Maybe applicable lessons from a Search Mission

[EX121]

Got called out last night at 2000 for a search in the county, I got home at 9am this morning. I'm unable to go into details about the search but I have some observations.

It has been awhile since I pulled and all-nighter and and even after sleeping about 3 hours this morning, I finding it difficult to remain alert. For me the search wasn't physical as I worked communications and command & control. It was in a very controlled environment other than the rainy, windy, weather & the darkness complicating keeping track of the search teams, etc.

So my observations is if it has been a time since you have pushed yourself to perform in a stressful environment, then I suggest that you join a group where you can get this opportunity. I think it's important to put yourself in a situation where you can see how you function under stress.

As the spate of recent natural diasasters have shown, you my find yourself in a situation where you need to function for an extended time period.

In a SHTF scenario, who knows how long you may need to operate under very stressful conditions.

Anyway just food for thought.

[1Admin]

Excellent thread, great job!

Did you have tracking teams out? Tracking can be a very stressful duty.

IMO, any and all training, once past the familiarization phase, should include some stress inducement exercises.

Not that long ago I did some rifle training for some folks that had a fair amount of previous training. All were excellent shots at distance. To have them sit and shoot full and 1/2 size steel targets at 100 or 200 yards wouldn't be pushing them at all. So I opted for a different route- run from a distance to the shooting position, quickly take a position (clock started as you took position) and you had to shoot both plates alternating one to the other. You had 30 seconds to get 30 hits (30 rd mags) on the two targets. The full size one wasn't much of a challenge, the 1/2 size presented a larger challenge but the real problem was the time and of course that your breathing would be off (how much depending on the individual) when you arrived at the shooting position. :) Needless to say it induced a little bit of stress to things. The 100 degree temps at the time certainly didn't help matters either.

If we aren't challenging ourselves in training, it's the equivalent of ego stroking. We shouldn't leave training thinking "Oh man I'm flippin awesome!" We should leave training going "I need to work on ambidextrous gun handling, shoulder transfers, communicating with my partner during tactics drills and my stamina."

[Matt In Oklahoma]

Great thread, I use IPSC and other similar events to place stressors on firearms training. We trained constantly in units I was in while in the Army on sleep deprivation knowing that the first 3 days of missions/war usually only came with 3-5hrs sleep at most. I use teenagers now for that:)

[EX121]

Yes we had trackers & dog teams. Very windy & wet so not good for dogs. Trackers in an area already searched & actively farmed with irrigation.

I can't agree more on learning how you react to stress. It gives me more motivation to get back some of my old skills & learn new ones. I have been looking into formal wepons refresher training.

No teenagers here but the 6 & 5 year old granddaughters last weekend were very good at sleep deprivation.

[Knobster]

Heh heh... I here ya. I've been sleep-deprived since my first child was born. Going on nealy seven years now!

Last night I was doing my usual dry-fire routine and switched to my weak side. Good grief... I suck! I was just starting to get comfortable and when I introduced something different it became a whole new ballgame.

[1Admin]

Yes we had trackers & dog teams. Very windy & wet so not good for dogs. Trackers in an area already searched & actively farmed with irrigation.

I can't agree more on learning how you react to stress. It gives me more motivation to get back some of my old skills & learn new ones. I have been looking into formal wepons refresher training.

No teenagers here but the 6 & 5 year old granddaughters last weekend were very good at sleep deprivation.

A challenging environment to track in, to say the least.

[monkeybird]

In 1998 a severe tornado hit central Florida. I happened to be on duty in the ED. I can't even remember the number of patients we helped. I do remember activating the disaster plan and every single person did their job and did it well. Unfortunately in some cases, relief physicians and nurses had a difficult time getting to the hospital as major roads were closed with debris.

You go into rote action and focus only the patient in front of you. You don't think about your hurting feet, your aching back or your lack of sleep.

When the influx was significantly reduced and we were down to minor lacerations and tetanus shots, I was able to go home. I was shocked to realize I'd on duty for 18 hours!

However, when I got home I collapsed and dared a living soul to even speak to me. I was spent, completely, but surprisingly unable to sleep. Things just keep replaying over and over again in your mind. The patients, who were just numbers when they first arrived, became important, and you wondered how the serious ones were doing. Coming down from a disaster is a lot more than just ceasing to work it. People need to decompress!

Planning and practicing the plan was the reason we were able to handle so many people efficiently. The twice yearly practice of simple expected events left our minds free to solve unexpected problems. You don't have to focus on the routine, just the unexpected.

Fatigue is definitely a major factor, both physical and mental. Judging on the way I felt when I finally left the hospital, I don't know how much longer I could have continued. While we had an excellent system in place, we did had to improvise frequently. The EMS guys/girls were priceless. Everyone worked as a team.

It's not just a matter of stress it a matter of stress over time. It's a matter of being able to decompress after the event.