How SearchLinkHQ handles information used for search and rescue coordination
SearchLink SAR Dispatch is a multi-organization coordination platform for missing-person and search-and-rescue incidents. This Policy explains what information the platform processes, why it is used, how participating organizations control incident information, and how individuals may raise privacy concerns or requests.
SearchLink SAR Dispatch is the name of the platform. Until a legal operating entity is identified, references to “SearchLinkHQ,” “we,” “us,” or “the operator” mean the current operator identified in the platform’s service documentation or contact page. This Policy does not represent that SearchLinkHQ is incorporated in any particular state.
1 Scope and Roles
This Policy applies to approved organizations, dispatchers, incident leads, responders, observers, outside participants, persons submitting information, and individuals whose information appears in an incident record.
Participating organizations generally decide why an incident is opened, what information is collected, who receives access, and when information is disclosed. They are responsible for their personnel and operational decisions. SearchLinkHQ provides and secures the platform, processes information to deliver the service, and may act on lawful instructions or legal requirements.
SearchLink must approve an organization before it receives its own organizational account or tenant. An organization that does not have an approved SearchLinkHQ account may still participate in a particular search. Its responders must accept incident-specific terms before receiving access.
2 Information We Process
Category Examples
Account and organization data Name, role, organization, contact details, authorization status, and sign-in or session information
Incident and case data Missing-person details, photographs, video, timelines, notes, search assignments, witness or family information, and official records
Sensitive information Medical conditions, medications, disability information, government identifiers, home addresses, phone numbers, criminal or investigative information, and information about minors or vulnerable adults
Location and operational data Live or recent responder location, dispatch status, search areas, sectors, routes, facilities, timestamps, and activity logs
Device and technical data Device type, browser, network address, diagnostic events, security logs, and platform usage
Communications and submissions Messages, attachments, tips, requests, support communications, and incident-specific click-through acceptance records
3 Why We Use Information
Coordinate active searches, dispatch resources, display assignments, document searched locations, and support incident command.
Verify access, administer organizations and roles, maintain audit history, prevent misuse, and investigate security or safety concerns.
Create and distribute dispatch-approved flyers, alerts, case exports, or other operational materials.
Maintain, troubleshoot, improve, and secure the platform and comply with legal obligations.
Develop reporting, research, product improvements, and AI-assisted capabilities using aggregated or de-identified information where reasonably designed to prevent identification and re-linking.
SearchLink does not sell personal information. SearchLinkHQ does not use incident information for cross-context behavioral advertising.
4 Location Information
Dispatchers and responders may be required to share location information while assigned to an active incident because location supports responder safety, proximity calculations, assignment decisions, and search coverage. Observers and visitors viewing a public flyer are not required to share location. A user who disables required location access may be unable to perform a dispatcher or responder role.
Organizations must limit location access to authorized operational personnel and must not use SearchLinkHQ for unrelated tracking or monitoring.
5 Minors and Vulnerable Individuals
SearchLink users and volunteers must be at least 18 years old. Incident records may concern missing children, vulnerable adults, or other people who are not platform users. SearchLinkHQ is not intended as an account-registration service for children and does not knowingly permit children to create responder or dispatcher accounts.
An organization may enter information about a minor or another person when it reasonably and in good faith believes the information is relevant to a legitimate missing-person, emergency, welfare, or search-and-rescue purpose. The organization remains responsible for its authority to collect, use, and disclose that information.
6 Sharing and Disclosures
Access inside an incident is limited according to assigned roles and operational need. Information may be shared with participating organizations, assigned responders, facilities, law enforcement, emergency services, service providers, and other persons supporting an incident when authorized or reasonably necessary.
Only the dispatch supervisor or incident lead may authorize disclosure outside the active search team, including public release, media release, a public flyer, or disclosure to an outside organization, unless an emergency or law requires otherwise. SearchLinkHQ may disclose information to comply with valid legal process, protect a person from imminent harm, investigate abuse, enforce platform terms, or protect the platform and its users.
Once information is downloaded, exported, printed, forwarded, publicly released, or entered into another organization’s system, it may no longer be under SearchLinkHQ’s control. The person or organization receiving or exporting it becomes responsible for its custody and further use.
7 Service Providers
SearchLink may use service providers for hosting, authentication, mapping, address lookup, messaging, email, logging, analytics, support, storage, and security. These providers may process information only to provide contracted services or as law requires. A current subprocessor list will be published when available. Until that list is published, questions may be sent to the privacy contact below.
SearchLink is intended for use and hosting within the United States. SearchLinkHQ does not intentionally transfer incident information outside the United States, except where a service provider’s documented support or security process requires limited access and appropriate safeguards are used.
8 Retention and Deletion
Incident and organization information is retained until the controlling organization submits a formal deletion request, SearchLinkHQ determines deletion is appropriate, or law requires deletion. Closing an incident or ending a subscription does not automatically delete its records. SearchLinkHQ may retain limited records needed for security, fraud prevention, legal compliance, dispute resolution, backup integrity, and proof of authorized deletion.
The organization is responsible for deciding when its case records should be deleted and for submitting an authorized request. SearchLinkHQ may delay or deny deletion when necessary to preserve evidence, comply with law, protect safety, or resolve a dispute. Backup copies may remain for a limited period until overwritten through normal backup cycles.
9 Security
SearchLink uses administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards appropriate to the nature of the service and the sensitivity of the information. Safeguards may include role-based access, platform-provided authentication, logging, access review, encryption in transit, protected hosting, security monitoring, and incident-response procedures. No system is completely secure.
Organizations and users must protect devices and sessions, must not share access, must follow role restrictions, and must promptly report suspected compromise or unauthorized disclosure. Case exports may be stored on personal or agency devices only when authorized for the incident and must be protected against unauthorized access and deleted when no longer required.
10 Security Incident Notice
SearchLink will notify an affected organization without unreasonable delay after confirming a security incident involving that organization’s information, subject to legitimate needs for investigation, containment, restoration, and law-enforcement restrictions. The organization is responsible for notices to affected individuals, regulators, or others unless applicable law or a written agreement assigns that responsibility differently.
11 Privacy Requests
Depending on applicable law and the requester’s relationship to an incident, a person may request access, correction, deletion, or information about how personal information is used. Because organizations control their incident records, SearchLinkHQ may refer a request to the controlling organization. SearchLinkHQ and the organization may verify the requester’s identity and authority before acting.
Requests should be sent to the organization privacy contact shown above. If no email is listed, contact the organization that supplied your search invitation or published the flyer and ask for its privacy contact. SearchLinkHQ will respond as required by applicable law. Appeals or complaints may be submitted through the same contact method.
12 Health Information and HIPAA
Incident records may contain health or medical information, but that does not automatically make SearchLinkHQ subject to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. If SearchLinkHQ provides services to a HIPAA covered entity or business associate in a manner that requires a business associate agreement, the parties must execute a separate agreement before using SearchLinkHQ for protected health information covered by HIPAA.
13 Changes to This Policy
SearchLink may revise this Policy as the platform, law, and operational practices change. Material changes will be posted through the platform or communicated to organizational administrators. The effective date above identifies the current version.
14 Contact
Organization privacy contact: See the configured contact above. Operator privacy email: Not yet supplied. Operator mailing address: Not yet supplied. Security reports: Contact the organization privacy contact above. A dedicated operator security contact has not yet been supplied.