“How do I Join Search and Rescue?” This is one of the most often asked questions by someone who is interested in Search and Rescue work. The answer can also vary greatly from team to team because the needs and stipulations change sometimes dramatically depending on what county or state the Search and Rescue team is located in. We will outline some of the common things that any team will require and then try to address the more specific deviations from that.
Volunteering For Search And Rescue
One of the great things about most Search and Rescue teams is that they are comprised almost 100% by volunteers from the local community. This means when there is a mission it’s people stepping away from their every day lives to go out onto the trails they hike for fun to help those in need. That means if you want to Join a Search and Rescue team you’ll need to be ready to volunteer your time, day or night, good weather or bad without compensation and go help people.
This is one of the biggest filters for those who want to join and stick with a team to look cool and those who want to help and contribute to their community. Some folks who are just interested in joining Search and Rescue for the exciting Instagram picture of them hanging from ropes generally fade away when task is cleaning the mud off of equipment after a long night mission to be ready for the next call. A large part of the work done for SAR is rather mundane so that when a real mission is up we are ready to go.
Exceptions
There are some paid opportunities to join Search and Rescue. The United State Coast Guard along with its many other responsibilities does amazing work as a Search and Rescue organization. Also you could consider joining Search and Rescue with the national parks service, however these positions are highly competitive and very limited.
Normal Requirements
Requirements can vary by teams, depending on location, number of people interested in joining and how the team is managed. Common requirements are minimum age, background checks, general health and fitness. Lets look a bit deeper at these.
Age: Normally teams wont take minors, you must be 18 years old or older to participate. There are some exceptions as some counties will have kids from their local high school who will participate and a mentorship or leadership development program.
Background Checks: Most teams will require a background check to join search and rescue. Since working with county resources and having access to equipment most teams will require a background check to make sure there are not conflicts with their local policies on who can work with and be covered by county policies.
General Health and Fitness: SAR is by it’s very nature is physically demanding work so making sure that team members are up to the task is important not just to get the job done but to not put someone in unnecessarily risky situations. Also though you don’t need to be a super star athlete to join search and rescue.
Generally being able to hike with some weight and no major medical issues is enough to get you started, although each team should always be encouraging members to be getting into better or maintaining good physical fitness. Some teams also have positions that don’t go into the field, like staying at site and doing communications, taking notes, or even making sure there is hot coffee.
County Employee: Additionally some larger counties require team members to be part of their local law enforcement or emergency services to work on the SAR team. If this is your counties policy then it can be more difficult to join search and rescue, and going and talking with their team would be the best steps forward to see if there are different ways you can participate.
Wait Lists: Other teams, often in larger population centers close to wilderness areas, may have many people wanting to Join Search and Rescue. In these cases there may be more people interested then the team needs or can manage. In these cases there can be a more selective process where a interested person may be put on a wait list or need to bring some sort of specialized skill to the team.
Location to Search and Rescue Team
Most SAR teams are organized by county since they are often managed by the County Sheriffs department. If you are going to Join Search and Rescue then living within a reasonable driving distance of the team you want to work with is going to be important. Knowing your counties geography and locations is important, along with being able to arrive to help in a reasonable amount of time.
Gear to Join Search and Rescue
Most teams wont require you to start with any particular gear just to show up the first time. Also most teams have team gear that individuals can use so the team member doesn’t need to purchase specialized gear. However many teams do expect a member to have a pack that will allow them to be self-sustaining with a 24 hour pack in the wilderness in possible conditions for the season. If you are already and outdoor enthusiast most of these things you’ll likely have.
Go Ask How To Join Search and Rescue
The best option to find out what is needed is to simply just go talk to someone from your local search and rescue team. They will be happy to have more support from within their community and can share details about how your local team is setup.
