Yesterday I wrote about a Hantsar callout. I included a link to a news article on the search. Although I’d read the article I foolishly hadn’t scrolled down to the comments section.

Every newcomer to lowland search is given the same training in dealing with the media – we don’t talk to them about specific incidents – during or after the event, ever!

The media have a massive role to play in the search for missing persons, no question, but they need to be handled by specialists. The police employ such specialists and spend vast amounts of money teaching their senior officers how to speak to the media. ALSAR volunteers, in general, aren’t specialists, nor have they undertaken training in how to deal with the media.

Hence they are taught – “you will need to speak to the police” as a suitable response to media questioning. UKLSI recently added to their search courses that not only do we do this when asked in person, but that we NEVER, EVER, comment on media reports online.

Unfortunately volunteers do not always take in their training, or think that it doesn’t apply to them. Hence some unfortunate commenting that went on by ALSAR and LSDogs members on that article [that has since been removed at their request].

So a brief, but important reminder for all lowland search volunteers. DO NOT speak to the media about specific incidents, DO NOT comment on public websites [and that includes this one!] about any specific incident, in fact just DO NOT talk about any specific incident outside of your Unit!

Search volunteers, whilst unpaid, are professionals. Think of yourself as a professional – whether you are recognised as such or not – and act accordingly.

PS As I’m not an operational search volunteer I am, of course, available to news editors, journalists and so on for expensive search expertise comment on any search incident!