Cathy Haynes, Deputy Director Charleston County EPD
Ken Harrell, Director Dorchester County ESD
On Sunday June 7, 1992 at approx. 0500, Sgt Buddy Lloyd and Deputy Bill Mally of the Charleston County Sheriff's Office departed the Dorchester County Airport in Summerville. Pilot Lloyd and Observer Nally were flying the departments new Enstrom helicopter. They were enroute to the Charleston International Airport to meet with other officers and begin a search mission related to a serial rapist investigation. They never arrived.
Upon their failure to arrive and reply to radio calls they were reported overdue. The subsequent search for the two officers has been termed by authorities as the largest organized Air and Ground Search Mission ever conducted in South Carolina.
The search ultimately covered 460 square miles of Dorchester, Berkeley and Charleston Counties. The search are included suburban and rural areas. Ground searches were often focused on thickly wooded and swampy terrain where the tree canopy impaired visualizing the ground from the air.
During the mission 381 personnel were committed to the search. 22 fixed-wing and rotor craft from 16 local, state, federal and private sources were involved. Approximately 8,700 man-hours were expended in the search.
On June 10 at 1200 hrs the crash site was located no more than 1/2 a mile from the end of the Summerville airport runway. The site was not visible from the air and it was not until the foliage that had been exposed to the smoke turned brown where they able to find the crash site.
A copy of the five (5) page after action report upon request from Charleston County EPD
This is where I usually list those agencies and departments involved, but the list is much to long for this mission;
One hundred and sixty seven (167) Agencies, Department, Business, Clubs and groups were involved including;
Law Enforcement from Local Departments, Counties across the State and Ga, State and Federal agencies.
Emergency Management from the Tri-county and State.
Fire Departments from tri-county area and then some...
Military from around the southeastern United States.
Local businesses that donated food, drinks, supplies, aircraft and equipment.
Utilities that dropped in whatever was needed.
and the media who were all working partners in the search.
Plus Private citizens who gave of there time and aircraft and skills
LESSONS LEARNED:
1. There is a critical need for local Inland Search and Rescue Training that covers "state-of-the-art" SAR practices and methodologies. Local Public Safety officials who intend to manage searches must be prepared to effectively command and coordinate multiple agencies and personnel.
2. The Inland SAR Course conducted by the National SAR School at the USCG Training Center in Yorktown, VA was invaluable.
3. This incident demonstrated the Incident Command System (ICS) training, or a similar system must include all Public Safety fields. Efforts should be undertaken to adapt and deliver ICS training to EMS and Law Enforcement.
4. This event demonstrated to many agencies the vital role that emergency managers can fulfill in coordinating multiple agency response. The Emergency Managers involved strived to focus on the big picture and be a RESOURCE for the Incident Commanders.
5. Have available sufficient maps, aeronautical charts and aerial photos of your county. If you're not lucky enough to have a well-equipped Mobile Command Post, make a CP Kit that contains pads, pens, pencils, markers, maps, acetate for overlays, post-it pads, etc...
6. DOCUMENT EVERYTHING!!! Assign a recorder to the CP and or IC to log events. Keep all maps, overlays, etc. Expect Lawsuits.
7. Decide now how you will handle financial issues. Arrange for someone to be the Incident Finance Officer and make him/her responsible for issuing emergency purchase orders. You will be spending money that isn't budgeted so get County Administration involved early.
8. Meet with CAP to discuss SAR Operations in your county. Pre-plan potential CP's (airports, etc?) and think about how you will support and communicate with diverse agencies and aircraft.
9. Find out now who to call to conduct Critical Incident Stress Debriefings for all responders, including yourself!
