New Lenox Search and Rescue, 1 Veterans Parkway, New Lenox, IL (2026)

04/16/2026

NEW LENOX SEARCH AND RESCUE / ANNUAL FIT TEST – April 14, 2026
At 6:30pm on Tuesday, April 14, 2026 sixteen members of New Lenox Search and Rescue met at Messenger Woods for the team’s Annual Fit Test. One member had an excused absence and will complete a make-up test on a date TBD.

Lisa Murphy had the lead on this training. Lisa and three other team members had made prior trips to Messenger Woods to design a course (fit test) that would closely resemble what we (ground searchers) do during a real activation. This test is the same course that was used for this fit test the last three years. It is a departure from the previous 3-mile course on a paved surface that our team had completed for many years. Instead, this course was designed to go through the woods on a dirt (muddy) trail, with many obstacles (tree roots, rocks, branches, etc.) to step over. The course, designed by Lisa and fellow team members, was approximately 2.6 miles and included changes in grade throughout the course.

Four team members who had previously completed the course went out to pre-designated locations to ensure that those taking the fit test stayed on course and were safe. Lisa provided a short briefing at 6:30pm and stayed at the start / finish line to ensure all finished within the allotted time. The course was challenging and MUCH different than the “standard” 3-mile course on a paved surface. There was some mud on the trail due to the recent storms. Everyone did a great job completing the course on time. Most importantly, team members found THIS course more reflective of what we actually do as searchers. Team members had their radios with them and random radio checks were made with everyone during the test. This ensured the safety of the walkers and it was a good test of our SAR radios.

Everyone finished within 5 minutes of each other and the average time was around 43 minutes. Following completion of the test a short de-briefing was held to discuss the course and ensure all were safe with no medical issues.

After the debrief, Joe Frigo spoke to the team to prep for the upcoming May NLSAR training which will include compass, navigation and map reading. He provided some key directions on these topics and answered questions from the team members.

Special thanks to Lisa, Joe and Rich who assisted her with designing the course and facilitating the test. Also, great job by Joe to help everyone understand navigation. Congratulations to everyone that completed the course!

MAY TRAINING: The next NLSAR training will take place 6:30 – 8:30pm on Tuesday, May 14th tentatively scheduled at Hickory Creek Preserve off of Route 30. The topic will be Navigation, Compass and Maps.

03/21/2026

SEARCH AND RESCUE MONTHLY TRAINING – MARCH 18, 2026
At 6:30pm on Wednesday March 18, 2026 thirteen members of the New Lenox Search and Rescue Team met at the Hickory Creek Preserve in Mokena for our monthly training. The training was a night search with the scenario being there were two boy scouts camping in the preserve and wandered away from their troop. Our team and other SAR teams were deployed to the area to perform a search.

Our NLSAR team met briefly in the parking lot and divided everyone into two teams, Alpha and Bravo. We were assigned Sector 105 which was approximately .75 miles from Command (parking lot). The Point Last Seen (PLS) for the boys was on the pink trail just east of the parking lot heading into the preserve. All members were given trail maps and the QR Code for CalTopo. Joe and Lisa assisted with this training and were also with each team during their search. The teams were to use the Lime and Orange trails as their border and their search line would follow the path of their respective trail until they met on the north side of the sector. The trails were quite muddy from the recent storms that occurred prior to the search and the search area also had quite a bit of standing water in some spots that everyone had to navigate around during the search.

Eventually the two CPR dummies (missing boys) were located and called into command. Both teams made it around the entire sector and after a brief safety check everyone headed back to command.

The search disciplines that were highlighted for this exercise were:

• Trail Map Navigation
• CalTopo
• Nighttime and cold weather gear test
• Line search

At 8:15 the team arrived back at the parking lot and Dan performed a debriefing. Joe and Lisa also provided their feedback and after a brief discussion, new batteries and pouches (for cell phones on our vests) were distributed.

Everyone exited Hickory Creek at 8:30pm. Special thanks to Lisa and Joe for their assistance with this training! We made multiple trips to this area to plan accordingly. Also, special thanks to our NLSAR team members that attended this training. Great job!

NEXT TRAINING: The April 14th training at 6:30pm will be our Annual Fit Test at a location TBD.

03/20/2026

SEARCH AND RESCUE MANAGEMENT TRAINING – MARCH 9, 2026

At 6:30pm on Monday March 9, 2026 two members of NLSAR attended the monthly Search and Rescue Management (SARM) Training. This was once again hosted by Naperville EMA (Mark Hinch) that provides SARM participants the opportunity to collaborate on SAR scenarios and work through the various disciplines to begin the planning for a search.

