Search and rescue personnel and volunteers spend thousands of hours attempting to rescue and ultimately save the lives of lost people. One of the most effective ways to increase the speed of locating ...a lost person is by predicting the highest probable areas they may be located in and determining search areas around them. This study examined the demographics and behaviour of people lost in the Australian wilderness from the perspective of search and rescue authorities and lost people themselves in order to assess similarities between types of lost people. The aggregated behaviour characteristics can then be used to improve search and rescue outcomes by predicting lost person behaviour specific to the Australian wilderness. This study found that different demographic groupings can be expected to behave differently when lost in the wilderness. By using the probable characteristics and behaviours of a lost person, search areas can be better targeted, assisting in locating a lost person faster and improving the outcomes of the search. The results from this study provide insights into behavioural trends and characteristics that can assist in the planning of search areas for search and rescue incidents in the Australian wilderness.
Search and rescue personnel and volunteers spend thousands of hours attempting to rescue and ultimately save the lives of lost people. One of the most effective ways to increase the speed of locating ...a lost person is by predicting the highest probable areas they may be located in and determining search areas around them. This study examined the demographics and behaviour of people lost in the Australian wilderness from the perspective of search and rescue authorities and lost people themselves in order to assess similarities between types of lost people. The aggregated behaviour characteristics can then be used to improve search and rescue outcomes by predicting lost person behaviour specific to the Australian wilderness. This study found that different demographic groupings can be expected to behave differently when lost in the wilderness. By using the probable characteristics and behaviours of a lost person, search areas can be better targeted, assisting in locating a lost person faster and improving the outcomes of the search. The results from this study provide insights into behavioural trends and characteristics that can assist in the planning of search areas for search and rescue incidents in the Australian wilderness.
Thousands of people become lost in the wilderness each year and search and rescue personnel are called in to search for and to locate people who are lost. Time is critical as the lost person's chance ...of survival decreases over time. One method of improving search outcomes is efficient and accurate planning of search areas. Search and rescue planning techniques have been developed over time through extensive training, experience and knowledge. To expedite the search area planning process, an agent-based model (ABM) was used to highlight probabilistic and evidence-based areas typically considered by search area planners. This model takes spatial data calculated to a timecost raster and incorporates lost person characteristics to determine location-specific probability data that can be used in decisionmaking.
Thousands of people become lost in the wilderness each year and search and rescue personnel are called in to search for and to locate people who are lost. Time is critical as the lost person's chance ...of survival decreases over time. One method of improving search outcomes is efficient and accurate planning of search areas. Search and rescue planning techniques have been developed over time through extensive training, experience and knowledge. To expedite the search area planning process, an agent-based model (ABM) was used to highlight probabilistic and evidence-based areas typically considered by search area planners. This model takes spatial data calculated to a timecost raster and incorporates lost person characteristics to determine location-specific probability data that can be used in decisionmaking.
