Chapter 7 - Equipment and Food
Members are expected to be fully self-sufficient for three days even though the attendance requirement is for two days. The full list of bushwalking equipment shown below and three days food should be brought for all call-outs.
Equipment Lists and Details
The following lists assume the member is an experienced overnight walker capable of operating in all conditions, including snow. Each member must bring the normal gear for a three-day walk. Excess equipment may be left at search base in a labelled bag showing name, club, home address and telephone numbet Likewise, all major items should be labelled with your name and club.
Do not leave items out assuming somebody else will have them. Your equipment must be kept in a good state of repair.
A break for lunch, Baw Baw National Park practice 1999
In addition to normal bushwalking or ski-touring gear, the following is required. All items mandatory unless stated otherwise.
| Item | Comments |
| Tent | Do not plan to share a tent with a friend. You may be split into separate groups. |
| Sleeping mat, closed cell foam | Self-inflating mats may puncture during casualty management, evacualion or emergency bivvy. Take both if desired. |
| Sleeping bag | |
| Spare clothes | |
| Towel & soap | Optional. Useful where base accommodation is provided. |
| Stove, billy, fuel & matches | Ensure adequate fuel for three days cooking. |
| Eating utensils | |
| Water | Minimum two lifres in sturdy container(s). Fill at home. |
| Food for three days | Easily prepared, nutritious and durable. Refer to separate list of suggestions later in this chapter. |
| First aid kit & medication | Refer to Chapter 11. |
| Sunscreen, sunglasses, hat | |
| Weatherproof clothing | Goretex® or equivalent material hooded jacket and over trousers. |
| Gaiters | |
| Torch, powerful | Powerful head torch recommended with spare batteries and globe. |
| Long trousers, heavy duty | Required for prolonged periods of thick scrub bashing. Shorts are NOT suitable for searching. |
| Gloves, leather | Leather garden gloves or leather riggers gloves. Required for scrub bashing. |
| Cordage, 10- 12 metres | Venetian blind cord or 5mm sisal recommended. Required for bush stretchers. |
| Cutting implement (garden saw or machete) | For fabricating bush stretcher, clearing evacuation path or preparing an emergency shelter. Ensure the culling edge is suitably guarded. |
| Coloured toilet paper, one roll | For marking boundaries of areas searched, clues and finds. |
| Large plasfic bags (2) | Wheelie bin liners ideal. Used for hypothermia treatment, bivvy bag. |
| Storage bag or large sports bag | For storage of personal items at base. Ensure name and club is clearly visible. Must be waterproof, as shefter at base is not guaranteed. |
| Compass, whistle & map case | |
| Note pad and pen | Store in waterproof plaslic bag. |
| Map of area (if known) | Optional. In most cases, photocopies of areas to be searched will be issued at base. Personal maps, in cdour, can aid navigation. |
| GPS | Optional. Confirm grid datum in use before leaving base (AGD for maps printed pre 2000, GDA for maps printed post 2000). |
| Large felt lipped pen (waterproof) | Optional. Marking the group number on search boundary markers (toilet paper). |
| Rope, 30 mattes 8 mm kernmantle (scrambling rope) | Optional. Personal support on steep terrain or negoflaling small cliffs. Assisting with stretcher escort in steep terrain. |
| Karabiner, screw gate | Optional. Stretcher escort personal support, pack hauling. |
| Large day pack | Optional. Minimum 40 litres, as most day packs are too small for searching. An alternative is to use your weekend size pack for day searching. |
| Cross country skis and ski poles |
Applies only to members listed as Skiers according to the membership requirements. Only bring a type suitable for back country skiing with heavy loads. Metal edges are essential. Safety straps. Skins or rope climbers could be useful. Bundle your skis and stocks together for transport. BSAR skis may be issued at base. These skis are fitted with Nordic 75mm three-pin XCD bindings only. Do not rely upon these being available. |
| Snow shoes | Optional. |
| Mobile telephone | Optional. |
Table 7.1 Personal equipment to take on a search
A large day pack of sufficient capacity to carry the items listed for day searching, including a sleeping bag, is essential as well as the normal pack. As an alternative, the normal pack may be used in place of the day pack, provided a sturdy bag which can be easily carried is brought for the balance of your equipment, e.g. sturdy sports bag.
Clothing should be brightly coloured, if possible, to aid recognition in the bush, or a bright panel or pack cover could be used with day pack or weekend size pack. BSAR usually issues a bright pack cover for the duration of the search. These have proved to be very effective for visibility in scrub, poor light and snow.
Remember that searching is often done in much rougher terrain and scrub than would normally be experienced on bushwalking trips, hence the need for such items as scrub gloves, tough long pants and gaiters.
In addition, a BSAR vest may be issued and should be worn to distinguish BSAR volunteers from others.
Maps are usually supplied by the Police. However, members should bring their own maps if possible.
Packing group and personal gear
Snow conditions require cross-country skis or snow—shoes. Skis must be fitted with reliable safety straps.
A few searches require more specialised equipment such as ropes, ice axes or crampons. If you have completed BSAR alpine training, bring this equipment on winter searches as it may be used. For more information see Alpine Search and Rescue.
Bringing extra equipment “just in case” may seem like heresy to the weight-conscious walker or ski tourer. However, unlike on a normal trip, surplus gear can be left at the search base when the search terrain and conditions are known. Time is always allowed for this purpose. A policy of “when in doubt, bring it” is appropriate for search packing.
Updated 16 Feb 2011
Day Searching Equipment
As the majority of searches involve day searching, the items listed for day use should be packed into the day pack or set aside while packing at home, to be ready for a quick departure on arrival at search base.