For this month’s training, the scenario focused on a missing 3-year-old boy. He was last seen eating ice cream in his house. After the family searched for him on their property, they called neighbors to help then the police.

Initially there was an open discussion to strategize on the best plan forward. We covered Lost Person Behavior (LPB) profile, SARTopo Map and questions for the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ). We also discussed the forms that would be needed for the initial briefing to all the searchers. The meeting concluded at 7:30pm.

In this scenario, the boy was found 2 miles north of the Point Last Seen (PLS) about 12 hours later. We were all very surprised that he could have gone that far in that timeframe.

Overall, this was a valuable training that allowed all of us to once again practice our SARM skills. Special thanks to Mark Hinch, Naperville EMA for leading this monthly training.

The next training will take place on Monday, April 13th 6:30 – 8:00pm.

03/07/2026

SEARCH AND RESCUE MANAGEMENT QUARTERLY TRAINING – FEBRUARY 28, 2026

At 9:00am on Saturday, February 28, 2026 Dan Johnson attended the quarterly Search and Rescue Management (SARM) Training. The focus for this training was K9 support. The first two hours was in the classroom where we discussed the logistics of deploying dogs for searches.

Some of the key points discussed were:

• Integrating K9s, ground teams, drones and technology – Not relying on any single resource.
• Wind, Terrain & Water Considerations – Dogs work odor movement, not maps. Wind direction determines coverage strategy.
• Human Remains Dogs (HRD) – Do not require scent articles
• Scent Articles and Contamination Considerations – Early deployment is critical. Scene contamination increases rapidly.
• Best Practices for K9 Deployment – Work through K9 Coordinator, not individual handlers. Coordinator will be in Command.
• K9 Certification – Courts recognize three things: Trained, Certified and Reliable. Using uncertified dogs increases legal risk, operational reliability, false confidence for families and potential liability for agencies.
• SAR vs Law Enforcement – SAR K9s are scent specific. Reliability depends on certification, training and proper deployment.
• Understanding K9 Capabilities – Tracking: follows a specific path. Trailing: follows human scent movement. HRD: detects decomposition odor. Area Search: detects airborne human scent.
• Common Planning Mistakes – Trails designed too long, improper scent articles, K9s brought in too late, bad coordination between planning, Ops and K9 resources.

After the classroom portion there were three dogs that demonstrated K9 search techniques, trailing for a person and searching for weapons with a scent of animal fat on them to simulate it being used in a crime. The dogs were impressive as they found the person (Kim, about 200 yards away) and the multiple items placed in a large field.

Lastly, check out the last picture in the attachments, SARM – Six Steps. The second bullet in #5 is when teams are assigned. All of the bullets before that one must be addressed before SAR teams are assigned. This will give you an idea of the planning that goes into a search and why we are always waiting around upon arrival.

Special thanks to Naperville EMA for hosting this session and the K9 handlers for sharing their knowledge and the outside demonstrations with their dogs!

The next Quarterly SARM Training will take place on Saturday, April 25, 2026.

02/21/2026

SEARCH AND RESCUE CPR / AED TRAINING – FEBRUARY 19, 2026
At 5:30pm on Tuesday, February 19, 2026 all seventeen members of the New Lenox Search and Rescue Team met at New Lenox Fire Protection District (NLFPD) Station #1, 261 E. Maple Street, New Lenox, IL for CPR / AED recertification. With permission of the instructors, Marissa Tomich / Fire & Life Safety Educator/Public Information Officer and Jamie Brown, NLFPD Fire Marshall, everyone enjoyed Beggar’s pizza and beverages due to the early start time of the class.

Marisa provided an overview of the American Heart Association (AHA), Basic Life Support, CPR and AED program. In short, the BLS (CPR / AED) Course teaches students:

• High-quality CPR for adults, children, and infants.
• AHA Chain of Survival, specifically the BLS components.
• Important early use of an AED.
• Effective ventilations using a barrier device.
• Importance of teams in multi-rescuer resuscitation and performance as an effective team member during multi-rescuer CPR.
• Relief of foreign-body airway obstruction (choking) for adults and infants.

Marisa and Jamie then played the first segment of the AHA video that accompanies the course. Following the video, the class was then provided with an opportunity to practice on the mannequins. This process (video then hands-on practice) was repeated for adult, child, and infant CPR. The video and hands-on practice was also utilized for the AED and airway obstruction sections. Our team completed the skills test(s) as well as the written exam at the conclusion of the training.

The email addresses off all team members were provided to Marisa before the meeting. Following a review of the written exam, everyone received their certification cards via email.
After a quick clean-up of the room, the course ended just before 8:30pm.

