Know Before You Enroll and FAQs

Did you know that training industry experts believe that nearly 85% of all on-boarding, foundation, and refresher training will take place online? (via E-Learn-Info Industry Report)

Read more about the advantages of online education by clicking each link below (articles open in a new tab):

Why e-Learning?

How Much Does It Cost To Be A Search & Rescue Volunteer?

Is This Training Certified and Accepted By __________?

Yes.  

Unless it's not ... just like every certifier mentioned herein.  Read on for an explanation. 

The chief benefits of any credible SAR qualification are to demonstrate to the local authorities (who are responsible for SAR callouts) that the responder is qualified to perform the task of finding lost people AND therefore they are less likely to embarrass the agency in the process.

• TEAM Solutions courses deliver a blend of crawling (awareness), walking (knowledge), and running (application of skill).  
• TEAM Solutions courses are widely accepted and backed by our experience and reputation in the industry delivered online since 2011.

Here is a snapshot of the certification landscape:

State Level SAR

Some states have statewide wilderness SAR standards (Oregon, New Mexico, California come to mind) that must be met in order to be a part of an official state call-out (which includes those local incidents that eventually seek state support, reimbursement, etc.)  I'm not aware if any of those states offer reciprocity across state lines so a New Mexico responder may have to recertify if they move to California and vice versa.

Federal Level SAR

At the federal level, it's another mixed bag.  FEMA sets standards for federal responders on federal urban-SAR events (disasters such as hurricanes, wildfires, etc.) and many states follow their lead when establishing standards for urban response.  Other federal agencies may have different expectations to get involved in a SAR incident, i.e. Forest Service, Coast Guard, etc.

Urban training is a little more organized, but again, not uniformly applied at the local level. FEMA (US and some others) and INSARAG both offer performance standards, but typically you'd have to be on a government sponsored disaster team to receive the training and seek their disaster certification.

An exception would be FEMA's CERT (Community Emergency Response Team training) which is designed to help train neighbors how to help neighbors after a disaster. 

Keep reading for more information about the National Urban Search and Rescue Response System.

Local Level SAR

At the local level, there's usually not a consistent qualification standard.

In the United States, NASAR offers a wilderness field certification (SAR Tech III-I) which some teams adopt to certify their members. Because NASAR's focus is mainly wilderness certification, however, that certification is seldom useful just by itself for a team to become SAR proficient. And even though they are likely the most well-known wilderness SAR standard, they're not alone nor are they available everywhere ... on the US west coast, for example, NASAR certifications are scarce.

For context, when I was involved with local, wilderness SAR, I had to meet a wide variety of performance expectations, only some of which were addressed in the NASAR curriculum. Because outside certifications usually add more credibility, a few of us went on and certified as SAR Tech IIs with NASAR too. It helped having outside certs on my resume as I climbed the ranks of local, state and federal SAR but the local sheriff or police detective that called us out never cared.

Summary of SAR Standards

Local counties, for the most part, can require or not require whatever standards they want in order to deploy local SAR responders.

Most teams develop and enforce their own standards that reflect their own mission, operating environment, etc. As part of their 'self-certification', it's common that their Mission Ready requirements may ALSO include or at least mimic certification requirements from NASAR, American Heart, Mountain Rescue, and increasingly TEAM Solutions. 

The SAR courses available in the SAR Course Catalog cover the majority of material needed for a new SAR responder, regardless of where they go with their certifications.

Bottom Line - SAR Qualifications

The best way to find out if an agency will accept an outside certification - regardless whose certification it is - is to simply ask them.  If or when they have follow-up questions, send them to this page and/or have them contact me. 

Again, agency's want trained, certified and reliable searchers on their missions.  And my online SAR courses are laser-focused to do just that.

• Someone who completes all of my SAR courses (with a few exceptions still on the development roadmap) can immediately start applying their knowledge and skill in the field on their way to being field certified.

Contact me below if you have further questions and I'll try my best to help you.

How Do I Find & Join a SAR Team?

Depending on your operating environment, I recommend researching which agency or agencies are statutorily responsible for directing or approving SAR response where you're located.

• Start by checking with your local Sheriff's Department, Fire Department, and Emergency Management Agency.

They each are a good place to start asking what expectations or requirements they have in order to approve of you (or your organization) as an official response partner. 

