Ohio Special Response Team (OSRT), Search & Rescue

see us on ABC  news

Our world has changed. Natural disasters are occurring more frequently and with increased severity. Police and fire services are overextended. OSRT members are trained professionals that can respond to a wide range of disruptive and unfortunate events whenever and wherever they occur. This adds additional personnel, technology, and resources that can be applied to the response, all at no cost. 

OSRT members respond at the request of law enforcement, fire departments, other agencies, as well as at the request of public citizens concerned about a missing loved one. On every deployment we obtain permission from the agency managing the case.  

MISSION

OSRT's mission is providing no-cost advanced search & rescue and disaster response services throughout Ohio and, where needed, national incidents.

PURPOSE

OSRT is a team of multiple units throughout Ohio providing advanced search & rescue operations, K9 operations, and disaster response services to local, state, and federal entities as well as to families with lost loved ones. 

WHO WE ARE

OSRT is an all-volunteer organization that was formed by and is led by individuals with many years of combined experience in providing emergency services (including, but not limited to, former military personnel, corporate managers, police and corrections officers, nurses, paramedics, emergency medical technicians, and everyday citizens like yourself). All of these people have become competent in search and rescue operations as well as in disaster response. And, yes, there’s a definite need for non-responder support personnel as well.

WHO WE SERVE

OSRT volunteers deliver services to local and national agencies that include law enforcement, fire departments, Ohio Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and the public. OSRT coordinates obtaining approvals for our deployments with the appropriate agency managing the incident (these are referred to as Agencies Having Jurisdiction [AHJs]). Many of our services occur within the state of Ohio, but members of the team also respond to national emergencies as well as in other states.

OUR SERVICES

We do much more than find lost hikers. Below is a list of some of the services we offer. As noted above, OSRT is staffed by all volunteers and we are proud to note that all our services are always of no cost. 

Members of OSRT pursue the most comprehensive training available for the services we provide. Our members become certified by nationally recognized organizations.  

 Lost Person Behavior Analysis: In a 2024 search, the Ohio Special Response Search Team was able to locate a missing male concealed in dense underbrush in only 46 minutes. This system is used to narrow down search areas and has been proven to empower SAR personnel in rapidly locating a majority of lost persons in a wide range of conditions and terrain.

GPS Tracking and Mapping Technology: OSRT utilizes GPS technology tools such as CalTopo. This technology tracks all OSRT searchers and search activities during a deployment. GPS tracking outlines the movements of each searcher in real time as they move through their search areas. Incident command is capable of guiding each searcher to specific locations within the search environment. This type of technology allows highly detailed and organized search planning and execution.

Backcountry & Wilderness Rescue, Urban Search, Recovery: OSRT search teams are trained in locating individuals that may be concealed or injured deep in nearly impenetrable woodlands. The teams are trained to analyze the individual’s characteristics and link the information to a tactical search pattern, leading to their most likely location. 

K9 Search Teams: K9s and their handlers are a critical piece of almost all search & rescue operations. Deployable OSRT K9s are certified in their respective disciplines by nationally recognized certification entities. Disciplines include area search, human remains detection (land and water), trailing, disaster, and human trafficking. 

Drone Operations: OSRT utilizes drones equipped with thermal imaging. Utilization of Drones in SAR have shown to offer 10x greater ground coverage and over 50% increased detection rates, among other advantages. 

Disaster Response Operations: OSRT team members have been on the ground for hurricanes, tornadoes, and flash floods. Our team provides its members with multiple training simulations to respond to specific disaster-related incident types and considerations, such as how to safely assist in evacuations - including individuals with limited mobility or other special considerations.

Police Evidence Searches: OSRT search teams are trained to recognize a potential crime scene and avoid contaminating possible evidence. When requested by law enforcement, OSRT teams can also mark evidence for later collection.

....AND MORE! 

___

OSRT members pay for all training, certification, and equipment costs themselves. OSRT relies on the generosity of public donations to support our services.