Pocantico Hills Search

[WAS967 97]

Heard Archville and Pocantico Hills being toned out late last night/early this morning to assist Mount Pleasant Police with a search. Was it a missing person or evidence search?

[DaRock98 76]

I was heard the were looking for a motorcyclist who possibly crashed and was ejected into the woods. I believe the first officer on scene found a motorcycle under a guardrail with no driver.

[helicopper 1,050]

Can you say TIC?

[jack10562 414]

Can you say TIC?

okay...I'll bite.... he had tourettes ?

[JJB531 652]

Can you say TIC?

I know MPPD has a handheld TIC... I"m sure they would have utilized it (eventhough I know what you're getting at Chris.... )

[DaRock98 76]

Can you say TIC?

I know it may be a stupid question but what does TIC mean?

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

TIC stands for Thermal Imaging Camera

Edited July 19, 2008 by bvfdjc316

[DaRock98 76]

Thanks bvfd. If MPPD has there own then why would they call in the FD for theirs?

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

Man power to assist in the search.

[abaduck 123]

Can you say TIC?

Or NVG. I used my NVG very successfully recently, blundering around the brush at a 4th July fireworks display, checking for embers. They're complimentary; TIC is (obviously) better at detecting a heat source (such as a still-warm body) and works in total darkness, but given a little light, NVG has much better resolution - it's much easier to walk when using NVG.

Mike

[JFLYNN 681]

Or NVG. I used my NVG very successfully recently, blundering around the brush at a 4th July fireworks display, checking for embers. They're complimentary; TIC is (obviously) better at detecting a heat source (such as a still-warm body) and works in total darkness, but given a little light, NVG has much better resolution - it's much easier to walk when using NVG.

Mike

We did some experimenting several yrs. ago in Yonkers with using a TIC for just this purpose. While it may a good tool to use at night for spotting a warm body in areas on the side of the road that otherwise wouldn't be seen by the naked eye due to darkness, it will not penetrate thick brush, so a warm body that is hidden behind brush so thick that you wouldn't see it in daylight will not be spotted with a TIC, either at night or during daylight hours. So, go ahead and use it, but realize that scanning an area with aTIC does not rule out the possibility of a live body.

[Guest]

Any idea exactly where this occurred?

[helicopper 1,050]

I know MPPD has a handheld TIC... I"m sure they would have utilized it (eventhough I know what you're getting at Chris.... )

Actually that was just a plug for the thermal imaging camera. The point is that it can make quick work of an large area with JFLYNN's caveat. If the person is concealed their heat signature may be very difficult to see (if at all) and that would make the foot search necessary.

It does highlight another point - how often do you train/practice using the camera? Detecting different things on the camera requires interpretative skills that only come with practice. There are FLIR operators that have recovered discarded handguns from the air but only because they're well trained and highly proficient in their use.

[abaduck 123]

We did some experimenting several yrs. ago in Yonkers with using a TIC for just this purpose. While it may a good tool to use at night for spotting a warm body in areas on the side of the road that otherwise wouldn't be seen by the naked eye due to darkness, it will not penetrate thick brush, so a warm body that is hidden behind brush so thick that you wouldn't see it in daylight will not be spotted with a TIC, either at night or during daylight hours. So, go ahead and use it, but realize that scanning an area with aTIC does not rule out the possibility of a live body.

Great point. I've never tried it, but I think the best way to go might turn out to be to use *both* - NVGs as the primary tool for navigation to get through the scenery and into the brush (since it gives better resolution and spatial awareness), then scan from time to time with the TIC to see if there's a heat source. If we ever do a drill on this topic I'd want to give it a try.

Also remember the brush is *sometimes* clearer at ground level - just like in a fire building, remember to try looking low during a search in brush too.

Mike