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New Members Application Procedure

Recruitment is now open for 2024!

Kamloops Search and Rescue will be hosting a recruitment information session on March 15 2024 from 19:00 – 20:30 for those who are interested in finding out more about what it means to be a SAR volunteer.

Please join us at our hall located at 800 Mission Flats Road.

We encourage people who are considering applying for membership to take this free, online introductory SAR course developed in cooperation with the BC Search and Rescue Association, the Justice Institute of BC, and the RCMP. While this is not a requirement for membership on the team, it will give you some insight about how SAR works in BC.

JIBC also has a YouTube video for search team leaders that demonstrates some of the planning and execution that goes into ground search assignments.

For ground search and rescue applicants, please read all of the following before proceeding to the application form at the end of this page.

GSAR applicants must:
  • be 19 years of age or older with no criminal record. A valid criminal record check will be requested
  • be in good physical condition and have the ability to travel safely anywhere outdoors in all seasons
  • have a valid Level 1 Occupational First Aid with Transportation Endorsement (or be registered to take the OFA course)
  • have a valid driver’s license and own transportation
  • be able to communicate with KSAR by email or cell phone (24/7/365)
  • have adequate personal equipment that will allow you to operate safely and effectively in the outdoors for at least a 24 hour period (see Ready Pack information for example equipment list)
  • attend an interview

You should be familiar with Kamloops and the surrounding area including the parks and trails.

Prospective members will have a home life and employment situation that will allow full participation in training, search and rescue operations, and other activities of the team. Some operational tasks take place overnight and often into the next day.

At this time, Kamloops Search and Rescue is not accepting any applicants whose employment includes lengthy shift schedules or takes them out of Kamloops for long periods of time.

Kamloops Search And Rescue is run by a dedicated team of volunteers. Training new members is an investment of time, effort, and resources. A commitment to the team, and a return of investment of the time put into you is also a requirement.

Should you lack any of the above requirements but are still interested in supporting KSAR in an auxiliary or administrative role, please contact us.

For applicants inquiring about dog certification:
Our K9 handler can discuss the possibilities with you and review the intense training schedule that is required in excess of the KSAR training schedule.
BC Search Dog Association requires that all dogs and their handlers be affiliated with a SAR group for a minimum of two years before being invited to training camps.

All dogs must be approved by the RCMP to be accepted and placed on task.

New handlers should be under no illusions – it’s not cheap to train a dog for SAR. Most of the cash outlay will be yours (vet bills, travel, gear, gas, suitable vehicle). If you’re lucky, your GSAR team may subsidize an annual training trip to a BCSDA course, but for the most part, you will spend a decent amount of your own money doing this.

Please see the BC Search Dog Association’s website for more information.

The Role of the Kamloops Search and Rescue Team

The role of KSAR team members includes assisting the following agencies:

  • Police in the search and rescue of missing persons and in evidence searches
  • BC Ambulance Service in the rescue of injured persons
  • Provincial Coroner’s Service in body recovery operations
  • Municipal agencies in search, rescue, communications, and other roles during civil emergencies
  • Public schools by presenting the Outdoor Safety programs to kids in our community

Although they are volunteers, the life saving service provided by the members of the Kamloops Search and Rescue Team requires that they maintain the standards of unpaid professionals in assisting municipal and provincial agencies.

Training & Commitment of the KSAR team

The single biggest reason people leave any volunteer organization is because they cannot keep up the commitment required so it is vital you understand there is a significant commitment of time and effort when you join KSAR. After your recruit training is over, there is regular training three times a month (includes a weekend day), one business meeting quarterly, special events, social activities, specialty teams, work groups, etc. The logged hours range from 100 to over 500, with the average being 200. And that’s just the logged hours – there’s untold effort to keep the organization running smoothly that isn’t logged.

When the Ground Search and Rescue (GSAR) course is running, training is more intensive. It runs for 5 evenings and a full day Saturday for 1 week for three months. It ends with an overnight exercise that runs Saturday to Sunday.

Members-in-training are expected to attend all GSAR training sessions and are put on the active callout list. Those who complete the requirements of the training manual and exam may be brought on as a full member of KSAR.

A search is an emergency and can happen at any time. Our volunteers need to be ready to be deployed into the field at a moment’s notice.

Aside from our role as a search and rescue agency and the training required to fulfill that we role, we expect KSAR members to also be involved in monthly vehicle and equipment checks, vehicle and equipment cleaning and maintenance as needed, hall cleaning, and other duties as required. Keeping KSAR running effectively is a time consuming part of our organization and we need all members to contribute.

Kamloops Search and Rescue expects a minimum two year commitment to the Society upon receiving GSAR certification.

If you have read all the above information and would like more information on whether or not you qualify, please contact us.

If you have read and understood all the above information and believe you meet the requirements to join KSAR, click the apply link.

Apply Now