U.S. SARR Corps

For the past four decades, our organization has been researching, studying and participating in missing person events, disasters and evidence search missions. We have networked throughout the United States and Canada seeking out the best known information about these types of events and how best to respond. We have accumulated numerous studies and manuals from around the world concerning these subjects. Utilizing this vast collection of information, we have analyzed what works and what does not. We have taken a very different, and rather bold effort, for what we feel is the betterment of volunteer search and rescue, possibly the very survival of SAR volunteers.

Unfortunately, the current state of volunteer SAR, specifically in the U.S., is highly fragmented. There are numerous elements that comprise the community of SAR: wilderness, mountain rescue, urban missing persons, swift water rescue, etc. Clouding the issue even further has been the emergence of the collapsed structure effort and the war on terrorism. Granted, these efforts are real and need to be addressed, but lost in the shuffle is the need for organized measures for the individual missing person in all circumstances.

First, we had the need to create a title and establish a professional venue for the trained volunteer SAR individual. To do this, we borrowed the Canadian Forces title — SARTECH, (Search and Rescue Technician). It is important that a specific title be given to those who serve in the SAR field. If you are in Law Enforcement you are a policeman, in the Fire Service you are a fireman, etc. Not a titled course of study, but a title for a profession. We then created an extensive training academy and assembled a curriculum that covers the subjects needed to develop cross-trained, multi-disciplined professionals for search and rescue, recovery. We have included the second R in the title to represent the recovery phase.

The final challenge was to develop a means of assuring that the many elements of SARR could be utilized in a unified manner. Currently, the use of many diverse groups or disciplines, are the order of the day. There are many great concepts and effective organizations in existence, but it has the appearance of a cut and paste solution. There is a lot of redundancy, territoriality, egos and other issues that continue to muddy the waters. There is a better way. To address these issues the concept of a total search and rescue, recovery system was developed, this being the core structure of U.S. SARR Corps.

• To promote and elevate the task of searching for missing persons to a professional level
• To achieve the professional title of SARR Tech for trained SARR unpaid professionals
• To provide state-of-the-art training for search, rescue and recovery unpaid professionals
• To help advance the study, the research and response to the mission of SARR to a more efficient and effective professional level
• To establish volunteer search and rescue, recovery as an equal alongside the public safety systems of Law Enforcement, Fire and EMS
• To encourage, help and promote establishment of a national system dedicated as the primary response for SARR