Kenneth B. Chiacchia, PhD 1
Donald A. Scelza, MS 2,3
1Mountaineer Area Rescue Group, Appalachian Search and Rescue Conference, Morgantown, W.V.. U.S.A.
2Pennsylvania Strike Team 1, Allegheny Mountain Rescue Group, Pittsburgh, Pa. Mountaineer Area Rescue Group
3Appalachian Search and Rescue Conference, Morgantown, W.V.U.S.A.
Email chiacchiakb@gmail.com
http://dx.doi.org/10.61618/GNLN7584
Abstract
While the effective sweep width (W) method appears to provide accurate, objective probability of detection (POD) for search planning, the need for an extensive library of locally relevant W values poses an obstacle to adoption.
To investigate means for shortening such data acquisition, we conducted a roughly third-scale sweep width exercise in Bellview, Ohio, U.S.A., leveraging a more data-efficient means of deriving POD-validated Ws previously described. We compared the results to previous Ws obtained in a subjectively similar area in Wexford, Pennsylvania, finding that the sparsity of data in the smaller course sometimes results in poor fits. However, when good POD-curve fits can be derived, the W values for the similar areas appear to be statistically indistinguishable.
KEYWORDS: SAR, effective sweep width, probability of detection, search theory