Special thanks to Marisa and Jamie for the outstanding instruction! They did an awesome job and shared relatable stories to help everyone understand the importance of this discipline. Also, special thanks to all of our NLSAR team members that attended this training. Everyone on the team is now certified until February, 2028!

NEXT TRAINING: The March 18th training at 6:30pm will be a Night Search, location TBD.

02/16/2026

NEW LENOX SEARCH AND RESCUE – THREE MILE HIKE – FEBRUARY 12, 2026
At 6:00pm on Wednesday February 12, 2026 eleven members of New Lenox SAR met at the Frankfort Township facility on Rt. 30 for a team hike. This is the southern edge of the Hickory Creek Preserve.

This was a great opportunity for our team to ensure good fitness, test our night-time gear and strategize on upcoming training. The weather was seasonal, cool and dry and in the mid-30’s. We’ve had three consecutive months of indoor activities, so getting outside to test our winter gear, spend some time with each other while also getting some hiking steps in was a WIN WIN WIN!

The hike started in the Frankfort Township parking lot. We hiked north on the bike path to another trail which went through the woods and passed the open park used by scout teams and other organizations. We took a quick break and then arrived back on the bike path where we then continued on another trail in the woods for a short loop and then headed back south down the bike path to where we started the hike off of Rt 30.

We arrived back at our cars around 7:15pm. Before heading out we discussed the upcoming CPR/AED training, remaining NLSAR training events and other SAR-related topics.

Everyone headed to their cars and exited by 7:30pm. Special thanks to those who participated in this team hike!

FEBRUARY CPR/AED TRAINING: The next NLSAR training will take place 5:30pm on Thursday February 19th at the New Lenox Fire Protection District, Station #1.

01/18/2026

NEW LENOX SAR ANNUAL MEETING – JANUARY 16, 2025
At 6:30pm on Tuesday, January 13, 2026 our team met for dinner in the Community Room at the New Lenox Village Hall. Prior to the dinner, the following handouts were provided: Meeting Agenda, 2025 Training Summaries, 2025 Activations Summaries and 2025 Team Member Participation Logs. Also, everyone on the team received a new NLSAR hi-vis long-sleeved shirt and zip-up hoodie.

At 7:00pm Dan Johnson, New Lenox SAR Program Coordinator, called the meeting to order and welcomed those in attendance.

At this time the “2025 Year in Review” commenced, to include the following:
• Training (576 hours) – discussion included summaries of each of the training events.
• Activations (221.5 hours) – discussion included summaries of each of the activations.
• Annual Meeting (47.5 hours) – total number of hours for the 20254 meeting was noted.

The 2025 total (volunteer hours) was 845 compared to 1,077.5 in 2024. The drop in hours is due to the retirement of Dan Martin and three other NLSAR members exiting the team in 2025. Another also announced her SAR retirement at the end of year celebration in December, so the total number of NLSAR team members now stands at 17.

Next, the Team Member Participation Log was discussed. Areas that are measured include:
• Attendance at Annual Meeting
• Training Hours
• Activation Hours
• Number of Activations
• Total Number of Volunteer Hours

Minimum Standards are spelled out in our team’s Operational Guidelines and each year at the Annual Meeting those standards are reviewed. The thresholds for some of the SAR metrics have been modified due to changes on the team and number of callouts we have been receiving. In short, our team did very well in 2025 and areas in need of improvement were discussed.

At this time the 2026 Training Schedule (attached) was outlined as follows. Please mark these dates down in your calendar, topics are subject to change.

• January 13, 2026 – Annual Meeting
• February 19, 2026 – CPR / AED Certification
• March 18, 2026 – Night Search
• April 14, 2026 – Fit Test / Team Building
• May 14, 2026 – Compass / Map Reading
• June 13, 2026 – Navigation / Compass / Flagging / BBQ
• July 14, 2026 – Search and Extraction
• August 12, 2026 – Gear Check and Hike
• September 16, 2026 – Navigation (GPS/CALTOPO)
• October 13, 2026 – Search Transport / Hike
• November 13-15, 2026 – ISARC Conference
• November 19, 2026 – Building Search / Evidence (SAR/CERT Combined Training)
• December 15, 2026 – End of Year Dinner

Following the discussion regarding New Lenox SAR 2026 Monthly trainings, the following were discussed as well:
• Multi-Agency Training - typically, the 2nd Saturday of the month
• 16-Hour GSAR Course
• 2025 ISARC Conference (Nov 13-15)
• NIMS Courses - IS-100.c; IS-200.c; IS-700.b; IS-800.c
• Fit Test
• NLSAR Volunteer Manual

The meeting concluded at approximately 8:15pm. Special thanks to everyone that attended and best of luck in 2026!

