The POD of a Search Dog
I wrote a short piece last week entitled “The POD of a Search Dog is 100%” and promised to give my thoughts on the subject at a later date. It is interesting to note that the two commenters – Daryl Toogood and Johnnie Walker – highlighted the two main issues I wanted to cover with [...]
January 28, 2010
· 
Robert Bradley · 
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Tags: Daryl Toogood, Johnnie Walker, POD, Probability of Detection, Search Dog, Search Dog Handler, Search Management, Search Planning, Search Sector · Posted in: Search Thoughts
Calculating Probability Density Distribution for Missing Person Search
The first of the four elements of the optimal search problem is having a probability density distribution (predicting the likelihood that an object is in any particular search area or region.) To achieve this during a Maritime Search and Rescue Incident one takes into account the accuracy of the initial location report, the current, wind [...]
January 26, 2010
· Robert Bradley · One Comment
Tags: Bob Koester, Consensus, Lost Person Behavior, Maritime Search and Rescue, Misper, missing person behaviour, POA, Probability Density, Probability Density Distribution, Probability of Area, Robert J Koester, Search Planner, Search Sector, Search Terrain, Theory of Optimal Search · Posted in: Search Thoughts
Coverage
Coverage as a word is often used to describe how much of a search area or sector has been searched. This is wrong. Coverage has a specific mathematical definition in search theory. It refers to the Area Effectively Swept divided by the Area of the Search Sector. Â This figure is then used in Koopman’s Exponential [...]
January 22, 2010
· Robert Bradley · No Comments
Tags: Area Effectively Swept, Coverage, Koopman's Exponential Detection Function, POD, Probability of Detection, Search Sector, Search Theory · Posted in: SAR Dictionary
Probability Density (Pden)
The probability density is found by dividing the Probability of Area (POA) by the size of the search area or sector. This gives you an idea of the likelihood that the missing person or object is in an area of the same size in two different search sectors. It is an extremely important concept to [...]
January 22, 2010
· Robert Bradley · No Comments
Tags: Pden, POA, Probability Density, Probability of Area, Search Area, Search Sector · Posted in: SAR Dictionary
Search exercise planners handbook – Part Four
or Terrain Analysis for Search Exercises Once you have selected your search area, looked at the practicalities of holding the search exercise and gone about gaining the required permissions, you need to undertake a terrain analysis of the whole search area. You will need to look at the possible search sectors, the hazards and the [...]
November 11, 2009
· Robert Bradley · No Comments
Tags: ALSAR, Generic Risk Assessment for Search, Health and Safety, SAR First Aid, Search Control, Search Exercise, Search Exercise Planners Handbook, Search Hazards, Search Management, Search PPE, Search Sector, Search Training, Terrain Analysis · Posted in: Search Thoughts, Search Training
