I use lots of different terms in my blogs, so here’s an explanation of what they are:
Arch Search
An arch search pattern is a way of searching underwater during a diving operation. The attendant stands on the bank or harbour side and lets out some of the diver’s lifeline each time the diver makes an arch from bank to bank, this means the diver gradually fans out and searches an area in a semicircle from the bank. We rarely use this search pattern as the ‘jackstay’ pattern carries higher levers of assurance but the arch search is good for larger items in benign conditions.
Base
This is where I usually start and finish my working day along with the rest of the SSU. Our base is at Shoreham Airport, we share it with the p
olice helicopter. We store all our vehicles and equipment at the Base so we can deploy to operational incidents at any time. You can have guided tour of the Base in a video here.
Dive Supervisor
A dive supervisor runs a diving operation and looks after the health and safety of everyone involved. They liaise with the landowner or relevant authority and plan the dive to make sure it is safe and thorough. We have five on the SSU. Lorna, Arf, Jonathan, Critch and Moomin.
Dive Contractor
A dive contractor does not have to be present at a dive but will give the overall authority for a dive to take place. The dive supervisor will speak to the dive contractor prior to a dive taking place and will then get permission to commence with the dive.
Five Bells
This is a lifeline signal to tell the surface that you are starting work or you have found what you are looking for. Naturally it’s one we like to hear as it usually means success. See ‘Lifeline Signals’ in glossary for more…
Jackstay
A jackstay is a rope which is taught between two weights on the bottom of the area of water. We use a jackstay as a guide to make sure we search the area systematically and thoroughly. The rope is usually up to 20 meters in length but can be much shorter depending on the conditions and what we are looking for. We descend doen the shot line to the weight at the bottom, locate the jackstay and then begin our search. We hold onto the jackstay with one hand and search with the other, when we reach the end and both sides have been searched we move each end in turn ensuring that the area is searched thoroughly (even though we can’t see anything).
Sussex Search and Rescue
Sussex Search and Rescue (SusSAR) is a resource used by Sussex Police to assist with the search and rescue of vulnerable missing people. SusSAR is a charity and is staffed entirely by volunteers. The Unit is on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and is regulated by the Association of Lowland Search and Rescue (ALSAR). You can learn more about SusSAR here.
Lifeline Signals
These are signals that we send to the surface via our lifeline when we are diving. They are a series of pulls and bells (a fast pull, similar to a tweak!) which make up a ‘language’ of over 20 messages. We learn them on our dive course and even when we have radio communications to the surface we still speak in lifeline terminology to reinforce them. If radio communications fail we then revert to lifeline signals. The most commonn ones are:
1 pull/1 bell - Open Communcations/ Made bottom/ End of jackstay/ Leaving bottom
5 bells - Starting work/ I have found what I am looking for
Lowland Search Dogs
Lowland Search Dogs is a non-profit making voluntary organisation and registered charity set up to assist the police in the search for missing and vulnerable people. All operatives are volunteers and are on call 24 hours a day 365 days a year. We have our own group in Sussex, you can learn more about them here.
Mapping
On PolSA led searches or searches of open areas we will use mapping software on the computer system. This software will enable us to outline areas that need searching and keep track of what has been searched and by what resource. We have an Operations Department Police PolSA vehicle which has mapping inside so sometimes we can do mapping at the scene of the search. When I am called out and can’t get to a police station I just use paper OS maps to ensure the search is systematic.
Neighbourhood Watch Search Teams
The Neighbourhood Watch scheme in the United Kingdom is a partnership where people come together to make their communities safer. It involves the Police, Community Safety departments of local authorities, other voluntary organisations and, above all, individuals and families who want to make their neighbourhoods better places to live. The neighbourhood watch search teams are teams of volunteers who are equipped and trained to search open areas for vulnerable missing people.
Ops 1
‘Ops 1’ is our jargon for our operations inspector in the control room at Headquarters. He or she will control any major incidents, our of Force jobs or other significant jobs which come intot he control room. Usually it is Ops 1 who phones us if a job comes in that requires SSU or if we get called out of hours.
Police Diving Course
Our initiation to the SSU is an 8 week diving course. We all went to the diving school at Northumbria Police. It’s an HSE registered course and is very intensive. Most of the diving is in the scrap metal berth at Tyne Docks. It’s deep, cold and very very dark!
PolSA
A Police Search Advisor plans for and manages search operations. When a person is reported missing who is considered to be higher risk a PolSA is notified so they can target areas to search and ensure that the areas are prioritised accordingly. PolSAs are also called to run searches following a major crime or critical incident and will work to preserve and seize evidence relating to that incident.
Resourcing Computer (Webstorm)
This is a computer system that records all calls made and incidents generated within the Force and what happens with them. You can access it from all computers. Sometimes we keep an eye on what comes in if we get a chance but often communications room will call us if we are needed. We call the pages with an incident on a ‘serial’ and they all have unique numbers.
Serial numbers
We call the pages on our resourcing computer system with an incident on a ‘serial’ and they all have unique numbers.
SSU Dive Lorry
The SSU dive lorry is a 13 tonne yellow lorry that contains all of our dive and confined space equipment. It has space for 8 passengers. Click here for a picture of the lorry.
Standby Diver
To be as safe as possible during the diving operation and to adhere to regulations a diver is always fully kitted on the surface ready to enter the water to rescue the diver who is in the water if needed. This diver is called the standby diver.
Shot Line
A shot line is a line of rope that goes from the surface down to the bottom of the area of water that we are searching in. Usually the shot line is attached to the jackstay (see below).
Umbilical
We dive on two different types of diving equipment - SCUBA (self contained underwater breathing apparatus) where your air is in a cylinder on your back and SSDE (surface supplied diving equipment) where the air is fed from cylinders to the diver below via a hose we call an umbilical. You can see a picture with the umbilical in if you click here.
Wading
If the water is shallow enough for us to search it without wearing diving equipment we will wade it. This will mean that we wear a dry suit similar to our diving one but our head is out of the water. Whether we are able to wade or not depends on what we are searching for and how deep the water is. When we are searching for small items we will need to work in shallower water as we fingertip search the area. For larger items we can search effectively in deeper water as we know we will be able to tell with our feet if we find the item.
