Development of operational plans to deliver a response. On collecting as much relevant information about the emergency you will need to pause and plan.
Police as the local SAR Authority are the Incident Controller and shall have overall management of the incident requiring a multi-agency emergency response, such as a search and rescue (SAR). Planning involves the development of operational plans to deliver a response including a SMEACS brief.
A SMEACS brief would outline:
| S | Situation | What has happened? |
| M | Mission | Objectives of the operation – What are you trying to achieve? |
| E | Execution | Action plan – How are you going to achieve the outcome? |
| A | Administration & Logistics | Sourcing and preparing personnel and logistics – Who will use your resources? |
| C | Command & Communication | Reporting hierarchy and communications methods – Who are you reporting to and how? |
| S | Safety | Identify known or likely hazards, or welfare concerns – What could cause harm? |
Ensure that you prepare all your equipment as per local SOPs. For SAR operations, you may require additional equipment for searching (e.g., mask and snorkel, dye) or safety of personnel (e.g., EPIRB or PLB). SAR operations are critical incidents. Clubs and Support Operations are advised to take into consideration the age and experience of personnel when planning a SAR operation.
Powercraft personnel must also consider suitable clothing for the operational environment and anticipated duration of the event. You may start in calm sunny conditions but that can change. Consideration may also be given to food and water should operations be extended.
When planning, use the dynamic risk assessment process to determine the most effective approach.
