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SARTECH II Resources & Testing Updates

Congratulations again to our teams most recent SARTECH II members, Reyna, Rich K, and Max.

 

Since a number of people are interested in taking the SARTECH II exam this fall we are starting this page as a resource tool for studying and to provide one stop info on test info and team study opportunities. If you find something you would like added let us know.

Info on June 2015 SAR Tech II test

The first link below is to a google drive with example questions for the SAR Tech II written test.

 

Notes from Reyna :

 

I didn't have any identical questions on the written exam, but the questions were comparable to the ones in the bank.

 

We were allowed 3 hours to answer 145 questions.  The exam was open book (FUNSAR).  Except for the last 20 or so questions, the exam was multiple choice.  The final 20 questions were on navigation using a topo map provided and you needed to fill in the answer (what land feature is in the coordinates provided; what is the distance from point A to point B; what is the magnetic bearing from point A to point B).  You will need to read through the FUNSAR book and be very familiar with the content in order to be able to get through all the questions in the time given.

 

If anyone doesn't have the FUNSAR book, we have two and can loan them out to folks.

Below is a link to the NASAR page for documents and downloads. The second document is a pdf of the SARTECH III / II Criteria For Search Personnel and the third document is the SARTECH II Pack List (as of 1/2014) with a note that it will be updated soon.

 

© Copyright 2015 SARTWC

The SARTECH II examination consists of written exam and a practical exam. The written exam includes one hundred and forty-five (145) questions covering the candidate’s knowledge of search and rescue. A passing grade is 70% (102 correct answers) or above. Successfully passing the SARTECH II written test assures the candidate to be certified at the SARTECH III level whether the practical exam is passed or not.

Upon passing the written exam, the candidate is then required to successfully complete a six station practical exam. Should the candidate not successfully complete all of the practical exam stations, only the stations that are failed need be repeated if this is done within one year of the original testing date. Up to two failed stations may be repeated on the day of the original exam. If necessary, the re-testing may be completed at any subsequent SARTECH II evaluation. If the retesting is done within the one year of the original testing date, no additional payment to NASAR is required. However, a host organization may charge a reasonable fee to cover the costs of hosting the repeat examination. If an additional retest is needed, the NASAR fee is collected. (One NASAR fee covers the original test and a retest, if needed.)

The written exam includes questions from the following topics:

 

  • NIMS Incident Command System

  •  Basic Survival

  • SAR Clothing

  • Improvising

  • Environmental Hazards and First Aid

  • SAR Ready Pack

  • Personal Equipment

  • Travel Skills

  • Land Navigation & Orienteering

  • SAR Resources

  • Search Philosophy

  • Search Tactics

  • Handling Evidence

  • Clue Consciousness Search Operations

  • Tracking

  • Ropes & Rescue Equipment

  • Legal Aspects for the Searcher



The candidate’s performance of SAR skills is evaluated at six practical exam stations involving:

 

  1. Station #1: Land Navigation: Use of topographic maps compass and GPS. Candidates complete a course over terrain commonly encountered in the operations area in a specified time frame, not to exceed 600 meters.

  2. Station #2: Tracking: Candidates identify and mark a footprint track left by the evaluator and follow the track to its end.

  3. Station #3: 24-hour Pack: Candidates demonstrate the ability to possess and pack the required SAR equipment and supplies efficiently *This will use the new NASAR proposed list.

  4. Station #4: Rope Skills: Candidates demonstrate the ability to tie four basic knots and a harness with supplied rope and webbing.

  5. Station #5: Route Search: This station entails locating and labeling clues in a given area demonstrating the ability to detect 50% of the clues using a route search tactic.

  6. Station #6: Area Search: This station entails locating and labeling clues in a given area demonstrating the ability to detect 50% of the clues using an area search tactic.

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