Today my SO and a couple of friends joined a SAR search about 20 miles west of us for a missing young woman who is developmentally challenged. This search has been ongoing since Thursday night and today, there were about combined 100 SAR team and volunteers out searching. Although I am not on a SAR team, I have done many volunteer searches over the years. This search though has turned out to be very different in terms of search methods used due to the missing person being developmentally challenged which the above link details a bit.

This search is ramping up to be one of largest in recent memory and could not of come at a worse time weather wise for us searchers. Today the temperatures were in the low to mid 90's which is unusual for this area and with many of us carrying heavy packs up and down steep terrain and trails it has taken it's toll on just about everyone. One positive aspect of the weather is the odds of survivability are much higher for the missing person, however as we seen today that once you hike up and through then along the mountain ridges and peaks (from sea level to around 3000' in places), there is little or no water. In fact, in the first search task we were on, we only came across water once and it was in a very slow trickle.

The distance/elevation covered and especially the heat of the day, has tonight left me and my SO brutally knackered. However we will be back out again tomorrow am depending on any new updates from SAR IC tonight. Many of us do not think there is going to be a good outcome on this one but we'll keep looking until a decision is made...

This brings up the question for those who are current or former SAR. I know that every missing person search is different but is there any distinctive info or stats on missing people who are developmentally challenged and their odds of survival as compared to other missing people.