Burke County Emergency Management will conduct a multi-day Search and Rescue (SAR) Full-Scale Exercise from February 19 through February 22. This exercise is designed to operate as a true-to-life search incident, simulating real-world conditions and operational decision-making to evaluate and strengthen Burke County’s emergency services response capabilities.

Daily operations will function within established operational periods and will run no later than 2200 hours (10:00 PM) each day. The exercise will incorporate multiple disciplines and resources, including ground search operations, technical terrain rescue, K-9 teams (both live find and human remains detection), unmanned aerial systems (UAS/drone operations), Incident Management Team (IMT) functions, and Communications and Information Technology (COMMS/IT) support.

This exercise is intentionally structured to test incident management, coordination, communications, resource deployment, and operational endurance across multiple days. Participating agencies will operate under the Incident Command System (ICS), producing Incident Action Plans (IAPs), completing ICS documentation, and managing evolving search objectives as would occur during an actual missing-person incident.

All participating teams and personnel are required to complete the attached Google Form to support accountability, planning, and resource tracking for the exercise. Camping accommodations will be available for personnel or teams who choose to remain on site. Participants may also elect to stay at local hotels or commute daily if preferred. All teams and individual participants must be self-sufficient with meals for the duration of the exercise.

The primary purpose of this exercise is to evaluate Burke County’s ability to manage a complex SAR incident, integrate mutual-aid resources, and maintain effective command and control throughout extended operations. Lessons learned will be used to identify strengths, gaps, and areas for improvement to enhance future SAR readiness and inter-agency coordination.