Background  -  Statistics from past incidents show that in the UK around 95% of searches for missing persons are concluded within the first 12 hours. This time period, first identified and referred to by The Centre for Search Research (TCSR) in 2000, is referred to as the Initial Response Phase. How it is managed can have an important bearing on the outcome of the entire incident. Importantly, every incident has an Initial Response phase.

Rationale  -  a strategic, tactical and operational response to a SAR incident is described and the fundamental importance of the construction and analysis of scenarios in solving the missing person ‘problem’  is explored.

Process  -  recommended guidelines to follow are detailed and examined to provide structure and form to the incident and ‘problem’ of the missing person. Traditional search management concepts are incorporated within this structure.

A working example, to show how it works in Northumberland, UK and beyond will be illustrated.