CSAR continues to lead in technology implementation

As part of CSAR’s strategic visioning and planning efforts earlier this year, we developed an operational philosophy that says we will navigate our constantly changing world by using a phased approach to everything we undertake.  During regularly scheduled “decision points,” we will evaluate all new initiatives and decide whether to move forward, change course or discontinue altogether.  This has been especially helpful to the state coordinator and education programs as they adopt new technology.

CSAR continues to develop and maintain a real-time technical platform to provide situational awareness, coordination, access to additional resources, subject matter experts (SMEs), and communication support to all the players during complex, multi-agency incidents.  The core of this platform consists of a cloud-based collaborative messaging tool called Slack.  This real-time messaging system is integrated with Google Workspace, which brings together Gmail, Google Sheets, Google Documents, and Google Drive.  Google Workspace and Slack are then integrated with SARTopo, Zapier, Twilio, and Active 911 to round out the entire collaborative communication platform. 

When a call comes into the state on-call coordinators, via both Active 911 and Slack notifications, an incident-specific Slack channel (ISSC) is immediately created to allow for real-time collaboration of all involved parties.  A BSAR Coordination Document (BCD) is then shared on Slack.  A unique BCD is created for this incident, which includes a modified ICS-214 and other tabs to document an incident’s information and status in real time.  A SARTopo map is then created and shared on Slack as well. 

In the near future, an internet-based web page, called the CSAR Rapid Activation Form, will be available to those AHJs who opt into the CSAR system.  It will allow them to start the resource request process themselves by answering a few basic online questions.  These questions streamline the information and data gathering process by eliminating the need for an initial phone call to verify authority, obtain a basic understanding of the specific need(s), and confirm ever-changing information relative to the subject’s condition, etc.  The system will simultaneously notify multiple agencies and SMEs of an incoming request, thus expediting the overall response process.  With this advanced notification process, involved parties will then immediately join the conversation on an ISSC and can ask real-time questions of the AHJ and discuss options for support. 

Education has also evolved greatly over the last four years.  Covid drove a move to virtual for our Basic Search Management class and the new Advanced Search Management Class in 2020.  CSAR instructors used Zoom and Google Classroom initially and found it to be a good delivery system for offering one class at a time, but Education Program manager Ben Wilson realized we needed a Learning Management System (LMS) in order to offer multiple classes.  The program began the transition in 2023 and delivered its first course through the LMS in the spring of 2024.  Instructor Reese Irwin comments, “We had some growing pains, but overall the one-stop-shop it provides for students is valuable.”  Once a student is enrolled in the system they are permanently enrolled, and can log back into the system to choose a new course.  With the LMS, CSAR has control of the design of the system and can evolve it to meet new needs.  

What does the future hold for Education Program technology?  According to Reese, “We’re looking at updating the class material to include continuously evolving specific technologies – whereas we had only PLBs and ELTs in the past, there are now a wide range of technologies being used by outdoor recreationalists. We are working to involve subject matter experts to be out front on this and adapt quickly to new tech innovations in search and recreation.”