top of page

Wilderness Search Specialist Job Specifics

Priority Search & Rescue is currently accepting applications for volunteers.

We are a fully volunteer, nonprofit organization that specializes in wilderness and urban search and rescue. We respond to a variety of deployments from Missing persons to large scale natural disasters. We ask that you be available two Saturdays a month for training and meetings.

No prior training or knowledge is required as we will get you trained.

 

We request that you live within a 2.5-hour drive from Huntsville, Texas, and be comfortable with traveling to and from Huntsville as needed, which is where our deployment base is located, we also do most of our training events at or around this area. In the event that you are located in an area that we are deploying to we will not require you to drive to us for that deployment. We will arrange to rendezvous with you. 

​

As a “Wilderness Search Specialist” you’ll be expected to:

  • Performs ground, or water-based search and rescue operations.

  • Participates in the search component of the Incident Action Plan.  Searches outdoor environments or other locations indicated in the Incident Action Plan using appropriate search equipment and techniques such as hasty searches, grid searching for evidence or clues, ground searches.

  • Utilizes maps, compass, and GPS equipment to track and document search areas.

  • As directed, participates in rescue and recovery operations.

  • Provides emergency medical treatment within the scope of certification and training.

  • Document's locations of alerts, clues and follow-up tasks.  Cooperates with and assists other search and rescue resources.  Follows all applicable safety procedures.

  • Utilizes, maintains, and performs minor repair for issued SAR equipment.

  • Participates in briefings, receives situation reports and stays informed of mission objectives and status changes.

  • Performs additional tasks or duties as assigned during a mission.

​

Requirements:

  • Physical Training Walk: Members must be able to walk 2 miles within 40 minutes carrying a thirty-pound pack (tested annually)

​​

When we are called, which can be at virtually any time, we will send out notifications that we have a request to deploy, you’ll be asked to respond with availability promptly. If you are unable to attend, we understand but ask that you make at least 75% of the call outs within your first year and then 50% of the call outs after that.

​

You’ll be required to purchase some equipment such as uniforms and personal items as well as build a 24-hr pack which be utilized as your deployment pack. We will give you purchase links to all the pieces of our uniforms when you join. On average the recruit will pay out of pocket around $100 - $200 in the first couple of months as they build their uniforms and packs. 

 

We are not state or federally funded and are funded only by the donations of the members of our communities and by the volunteers of Priority SAR. This is not a job you'll become rich from in a monetary sense, but you will become rich with knowledge and the feeling of doing something for another person in their time of need. 

 

If you are interested in joining, please use the link below to fill out an application.

​

APPLICATION LINK 

Priority Search & Rescue (jotform.com)

bottom of page