SAR TECH II Exam Study Questions
and Correct Answers 2026 Update
Chapter 1 - Define search -Correct Answer ✔-an operation using available
personnel and facilities to locate persons in distress
Chapter 1 - Define rescue -Correct Answer ✔-an operation to retrieve persons in
distress, provide for their initial medical or other needs, and deliver them to a
place of safety
Chapter 1 - What are the 3 categories of fundamental SAR skills -Correct Answer
✔-1) search, 2) rescue and 3) survival/support (i.e. navigation)
Chapter 1 - What is NASAR -Correct Answer ✔-a not-for profit membership
organization of dedicated paid and unpaid SAR professionals that offers formal
training opportunities
Chapter 1 - What is the purpose of the SAR TECH certification criteria -Correct
Answer ✔-these criteria were developed to evaluate three levels of search
responder so that a measurable level of individual and crew capability could be
made available for Incident Commanders
Chapter 2 - Which 2 organizations coordinate member countries' efforts to
provide SAR services on a global basis -Correct Answer ✔-International Civil
Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO)
Chapter 2 - What are the 5 stages of a SAR operation -Correct Answer ✔-
awareness, initial action, planning, operations and conclusion
Chapter 2 - Which international conventions pertain to SAR -Correct Answer ✔-
Convention on International Aviation, International Convention on Maritime
Search and Rescue and the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea
(SOLAS)
,Chapter 2 - Define positive control -Correct Answer ✔-followed by radar and in
direct communication with air traffic controllers
Chapter 2 - What is Cospas-Sarsat -Correct Answer ✔-an international
humanitarian SAR system that uses satellites to detect and locate emergency
beacons carried by ships, aircraft or individuals; the system consists of a network
of satellites, ground stations (Local User Terminal), mission control centers (MCC)
and rescue coordination centers (RCC)
Chapter 2 - What are the 3 different types of emergency locator beacons -Correct
Answer ✔-Emergency Locator Transmitters (aircraft), Emergency Position
Indicating Radio Beacons (maritime) and Personal Locator Beacons (individuals)
Chapter 2 - Define a SAR Region (SRR) -Correct Answer ✔-an area of defined
dimensions, associated with a rescue coordination center (RCC), within which SAR
services are provided; for every SRR, there is one RCC
Chapter 2 - Who are the SAR coordinators for the United States -Correct Answer
✔-the U.S. Air Force for the continental United States, the U.S. Pacific Command
for Alaska and the U.S. Coast Guard for the maritime SRRs that coincide with the
ocean environments and Hawaii
Chapter 2 - How are emergency management and disaster response handled -
Correct Answer ✔-responsibility for responding to emergencies and disasters
begins at the local level, the next higher level of response (county, state, national)
is activated when resources and capabilities are exhausted
Chapter 2 - What is the scope of the National Incident Management System
(NIMS) -Correct Answer ✔-NIMS is intended to provide a consistent, flexible and
adjustable national framework within which government and private entities at all
levels can work together to manage domestic incidents, regardless of their size,
location or complexity; it is also intended to provide a set of standardized
, organizational structures (i.e. ICS) and requirements for processes, procedures
and systems designed to improve interoperability among jurisdictions
Chapter 2 - What is the National Response Plan (NRP) -Correct Answer ✔-the
purpose of the NRP is to establish a comprehensive, national, all-hazards
framework for domestic incident management across a spectrum of activities
including prevention, preparedness, response and recovery; the NRP incorporates
best practices and procedures from various incident management disciplines and
integrates them into a unified coordinating structure
Chapter 2 - What are the 3 criteria that should be met before an AMBER Alert is
activated -Correct Answer ✔-1) law enforcement confirms a child has been
abducted, 2) law enforcement believes the circumstances surrounding the
abduction indicate that the child is in danger of serious bodily harm or death and
3) there is enough descriptive information about the child, abductor and/or
suspect's vehicle to believe an immediate broadcast alert will help
Chapter 3 - What the the 5 major functional areas or sections of the Incident
Command System (ICS) -Correct Answer ✔-command, operations, planning,
logistics and finance/administration
Chapter 3 - Define span of control -Correct Answer ✔-important management
functions must be delegated in order to maintain a manageable span of control (3
to 7 persons according to ICS but 5 or less is preferred)
Chapter 3 - What is the role of the Command function -Correct Answer ✔-the
command function provides overall management of an incident and in ICS this
function is carried out by the Incident Commander (IC) and the Command Staff
Chapter 3 - What is the role of the Incident Commander -Correct Answer ✔-the
Incident Commander ensures effective management of the incident, selects an
overall strategy, establishes incident objectives, approves the Incident Action Plan
and coordinates and approves requests for resources