Ask them who they would call if someone was missing.

• If a team is not on the 'approved call out' list of the agency responsible for SAR, they will be home watching a search unfold on the television just like everybody else.  

You want to align with a team that has a useful reputation among other responders!  

Those inquiries should give you an idea what the opportunities are.

Also, some other volunteer community service groups may offer limited SAR services without the demands of a SAR team.  Groups such as: 

• Off-road 4x4 groups
• Citizen Police and Fire Auxiliary Groups
• Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT)

Urban Search & Rescue (USAR)?

A subset of search and rescue involves a specialized response to natural and manmade disasters (hurricanes, structural collapse, etc.) called Urban SAR. 

In the United States, there are nearly 30 USAR teams sponsored by FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

At the state level, most states (and some large metro areas) also sponsor USAR teams, which are part of the same system but organized under the membership-based State Urban Search And Rescue Alliance.

USAR teams are called task forces because they are comprised of multiple disciplines, including the following specialties:

• A Type 1 USAR Task Force is comprised of 72 responders and is equipped to operate autonomously for 14 days.
• A Type 3 USAR Task Force is comprised of approximately 23 responders, also drawn from the above disciplines. 

How Do I Use My Dog (or Horse, etc.) for SAR?

Hvaing a dog that needs a job is one of the main reasons people start exploring Search & Rescue.  In fact, that's exactly how I started back in the late 1990's.

However, before making an investment in time and effort, there are two important realities you should come to grips with first.

SAR K9 Reality #1 -"The vast majority of dogs that are evaluated for search & rescue work are not suitable."

In the SAR K9 Intro course, I share details on K9 characteristics, evaluation criteria, etc.  

Generally, pups should be at least 10-12 months old before officially screening them for search work.  Besides having the opportunity to mature, by then, they should have also had their hips and eyes evaluated for genetic issues by a qualified veterinarian. 

Prospective search dogs should be evaluated by an experienced working-dog evaluator who will look for strengths and weaknesses in the dog's genetic nerve strength, drives, etc.   Evaluating a dog is an exhaustive but extremely critical process.  Forms and guidelines are included for those enrolled in the SAR K9 Intro course.

If the dog doesn't have their paw up asking to do the work, it's not fair to try and make them!  

Even when passing an initial screening, the time it takes for a dog to be deemed 'mission ready' can range from 6 monthes to 2 years.  Those extraordinary dogs that become 'mission ready' meet three essential standards:

• They're TRAINED - backed by comprehensive training records
• They're CERTIFIED - by a reputable, outside evaluator
• They're RELIABLE - they perform consistly regardless of conditions

If you have a pup you want to start in SAR, the SAR K9 Intro course alone will be one of the best investments you can make. 

For young pups, here are some simple DIY exercises to help prepare them for what could be an incredible journey as a SAR dog.

• Play fetch with their favorite toy. 
• Play hide-and-seek where they get a fun reward after finding you.
• Thow their favorite toy in an empty bathtub - the drive to overcome the unknown depth, slippery surface, etc. and go after their toy is a favorable sign. 
• Expose them - safely - to many different environments so they have an inventory of experiences to draw upon.
• Teach them basic obedience (recall, stay, sit, etc.)

Even if your pup doesn't succeed as a working dog, these exercises are a great investiment in your relationship with your dog as a pet.

SAR K9 Reality #2 - "Dog Handlers must be proficient searchers before becoming a dog handler."

• A dog handler that is not a skilled searcher has very little value on a search when they are not working their dog.
• A dog handler that is also a skilled searcher has a great deal of value on a search when they are not working their dog. 

The journey to become a skilled searcher - for dog handlers and non-dog handlers - starts with the virtual-first education provided in the Leadership Mastery Program. 

How Can I Become a Certified SAR Instructor?

For those that understand the importance of a certified education, it's natural to also understand the importance of a certified SAR instructor.

Competent Instruction involves five (5) components:

1. Subject Matter Knowledge/Expertise
2. Classroom and Student Management Skills
3. Instructor Ability
4. Humility
5. Professional Curriculum

[Learn more about enhancing your instructor skills HERE.]

Depending on the course, the credentials required for instructors varies widely.

