Three grids filtered by single form search field

I have created my first grid, associated it with a Joomla table, then using the Show Search Form, Use Advanced Filters and an Advanced Filter using a List for one of the fields, I now have a working page. My question, I have two additional grids that need to be filtered by the same field, but the data for the two additional grids exists in two different tables, hence the need for a total of three grids. Is there a way to link the search fields together across three grids?

Thanks,
Tim

I think I have found a work around. If I turn off the Show Search Form, I can created my own drop down using php and my table data, then on the select event, do a URL change with the search parameters appended to the page URL. I have tested it to work for more than one grid. The only issue I see is the large white space left over where the search fields would normally be. Even though they aren't shown, the space is still taken up as if they were there.

I have this basically working now. I force the entry of the page containing the three grids using a URL search parameter I know will now be found so no records are shown. Then by selecting an area via a dropdown, I update the search URL and all three grids update correctly. The problem I have now, if I click one of the row columns to sort, all the records are shown, not just the filered records from the search filter. Why is this occuring and what can I do to either disable the user from being able to sort the listing or insure just the filtered data is sorted instead of all the tables data?