aquatic search
• communication techniques including hand signals and language style
• composition of teams including roles and responsibilities and duty of care responsibilities
• hazards and environmental threats
• lost searcher procedures
• map reading
• object recovery procedures
• operating procedures relevant to terrain and conditions
• organisational documentation, policies and procedures
• preservation of a crime scene and evidence
• processes for briefings and debriefings
• recall procedures
• search equipment
• search formations and grids
• signs and symptoms of operational stress including post traumatic stress disorder
• state, territory and Commonwealth search management arrangements
• survival techniques
• task information
• Work, Health and Safety (WHS)/Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) legislative requirements including risk mitigation

As a minimum, assessors must satisfy applicable regulatory requirements, which include requirements in the Standards for Registered Training Organisations current at the time of assessment.

As a minimum, assessment must satisfy applicable regulatory requirements, which include requirements in the Standards for Registered Training Organisations current at the time of assessment.

Assessment must occur in workplace operational situations where it is appropriate to do so; where this is not appropriate, assessment must occur in simulated workplace operational situations that replicate workplace conditions.

Assessment processes and techniques must be appropriate to the language, literacy and numeracy requirements of the work being performed and the needs of the candidate.

Resources for assessment must include access to

• a range of relevant exercises, case studies and/or simulations including

• an extended day/night activity during which a variety of searches for persons and objects are undertaken

• relevant and appropriate materials, equipment, tools and personal protective clothing and equipment currently used in industry including

• an appropriate environment to conduct search operation
• relevant agencies in the operation such as police, helicopter rescue, marine search and rescue and other aquatic organisations

• applicable documentation including organisational procedures, industry standards, equipment specifications, regulations, codes of practice and operations manuals.