Editing ESR:Search And Rescue (SAR) Full Guide (section)

==Role of the Locator==

If you find a system with an active SAR request, you are the '''Locator'''.
Congratulations!

Stay in that system, stay safe: Make a safe spot & cloak if you can! Locating a wormhole system is the most important part of any rescue. Do not lose the system. Be that getting killed and waking up in your medical clone or leaving the system and not being able to get back in.

You will be under no obligation to remain in the system, but you will be asked by a Coordinator to wait there long enough for a rescue team to arrive to secure the system. Usually, this operation doesn't require more than 5-10 minutes but it might be delayed slightly if no ESR Coordinator is currently available or the chain has collapsed or particularly difficult to traverse.

'''Note:''' Scouts not in the ESR Team should not contact the SAR pilot directly - instead, work with the ESR Coordinators in order to get a rescue team in the system. The most important thing for you is to stay safe in the system. Under no circumstances should you leave the system until you get a confirmation from a coordinator to do so.

'''Note:''' The use of Tripwire and the Signal Cartel mask is highly recommended when traveling through wormhole space, because fresh, timely information can make the difference between a pilot saved and a pilot lost. For more information on using Tripwire, see [[Short guide to Tripwire]].

When a Signal Cartel pilot is traveling through Anoikis and comes across a system that has an active rescue request, their Co-Pilot Allison will notify them. Allison will also ping all the Coordinators to alert them a system has been found. A coordinator will usually contact you quickly.  Coordinators will guide you through, just wait for the in game contact and follow the instructions provided. If you are not contacted in 15 minutes, you can @911 in Discord esr-lounge without disclosing your location for further guidance.

The first priority is to not lose the system. The next priority is to assist rescue pilots to enter that system. You are flying with Allison and she has recorded the path you took to get into your current system. The rescue pilots will be following that path from the most recent known space system you visited.

'''How can you assist the rescue pilots?'''

Were you making bookmarks as you were moving between systems? Sharing your bookmarks with the rescue pilots is very helpful.

Were you using mapping software such as Tripwire? Sharing the signatures you jumped through saves the rescue pilots time reaching your system. If not using mapping software, do you recall the signatures you used?

Were any of the connections on the path end of life?

Were there any camps or very active systems that the rescue pilots will be flying through?

If the path from the last known space system you visited to your current system is long or no longer available, the rescue coordinator may ask you to scan connections in the current system. In particular, if your current system has a known space static connection. Wait for the rescue coordinator to request you scan. Just launching your probes alerts anyone in system that you are there.

If asked to scan connections, remember the first priority is to not lose the system. Do not jump any connections that are end of life or critically destabilized. Talk with the rescue coordinator first.

'''How can you assist after the rescue pilots arrive?'''

You are under no obligation to remain in the system. You have completed your responsibility as a Locator. 

One item that will help the rescue pilots would be to map connections to the SAR system. If you do this, the Coordinator will give you access to a Tripwire mask to use. For rescues, we do not map using the corporation Tripwire mask for OPSEC reasons. 

Locating a SAR system and actually rescuing a pilot do not happen at the same time. There are many factors involved and the actual rescue may happen days or even weeks after a system is located.

'''How do the rescue pilots operate?''' 

Once all exits have been scanned down and safe spots have been established in the system, there are essentially two options for effecting the rescue:

* '''Option 1:''' The Rescue Pilot could fleet up together and have the stranded Capsuleer fly to them at the exit or other safe spot before going on to the exit. This may involve multiple rescue pilots leading the stranded pilot through multiple wormhole systems.
* '''Option 2:''' The Rescue Pilot shares a bookmark for the wormhole exit.

'''Option 1''': ''is the preferred method'', but can sometimes see some resistance from some particularly paranoid pilots. However, due to our integrity and reputation, this can usually be solved, and using Fleet to extract from a system is the easiest and quickest way.

'''Option 2''': Sharing a  bookmark allows for extraction even on a delayed timing, when maybe being online with the pilot at the same time is not easy due to timezone difficulties. However, it's very rare this is needed, and by rule, fleeting up with the pilot should be the preferred method.

====The Rescue Pilot must uphold the Credo at all times.====
The job of the Rescue Pilot is to be a light that guides another to safety, not to be their bodyguard. The Rescue Pilot '''must not''' get involved if any aggression takes place. If the Rescue Pilot is attacked by a third party or even by the Capsuleer that they were rescuing, they are allowed to defend themselves. But they must not be the aggressor, nor can they stay associated with the Capsuleer if they attack anyone while in their care. That is grounds for abandonment on the part of the Rescue Pilot. This point must be made clear to the stranded Capsuleer. 

====Communication with Stranded Pilots====
'''Any and all contact with the stranded pilot regarding the SAR should be made only with a Signal Cartel character'''. Far too many Credo questions are raised by the use of out-of-corp alts in these situations.

If you would like to get an alt into Signal Cartel for the express purposes of SAR, please contact a recruiter directly to arrange that.

For more information see the [[Policy:Alts and the Credo]] and [[ESR:Search & Rescue, the Credo, and You]]

====When the rescue is over====
Once rescue of the stranded Capsuleer is completed, a Coordinator is notified and they will take care of the paperwork.

What if the stranded Capsuleer wants to give a 'tip'?<br>
It is not unusual for the Capsuleer to want to give a tip to the Rescue Pilot in thanks for their service. Tips may be accepted, and do not have to be reported nor donated back to the Corporation. '''While tips are welcome, they are not expected, nor are they required, and should therefore never be solicited.''' Signal Cartel members who participate in SAR operations should do so for the opportunity to help another Capsuleer, not for monetary gain itself.

If asked about tipping, the standard line is: '''“Tips are not required, but are always greatly appreciated.”''' If the Rescue Pilot does not want to receive a tip, they may direct the Capsuleer to make a donation to Signal Cartel instead.