When going out on a day search (planning to be back at base that night), take the following items described in the next section. All items mandatory unless stated otherwise.
| Large day pack (mm 40 litres) or weekend size pack | A normal weekend size pack is recommended. Items not taken into the field can be stored at base in the storage bag. |
| Weatherproof clothing | GoreTex® or equivalent material hooded jacket and over-trousers. |
| First aid kit & medication | Refer to Chapter 11. |
| Sunscreen, sunglasses, hat | |
| Cordage | |
| Fire lighting items | |
| Coloured toilet paper, one roll | For marking a search boundary. |
| Large plastic bags | |
| Food, scroggin | For personal needs. Include more than normal to cater for the casualty and in case of an unplanned overnight out. For example, extra noodles, packet soups. fruit etc. |
| Water | Two litres. Fill up before leaving home. |
| Notepad & pen | Inside a plastic bag |
| Torch. spare battery & globe | |
| Warm clothes | Be prepared for an unplanned night out. Take extra for the rescued person. |
| Compass and whistle | |
| Map | A photocopy of the search area will usually be issued at base. Personal maps of the area brought from home, if available, should also be taken. |
| Scrub gloves | |
| Sleeping mat, closed cell foam | For casualty management and personal use |
| Long trousers | Shorts are NOT suitable for searching |
| Gaiters | |
| Eating utensils | Optional. For feeding the rescued person and personal use, particularly if having to biwy out and eat emergency rations. Optional |
| Scrambling rope & karabiners | Optional. |
Table 7.2 Day searching personal equipment list
BSAR pack covers and vests are usually issued to members on arrival at search base via the leader.
Updated 16 Feb 2011
Group Equipment
Shared within a search group, quantities may vary depending upon the number of people missing. The group leader should allocate who takes what item.
Each search group must be self-sufficient in the field, and each leader will check the equipment of their group before leaving search base to ensure the group is adequately equipped.
At search end, group equipment must be returned to its owner, Police or BSAR.
| Tent (1) | A style with two entrances is most suitable for casualty management. |
| Sleeping bag (1+) | At least one. |
| Stove, fuel, billy & matches | |
| Cutting implements (2) | Ideally, one of each hype (folding pruning saw and machete). |
| Pack covers, vests | Issued by BSAR for identification at base and in the field. |
| UHF CB radio and radio harness | Used for communication within and between BSAR groups. |
| Police radio with spare battery | Supplied by Police with intructions on use. Used for communication with search base. To be returned to Police at the end of each day for recharging. |
| GPS | Confirm grid datum in use before leaving base. BSAR GPS units may be issued. |
| Bothy shelter | Useful for patient management in extreme weather conditions. BSAR units may be issued. |
Table 7.3 Day searching group equipment list
Updated 16 Feb 2011
BSAR Equipment
Bush Search and Rescue has specialist equipment that is issued to members during searches and practices. This equipment includes:
- Sked multi purpose stretchers
- Bushwhacker cross country skis
- Brightly coloured pack covers (which can also be used as bivvy shelters and casualty protection)
- Radio harnesses
- GPS units
- Uniform vests (to identify members on the search)
- Cordage
- A ski sled kit
- Haulage ropes.
- Snow shovels
- Avalanche probes
- Avalanche transceivers
- UHF CB radios
Most of the equipment is stored in Melbourne. Some equipment including a Sked, GPS units, ice axes, crampons and ropes are stored at Mount Beauty Police Station for local call-outs.
Practices provide opportunities to use this equipment. Take advantage of these so that you are familiar with them when you are required to use BSAR equipment on a search. This applies particularly to the Skeds, Bushwhackers, GPS units and UHF CB radios.
Please return all issued equipment at the end of the search or practice. Report any lost or damaged items to your Group Leader or the Field Organiser.
Updated 16 Feb 2011
Food for Three Days
You will need to bring lightweight food for three days on every search call-out. This is in addition to any food you may bring for the journey to the search area.
We are expected to be fully self-contained in both food and shelter and our search assignments will be determined on this basis. Your food needs to carry well and to be easily prepared in difficult conditions. The food brought for a search in hot conditions, when total fire bans are possible, will need to include items that do not require cooking.
The Police field catering unit and other service organisations sometimes provide meals when searchers are at the base area. This is a most welcome bonus for us, but in no way replaces the requirement that each member must bring food for three days to every search.
An example of a good food list for a search call-out is shown below as a guide only. Experienced bushwalkers will have their own preferences.
Note that the major items are relatively cheap and can be kept aside at home specifically packed for a search. The fresh items listed are likely to be on hand or easily obtained at the last minute.
| Item | Quantity for 3 days |
| Muesli, rolled oats, cereal | 150gm |
| Dry biscufts, flat bread or rye bread, (or sandwiches) | 300gm |
| Margarine | 100gm |
| Spreads, vegernite, honey, peanut buffer, etc. | 150gm |
| Cheese | 150gm |
| Soup, single serve packets | 12 packets |
| Pasta, instant noode or rice packet meals | 3 by 120gm packets |
| Dried fruit | 150gm |
| Chocolate | 100gm |
| Energy bars | 6 bars |
| Sweets or scroggin, etc. | 100gm |
| Tea or coffee | 40gm |
| Powdered milk | 150gm |
| Sugar | 100gm |
| Powdered fruit or sports drink | 3 packets |
| Salt | Small container |
| Water. Fill bottles at home | 2 litres, more if hot |
Table 7.4 Sample 3-day food list
The Police Field Catering Unit is a welcome addition on any search
2003 Edition