STATE Emergency Service volunteers have assisted the Western Australia Police Service in thousands of searches in all types of terrain in both rural and urban areas.

Most of the searches are for missing people but they also have sought criminal evidence such as murder weapons. 
 
Assistance comes in the form of fully trained and self-contained teams of volunteers who work under the leadership of a volunteer field search controller. 
 
These teams can consist of volunteers on foot, in motor vehicles and on horseback. Ground searchers can be assisted by tracker dog units. 
 
SES volunteers can also assist as observers from aircraft for both land and sea searches. 
 
Volunteers are trained in a number of search techniques and are required to have specific skills including map reading and navigation skills, first aid, field craft, observation skills (both day and night), and tracking skills.

Searching can be an extremely traumatic task especially when young children are involved and the outcome is not successful. SES volunteers have peer support counselling available to them to help deal with stressful incidents.