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What is Search and Rescue?

Search and Rescue is divided into three basic categories, Air, Marine, and Ground and Inland Waters. Prince George Search and Rescue is only involved in Ground and Inland Water responses.

SAR Personnel in British Columbia are unpaid professional Volunteers.

There are 80 Search and Rescue (SAR) groups in B.C. They are maintained and coordinated by the Provincial Emergency Program (PEP). It does this as part of its overall responsibility for emergency preparedness and planning for disasters, floods, earthquakes etc.

Training for SAR is developed and coordinated by the Emergency Management Division - PEP Academy at the Justice Institute of B.C.  The training is standardized province wide. This means that the training a volunteer receives in one community can be transferred to another.

The basis for all SAR training is the Ground Search and Rescue (GSAR) course. This course is a minimum of 75 hours, but most communities (including Prince George) have expanded the course to about 100 hours. This ensures that the extensive material is adequately covered, that the students have the necessary practical experience, and that regionally significant issues such as avalanche rescue are included.

The GSAR course provides an overview and introduction to all aspects of GSAR and provides in-depth coverage of the basic skills required, such as map and compass. In addition to the topics in the GSAR manual, volunteers are expected to complete an 8 hour First Aid course, participate in a 6 hour Mock Search, and participate in a Snow Cave, overnight exercise.

Reimbursement of expenses and WCB coverage for all SAR volunteers is provided by PEP.

Once a volunteer is certified in GSAR, he or she may take further training and become certified in a variety of different specialties as listed at the right. Many of these specialties also have increasing levels of training, proficiency and leadership.

Avalanche Rescue

Search Manager

GSAR Instructor

GSAR Team Leader

Rope Rescue

Swift Water Rescue

Tracking

Mounted (on Horses)

Ice Rescue

Cave Rescue

Mountain Rescue

SAR Specialties