At what stage of a SAR incident should personal equipment be checked and prepared?

The most appropriate stage for checking and preparing personal equipment is during preplanning and preparation. This phase involves assessing the mission requirements, ensuring that all necessary gear is available, and that it is in good working order. By conducting these checks ahead of time, SAR personnel can identify any potential issues with their equipment that could hinder operations during the search and rescue effort.

Ensuring that all personal equipment is ready and functioning before the mission begins is crucial, as it maximizes the effectiveness and safety of the teams involved. This preparation phase allows SAR teams to familiarize themselves with their gear, make necessary adjustments, and ensure they have the appropriate tools for the specific type of search and rescue operation they are undertaking.

While it may seem reasonable to think that checks should occur after the mission starts, that approach risks encountering equipment failures or unresolved issues at critical moments, potentially jeopardizing the success of the operation. The debriefing stage is primarily focused on reviewing the mission post-operation, and thus is not the time for equipment checks.