search party
Missing person seekers
A search party is a group organized to look for someone who is missing or lost.
The term evokes wilderness rescues and missing-person cases: A search party combed the woods for the lost hiker.
The party disbands once the person is found—or declared unfindable.
Marks left by walking
- trailPath through wilderness
- scentAirborne odor detected
- houndsDogs bred to track
- bloodhoundsTracking dogs, keen-nosed
tracker · signs · spoor · last seen · direction · path · route · K-9 unit
Act of going missing
- lostUnable to navigate
- vanishedDisappeared from sight
- missing personUnlocated person sought by authorities
- amber alertMissing child notification system
last known location · flyers · posters · sightings · eyewitness · description · photograph · tip line
Unpaid willing workers
- coordinatorsThose who arrange activities
- command postTactical operations headquarters
- staging areaIntermediate gathering location
- briefingConcise information session
assignments · teams · sectors · canvassing · sweep · coverage · manpower · dispatch
One still alive after
- recoveryRegaining what was lost
- extractionAct of removing
- medevacEmergency air transport injured
- stretcherPortable frame for casualties
first aid · paramedic · helicopter · evacuation · airlift · triage · safety · ambulance
Uncultivated, uninhabited natural region
- forestTree-dense ecosystem
- mountainsTall elevated landmasses
- ravineDeep, narrow valley
- riverLarge flowing watercourse
swamp · desert · backcountry · caves · cliffs · remote · rugged · woodland
Requiring prompt action
- race against timeUrgent struggle before deadline
- daylightSun's natural glow
- nightfallOnset of darkness
- weather windowTemporary favorable atmospheric conditions
hypothermia · dehydration · exposure · exhaustion · dwindling · sprint · around the clock · nonstop
footprints
Marks left by walking
bloodhounds · tracker · signs · spoor · last seen · direction · path · route · K-9 unit · sniffing
disappearance
Act of going missing
- lostUnable to navigate
- vanishedDisappeared from sight
- missing personUnlocated person sought by authorities
last known location · amber alert · flyers · posters · sightings · eyewitness · description · photograph · tip line · silver alert
volunteers
Unpaid willing workers
- coordinatorsThose who arrange activities
- command postTactical operations headquarters
- staging areaIntermediate gathering location
briefing · assignments · teams · sectors · canvassing · sweep · coverage · manpower · dispatch · mobilization
survivor
One still alive after
- recoveryRegaining what was lost
- extractionAct of removing
- medevacEmergency air transport injured
stretcher · first aid · paramedic · helicopter · evacuation · airlift · triage · safety · ambulance · lifeline
wilderness
Uncultivated, uninhabited natural region
river · swamp · desert · backcountry · caves · cliffs · remote · rugged · woodland · marsh
time-sensitive
Requiring prompt action
- race against timeUrgent struggle before deadline
- daylightSun's natural glow
- nightfallOnset of darkness
weather window · hypothermia · dehydration · exposure · exhaustion · dwindling · sprint · around the clock · nonstop · intensive
- Manhuntfugitive, manhunt, wanted poster, most wanted, pursuit
- missing personsmissing person, disappearance, missing children, missing child, vanished
- searchesseek, hunt, quest, find, locate
- prison escapesjailbreak, breakout, escapee, tunneling, disguise
- rescuerescue, rescue team, rescue dog, save, help
- chasepursuer, chaser, manhunter, hunter, tracker
search partysolo effort
party, search, research, searching, partisan, researcher, searched, searches, researched