Becoming Involved?

[tombodad]

Since I was a wee tot I have loved backcountry travel. Camping, fishing, exploring, whatever. Just recently, I have been thinking of what I can do to get out there more. I also really enjoy helping people, and when I saw this section of Expo, knew I had to post up!
I have lots of backcountry travel experience, and have advanced first aid, cpr, FF-1, and FF-2 certifications.
Do I need to take classes? Wilderness EMT, basic EMT?
Volunteer with Sheriff's department?
Anyone with experience, let me know how I can sign up!

 

[Oni]

Check this site for good information. Find a Team near you and contact them about membership requirements.

www.mra.org

Here's a list of Washington Teams

http://www.mra.org/teams/washington.php

 

[MotoDave]

Check with your local Sherriff's dept. When I was in Eugene I participated in the lane County Volunteer SAR program, which is set up as an Explorer Group through Boy Scouts. They still had adult volunteers and a few paid Sherriff's dept employees to run the program.

Down here in Ventura there is an all adult SAR group that I intend to join when I finish grad school, as time constraints are pretty tight right now.

I can definitely recommend it though, it was an incredibly rewarding experience in my life.

 

[Hltoppr]

Great to hear that you're interesting in joining SAR! I was like you; lots of outdoor experience and wanted to put it to good use.

Most Sheriff's departments run the local SAR teams; although there are some private teams and governmental units (NPS, Coast Guard) that are involved in certain areas.

As for basic requirements, it depends on the unit and location. For our volunteers in Arizona, really a clean criminal background and application are all that are needed. Then an Arizona Basic SAR Academy is necessary to be put into the field (about 3 days of classes, two evenings and a weekend).

A great personal benefit is the training the individual units provide. From map & compass, GPS and tracking to ATV and helicopter operations, the "free" stuff you can get not only makes you better at SAR, but adds to your personal experience.

-H-

 

[tombodad]

Sent an email to my Sherrif's office today. We'll see what happens!