NEXT TRAINING: The February training will be at the NLFD 261 E. Maple Street (Rt 30 & Prairie St) for CPR/AED training.

11/17/2025

On Thursday, November 13th thirteen members of the NLSAR Team participated in the monthly training for New Lenox Search and Rescue at the Water Treatment Plant, off Cedar Road just north of town. Everyone arrived by 6:30pm where Dan Johnson kicked off the training with a summary of the tasks ahead. First, they were to locate Rescue Randy, Jr., treat him accordingly and transport him to the next station. Each station contained another transport litter to carry Randy to the next station. First, the team treated Randy’s ‘broken leg’ with gauze and SAM Splints then transported him approximately 100 yards to the next station. From there they took him off of the litter and removed the old bandages, then treated him for a 'head injury', again with SAM Splints and gauze. The litter for this carry was one that team members would carry with them during a search. The transport involved a carry approximately 150 yards through the woods, to simulate a real search. When they arrived at the third station, they removed the bandages and then treated him for a 'broken leg' using another transport litter. They carried him approximately 100 yards to the Incident Command area for this search. This took the team just under an hour and everyone hydrated and awaited their next assignment.

The last assignment for the training involved a one-mile hike to an area just west of Cedar Road to search for Randy Jr’s father Randy Sr. This Randy is a much bigger subject who weighs approximately 170 lbs. The team first took a picture of the QR Code for the search area for CalTopo and brought a litter transport device with them for this search. After a 20-minute hike, they lined up on the north side of the road off of Cedar Road, on the west edge of the search area and began their search heading due east at 90 degrees. After approximately 15 minutes, Randy Sr. was found. He had a broken ankle and was down about 4 feet near a creek. After pulling him up to a flat surface, they treated his ankle with gauze and SAM Splints to stabilize his leg. They then loaded him on the backboard litter and strapped him onto it with the spider straps that function as support to keep him stable while transporting. The members also used ropes attached to the litter to allow some of the weight to be supported by the ropes across the shoulders in addition to carrying by holding the handles on the perimeter of the litter.

They first started with six team members for the carry, with three on each side. He was very heavy and this was not an easy task. After a few minutes, they switched to having only four carriers with two on each side of the litter. Although this was more difficult for those carrying him, they were able to walk faster. They practiced switching out the carriers while walking and also by setting him down and swapping everyone out. It was determined that swapping out one at a time while walking was the best way to do it.

The team arrived back at Incident Command at approximately 8:15pm. Everyone hydrated and rested for a few minutes and then Dan Johnson provided a debrief. The team discussed lessons learned from this exercise and upcoming trainings in 2026. Randy and all the supplies used were packed up and the team exited the training at 8:30pm.

The search disciplines that were highlighted for this exercise were:

• Medical Treatment
• Transport techniques using multiple litters
• CalTopo
• Night-time gear test
• Line search
• Compass

This exercise simulated a real search and transport when the subject is found. This was NOT an easy training session. It typically takes 16 people to transport a person for one mile. There were only 13 NLSAR members for this training and the litter was not big enough for more than four people carrying at a time. This grueling training session was good practice for the team when a subject is found and requires a lengthy transport. Everyone who participated should be commended for their efforts and for working so well as a team to ensure it was completed most effectively and with urgency. Thank you to everyone who participated!

11/14/2025

On Saturday, November 8th four members of the New Lenox Search and Rescue Team met at the New Lenox Commons at 6:30am to carpool to the ISARC Summit in Urbana, Il. They arrived at 8:30am and met a fifth member of the NLSAR Team.

The Summit kicked off with a Keynote Address by Brian Brauner, Executive Director of Emergency Management at the University of Illinois. Brian discussed the emotional toll that responders face and how to manage those feelings in a healthy manner. He offered strategies and tactics to prevent the need to rescue yourself based on his 35-year career as a first responder. The next session included an ISARC Update, including topics around the ISARC organization, newly certified GSAR and BNAV instructors and what’s coming up in 2026. Since the Summit, the ISARC Conference in 2026 has been confirmed for Nov 13-15 at Little Galilee Christian Camp.

After a short break, the NLSAR Team attended the breakout session for Cornfield Search, led by Ralph Kuchenbrod, Program Manager for the University of Illinois/Illinois Fire Service Institute Wilderness Search and Rescue Program. Ralph discussed techniques that work and don’t work while searching in a cornfield. He cited previous searches and potential hazards and how to prepare for them.