and Correct Answers 2026 Update
Chapter 1 - Define search -Correct Answer ✔-an operation using available
personnel and facilities to locate persons in distress
Chapter 1 - Define rescue -Correct Answer ✔-an operation to retrieve persons in
distress, provide for their initial medical or other needs, and deliver them to a
place of safety
Chapter 1 - What are the 3 categories of fundamental SAR skills -Correct Answer
✔-1) search, 2) rescue and 3) survival/support (i.e. navigation)
Chapter 1 - What is NASAR -Correct Answer ✔-a not-for profit membership
organization of dedicated paid and unpaid SAR professionals that offers formal
training opportunities
Chapter 1 - What is the purpose of the SAR TECH certification criteria -Correct
Answer ✔-these criteria were developed to evaluate three levels of search
responder so that a measurable level of individual and crew capability could be
made available for Incident Commanders
Chapter 2 - Which 2 organizations coordinate member countries' efforts to
provide SAR services on a global basis -Correct Answer ✔-International Civil
Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO)
Chapter 2 - What are the 5 stages of a SAR operation -Correct Answer ✔-
awareness, initial action, planning, operations and conclusion
Chapter 2 - Which international conventions pertain to SAR -Correct Answer ✔-
Convention on International Aviation, International Convention on Maritime
Search and Rescue and the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea
(SOLAS)
,Chapter 2 - Define positive control -Correct Answer ✔-followed by radar and in
direct communication with air traffic controllers
Chapter 2 - What is Cospas-Sarsat -Correct Answer ✔-an international
humanitarian SAR system that uses satellites to detect and locate emergency
beacons carried by ships, aircraft or individuals; the system consists of a network
of satellites, ground stations (Local User Terminal), mission control centers (MCC)
and rescue coordination centers (RCC)
Chapter 2 - What are the 3 different types of emergency locator beacons -Correct
Answer ✔-Emergency Locator Transmitters (aircraft), Emergency Position
Indicating Radio Beacons (maritime) and Personal Locator Beacons (individuals)
Chapter 2 - Define a SAR Region (SRR) -Correct Answer ✔-an area of defined
dimensions, associated with a rescue coordination center (RCC), within which SAR
services are provided; for every SRR, there is one RCC
Chapter 2 - Who are the SAR coordinators for the United States -Correct Answer
✔-the U.S. Air Force for the continental United States, the U.S. Pacific Command
for Alaska and the U.S. Coast Guard for the maritime SRRs that coincide with the
ocean environments and Hawaii
Chapter 2 - How are emergency management and disaster response handled -
Correct Answer ✔-responsibility for responding to emergencies and disasters
begins at the local level, the next higher level of response (county, state, national)
is activated when resources and capabilities are exhausted
Chapter 2 - What is the scope of the National Incident Management System
(NIMS) -Correct Answer ✔-NIMS is intended to provide a consistent, flexible and
adjustable national framework within which government and private entities at all
levels can work together to manage domestic incidents, regardless of their size,
location or complexity; it is also intended to provide a set of standardized
, organizational structures (i.e. ICS) and requirements for processes, procedures
and systems designed to improve interoperability among jurisdictions
Chapter 2 - What is the National Response Plan (NRP) -Correct Answer ✔-the
purpose of the NRP is to establish a comprehensive, national, all-hazards
framework for domestic incident management across a spectrum of activities
including prevention, preparedness, response and recovery; the NRP incorporates
best practices and procedures from various incident management disciplines and
integrates them into a unified coordinating structure
Chapter 2 - What are the 3 criteria that should be met before an AMBER Alert is
activated -Correct Answer ✔-1) law enforcement confirms a child has been
abducted, 2) law enforcement believes the circumstances surrounding the
abduction indicate that the child is in danger of serious bodily harm or death and
3) there is enough descriptive information about the child, abductor and/or
suspect's vehicle to believe an immediate broadcast alert will help
Chapter 3 - What the the 5 major functional areas or sections of the Incident
Command System (ICS) -Correct Answer ✔-command, operations, planning,
logistics and finance/administration
Chapter 3 - Define span of control -Correct Answer ✔-important management
functions must be delegated in order to maintain a manageable span of control (3
to 7 persons according to ICS but 5 or less is preferred)
Chapter 3 - What is the role of the Command function -Correct Answer ✔-the
command function provides overall management of an incident and in ICS this
function is carried out by the Incident Commander (IC) and the Command Staff
Chapter 3 - What is the role of the Incident Commander -Correct Answer ✔-the
Incident Commander ensures effective management of the incident, selects an
overall strategy, establishes incident objectives, approves the Incident Action Plan
and coordinates and approves requests for resources
