There has been a recent surge in the long-term discussion about the use of the word “closure” in SAR-related writings. Some point out (rightly so) that families of the lost may never fully recover from their grief and pain, and some conclude (wrongly, in my opinion), that when we say that finding a lost person’s body at least brings some “closure” to those left behind, we are being insensitive.

So let’s consider this from a couple of angles.

SAR and the pain of the families of the missing and lost

Are SAR folks insensitive to the fear, grief, and pain of the families of the missing and lost? You bet. It’s the only way we stay both sane and effective.

Do you want the person planning the search for your lost son or daughter to be frantic with emotion and overwhelmed with the adrenalin of fear? Of course not. You want them calm, distant . . .  and focused on the mission at hand.

Do you want SAR volunteers to be overcome with grief each time we find someone who has perished? To be totally stressed out, traumatized, and unavailable for the next mission? Of course not. Just like nurses, doctors, EMTs, and other first responders, we need some emotional distance to be effective over the long haul.

A better term than closure

Let’s get back to considering what perhaps might be a better term than “closure.” But first, this requires a review of physics and a quick visit to a James Bond movie.

In physics, the term “quantum” was introduced to describe an exceedingly small, but discrete, jump in the energy level that characterizes the behavior of electrons. The term was rapidly misinterpreted and popularized by the public, the press, and scriptwriters (you know, those same folks who used “parsec” as a unit of time in Star Wars.) “Quantum Leap” became a synonym for moving a vast distance, and the misinterpretation was even furthered by Webster’s, furthering their reputation as a second-rate dictionary.

So I was encouraged when “Quantum of Solace” was used for the elegant title of a 2008 James Bond movie, in which Agent 007 gains a slight amount of respite by righting past wrongs. Mind you, the subtlety of this title went right over the head of 99% of the movie-going audience, but it sounded sort of catchy and caught people’s attention.

When reflecting upon this title, I realized it was a near-perfect phrase for what SAR provides to the family of recovered victims – a quantum of solace – a tiny easing of enduring pain.

But alas, this near-perfect phrase is doomed to be misunderstood.  And so we’re left with a translated compromise: We hope that what SAR can provide would be “a small measure of comfort.”