{"data":{"id":"us-ky/krs-39f.010","jurisdiction":"us-ky","citation":"KRS 39F.010","heading":"Definitions for chapter.","body":"The following definitions apply in this chapter unless the context otherwise requires:\n(1) \"Developmental disability\" has the same meaning as in KRS 387.510;\n(2) \"General rescue squad\" means a rescue squad which performs one (1) or more of\nthe following functions as a stated mission of the organization:\n(a) Light duty rescue;\n(b) Extrication of persons from vehicles;\n(c) Water rescue and recovery operations not utilizing divers;\n(d) Search for lost, trapped, or missing persons not utilizing dogs;\n(e) Low angle rescue and recovery operations; and\n(f) High angle rescue and recovery operations;\n(3) \"Impaired person\" means a person who has a known or reported:\n(a) Developmental disability, including but not limited to autism, or traumatic\nbrain injury and whose disappearance poses a credible threat to the health or\nsafety of the person, as determined by the Department of Kentucky State\nPolice or a local law enforcement agency; or\n(b) Physical, mental, or cognitive impairment or organic brain disorder, including\nbut not limited to Alzheimer's disease, and whose disappearance poses a\ncredible threat to the health or safety of the person, as determined by the\nDepartment of Kentucky State Police or a local law enforcement agency;\n(4) \"Reports and notification\" means t he reporting and notification of any search and\nrescue mission to the appropriate agency or person in the manner as specified by\nthis chapter;\n(5) \"Rescue\" means gaining access, rendering appropriate care, and transporting of a\nperson or persons by whatever means, to a safe environment for appropriate care;\n(6) \"Rescue squad\" means any organization which engages in the search for lost\npersons, rescue of persons, rescue of persons who are trapped or who are in need of\nrescue services, search for and recovery of drowned persons, or any other rescue\nrelated activity. \"Rescue squad\" shall not include the rescue of persons from a fire\nby a fire department,  the extrication of persons from a vehicle or other activities\nwhich an emergency medical technician, emergency medical technician first\nresponder, or paramedic is authorized to perform pursuant to applicable statutes and\nadministrative regulations, if the  activities are performed by a person for an\nambulance service or in the role of a first responder. If these activities are\nperformed other than as a first responder or in the role of an ambulance service and\nare involved in rescue operations, they come wi thin the purview of activities of a\nrescue squad;\n(7) \"Search\" means the process of looking for a person or persons whose location is not\nprecisely known, and who may be in distress;\n(8) \"Search and rescue\" (\"SAR\") means the process of looking for a lost, missing, or\noverdue person or persons who may be in distress, and rendering care with the use\nof appropriately trained and adequately equipped personnel;\n(9) \"Search and rescue mission\" includes, but is not limited to, searching for a missing\nor lost perso n or persons, cave rescue, high angle or rough terrain rescue, urban\nsearch and rescue, dive rescue and recovery of drowning victims, inland water\nsearch, rescue, and recovery. \"Search and rescue\" may also include any mission\npermitted pursuant to this cha pter. A \"search and rescue mission\" does not include\nmine rescue missions under the jurisdiction of the Department for Natural\nResources pursuant to KRS Chapter 351;\n(10) \"Specialized rescue squad\" means a rescue squad which performs one (1) or more\nof the following functions as the primary or sole mission of the organization:\n(a) Cave rescue;\n(b) Search utilizing dogs for lost, trapped or missing persons;\n(c) Search for lost, trapped or missing persons, aircraft, or vehicles, utilizing\naircraft, but does n ot apply to licensed air ambulances, active or reserve\nmilitary organizations, the National Guard, or the Civil Air Patrol; and\n(d) Water rescue and recovery operations utilizing divers;\n(11) \"Traumatic brain injury\" has the same meaning as in KRS 211.470;\n(12) \"Veteran at risk\" means a veteran or an active -duty member of the Armed Forces,\nthe National Guard, or a military reserve component of the United States who is\nknown to have a physical or mental health condition, to include post -traumatic\nstress disorder (PTSD), that is related to his or her service; and\n(13) \"Victim recovery\" means the search for and the removal to the jurisdiction of the\ncoroner of the remains of a person known or believed to be dead. If the person is\nfound alive, it includes rescue of the person.","path":["KRS Chapter 39F"],"source_url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=48738","current_through":"Includes enactments through the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"09/05/2026","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T20:48:59Z","sha256":"004853be211124fa5762a75c401a5fa229e14b6c7023a182a0dff0ad584aca8e","source_id":"us-ky","stale":false,"prev":"us-ky/krs-39e.990","next":"us-ky/krs-39f.020"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}