I'm completing a degree in Emergency Management after a dozen or so years
experience in the field. I'm currently writing a research paper on the Legal
Aspects of Volunteer SAR Teams in my Emergency Management / Emergency
Response Law class.

Here are some questions for you to consider... please answer one or more of
the following, and please feel free to include additional relevant
information:

What are your concerns about the legal aspects of volunteer SAR teams?
What are you / your team doing to mitigate against these legal concerns?
Has your team discussed the possibility of a lawsuit?
What were the concerns brought up?
Has your team discussed engendered reliance?
Has your team discussed vicarious liability? (including negligent
appointment, negligent retention, negligent assignment, negligent
entrustment, failure to train, failure to supervise, and failure to direct)
Do you feel your team has successfully addressed those concerns?
Is your team "still working on it"?
Do you / your team have training standards in place?
Certification Standards?
Equipment Standards?
SOGs? / SOPs?
What were these standards based upon? Who's qualifications?
Does your team allow someone not fully trained / certified join a search
mission?
If so, what are the requirements?
Does your team have indemnification / hold harmless clauses in the
constitution (club) or by-laws (organization)?
Do you know if these have held up in court?
Can you cite lawsuits where these have held up in court?
Do you / your team post any of these documents publicly? ie on a website?
If so, please include the link.
What have you / your team included in the team's documents that reassures
you against legal considerations and team / personal liability?
Does your team have liability insurance?
If so, what were the requirements of the insurance company to help safeguard
against potential lawsuits?
Have you reviewed your own personal liability insurance for coverage for
your volunteer activities?
Have you added extra liability insurance, such as an umbrella liability
policy, to help safeguard you / your family / your team?
Do you encourage your team members to review their own personal liability
insurance or recommend they add additional personal liability coverage?
- at least the officers of your team / organization?
Do you feel your state's good samaritan laws are enough to safeguard you?
your team?
Has your team reviewed the Volunteer Protection Act of 1997?
If so, did your team feel this act was complete enough? Or did the team have
areas of concern? Please identify the areas of concern of this act.
Have you / your team been involved in a lawsuit pertaining to emergency
response efforts?
If so, please include detail about the case and the final outcome (including
appeals).

Please submit replies directly to me at JeriZerr at gmail.com

If you would like a copy of this paper after it's completed, please contact
me privately.

Thanks!
Jeri Zerr
JeriZerr at gmail.com


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