The　rapid　progress　in　urban　construction　and　informatization,　especially　the　recent　ubiquity　of　portable　devices　and　intelligent　infrastructures,　has　rapidly　aggravated　the　concentration　of　pedestrians　in　built　environments.　These　smart　environments,　which　have　been　driven　close　to　their　limitation　in　daily　operations,　can　be　vulnerable　during　emergency　situations　and　amplify　the　losses　in　lives　and　property.　However,　like　every　coin　has　two　sides,　the　extra　resources　brought　by　smart　equipments　enlarge　the　optimisation　space　of　an　emergency　search　and　rescue　process　and　provide　opportunities　for　new　system　frameworks　and　algorithms.　In　this　paper,　we　review　the　current　state　and　opportunities　of　the　pedestrian　search　and　rescue　problem.　key　factors　including　system　design,　pedestrian　dynamic　modelling,　and　algorithm　development　are　reviewed　and　summarised.　©　2022　The　authors　and　IOS　Press.