Many of the available wilderness field skill certifications, like NASAR's SAR Tech II, only require that their certified evaluators sign off on the skill ... there's no requirement who teaches the skill.  

That allows NASAR to sell the certification books while the onus to learn the skill prior to being evaluated is on the student.

When I evaluated NASAR certifications for my local SAR team, our team also trained the member prior to their exam, even though there was no specific instructional certification to do so.

NASAR offers other field-based courses too.  They don't offer information about their instructional requirements, only that you must contact their executive director for information.  

When I was involved with the NASAR curriculum, my experience was that most 'qualified' instructors were not even close to meeting the 5 requirements listed above.  After all, when people are forced to attend your course, what incentive do they have to offer to exemplary instruction?

If the course is homemade and only taught within a specific SAR team, then that SAR team defines what instructor credentials are required.

For national level courses, like FEMA courses that also involve a certification at the end, a much more stringent process is in place.

When I instructed SAR courses for FEMA, like Technical Search Specialist, Canine Search Specialist and Wide Area Search,  I had to be certified by FEMA, which can be an exhausting process.

My FEMA Technical Search Instructor application, for example, consisted of:

• Proof of my training experience (actual certificates had to be submitted)
• Signed statements verifying my 'shadowing' other certified instructors
• A comprehensive resume of my SAR experience, again, with written documentation
• Letters of recommendation
• Certificate from an advanced instructor training course
• Other background documents

For me to advance to a Lead Instructor status, I had to demonstrate even more mastery of the subject.  

The process can be demanding.  So much so that at last check, I am the only person on the planet to ever be simultaneously certified to teach the above 3 federal SAR courses!

So in summary, being certified to teach SAR requires mastery of subject, instructional ability, and conforming to the expectations of the course you'll be delivering. 

Paid Jobs for Search and Rescue?

Paid search and rescue jobs are less common than volunteer opportunities, but they definitely exist. Here are some good places to look:

• Government agencies: The Coast Guard, Forest Service, National Park Service, and some Fish and Wildlife departments all have paid positions that involve search and rescue as part of the duties
• Law enforcement: Search and rescue might be part of the responsibilities for some sheriff's departments, Border Patrol, and state troopers
• Military: Pararescue jumpers (PJs) in the Air Force and Coast Guard rescue swimmers are specifically trained for search and rescue missions.

Here's a caveat: Even in these paid positions, search and rescue might not be your primary function. It might be a duty you perform alongside other responsibilities.

Another option to consider is getting an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certification. While not directly search and rescue, EMTs can be called upon to assist search and rescue teams in providing medical care to those found.

My route started with local volunteer SAR prior to joining a state team who also has a federal mission.

State and federal missions were paid jobs but the vast majority of the training - which was a massive amount of time and effort - was not. So, still considered volunteer service.

I also started instructing early on and that led into a decent, paid career teaching other responders. So, still SAR but indirectly. And it required lots of experience, time-in-service, and was hyper competitive to get those teaching gigs early on.

International Search and Rescue?

Finding the lost and missing knows no boundaries ... however there are differences in some of the policies on how SAR is handled depending on where you're located.

Outside of the United States the International Search & Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) advises on those standards and methods.

"INSARAG is a global network of more than 90 countries and organisations under the United Nations umbrella. INSARAG deals with urban search and rescue (USAR) related issues, aiming to establish minimum international standards for USAR teams and methodology for international coordination in earthquake response ..."

Learn more about INSARAG here.

In-Person Search and Rescue Training?

After nearly 20 years of responding and delivering search and rescue training in the field, my principal support of SAR is now on helping teams build stronger foundations via online training.

In addition, I provide many other opportunities to advance your crisis leadership, such as:

• Learn more about my Leadership Coaching opportunities by clicking HERE. (opens in new tab)
• Learn more about my Exercise Facilitation opportunities by clicking HERE. (opens in new tab)

For SAR-specific training that's delivered in-person, I recommend:

1. National Association for Search & Rescue (NASAR) for wilderness skills
2. Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) for disaster skills

Once you join a SAR team, assuming that is your goal, that team may have additional training requirements as well.

Search and Rescue Articles and Insights via Blog

Search and Rescue Glossary

Click below to access some of the most common terms and phrases used in Search and Rescue (opens in new tab):

Search and Rescue Glossary

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