After Lunch, the team attended their last session of the day Effective Litter Evacuation of an Injured Subject. This was also led by Ralph Kuchenbrod and the class went outside to practice on how to correctly package the subject so that they are comfortable and to prevent further injury during transport. He used various backboards, litter baskets and ropes to demonstrate the best techniques for transporting a subject.

The team left the Summit at 2:45 and arrived back at the NL Commons at 5:00pm. Thank you to our five team members that attended and to ISARC for hosting this very educational SAR event!

10/16/2025

On Tuesday, October 14th sixteen members of the NLSAR Team participated in a search exercise in Pilcher Park Preserve. Everyone arrived by 6:30pm where Dan Johnson selected two team leaders, Joe Frigo (Team Alpha) and Scott Thompson (Team Bravo) . They were first given instructions to select their team members and then were given copies of the QR Code to share with their teams. Team Alpha was instructed to search in section 101 and team Bravo was given section 102. The subjects they were looking for were CPR dummies.

Both teams walked about 5 minutes to the search areas. After some planning and preparation, the team leads contacted Incident Command via radio and commenced with their search. After about 30 minutes both subjects were located and called into Incident Command. Upon completion of the search sections, the team leads were once again called over to Incident Command and were given instructions to use both teams to search in section 104. They were to start on the south side of the search area and head north with the members from both teams in one line. This time the subject was a child-size CPR dummy. After a brief period, the team found the dummy and called it in where all members were then instructed to return to Incident Command.

After a short break, there was a debrief to discuss the exercise. One issue that was discussed was that CalTopo did not allow tracking or Clue Marking to be documented in the app. This was due to the search area be deemed as ‘Read Only’. This was corrected and will not be an issue going forward. The ISARC Challenge and upcoming SAR training was also discussed before all members exited Pilcher Park at 8:30pm.

The search disciplines that were highlighted for this exercise were:

• Radio Communication
• CalTopo
• Night time gear test
• Team Lead training
• Line search
• Flagging/Flanking
• Compass

This exercise simulated a real search callout and the process that takes place to initiate a search when all searchers arrive on a scene. Although this was on a much smaller scale, it was good for the team to practice all the disciplines used during a live search. Thank you to everyone who participated!

NOV TRAINING: The next NLSAR training will take place 6:30 – 8:30pm on Thursday, November 13th location TBD. The training will include search techniques and practices.

10/01/2025

So proud to be a part of this NLSAR team!

10/01/2025

On Saturday, September 27th ten members of the NLSAR Team participated in the first ever Illinois Search and Rescue Council (ISARC) Challenge in Oregon, Il. Nine NLSAR members met in Decatur, Il on Friday night at a hotel and strategized our gameplan over pizza and beverages.

We all arrived at 8:00am Saturday morning at Camp Emmaus in Oregon, Il., where we registered and got ready for the day. After the posting of colors at 8:30am, the forty-plus SAR members in attendance were given a briefing for the day’s events.

The ten members of NLSAR were split into two teams NLSAR1 and NLSAR2, based on experience and skillsets.

The sessions for the day included:

• Rope Throw Bag – Each team threw throw bags into the rings laid on the grass for points. Rings further away scored more points.
• SAR Pack Relay – Participants took clothing out of a backpack (hat, gloves, safety glasses) and ran about 50 yards and took it off and placed back into backpack, then another did the same, etc.
• Close Grid Search – Teams had 20 minutes to search for playing cards hidden in the woods.
• Flagging Straight Line – Participants needed to follow an azimuth and drop flags in a straight line into the woods.
• Compass Star – Teams started at a point in the field with a Letter on a card and followed an azimuth for 100 meters where another card was located, and so on for 5 cards.
• Gear Check – Various Search and Rescue items were called out and if you didn’t have it on your vest or backpack, you sat down until the last person was standing.

Our teams performed very well in all of these events. I’m happy to report that both of our teams placed in the top three, taking First and Third place! We won a nice trophy and some cool SAR items too!

The ISARC members did an outstanding job coordinating this event. They kept things moving throughout the day and the evaluators at each station were very courteous and supportive. The Salvation Army was there with breakfast, lunch and drinks. It was a hot day for late September and the refreshments were very much appreciated. Thank you to all who planned and supported this event!

Congratulations to our NLSAR team members on a very strong showing in this competition. You represented our SAR team very well and should be proud of your performance in this Challenge. GREAT JOB TEAM!

New Lenox Search and Rescue

04/16/2026

03/21/2026

03/20/2026

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02/21/2026

02/16/2026

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