Join Us !

We welcome new members every month and are always interested in meeting people who share our commitment to safety and the outdoors.

Initial Qualifications 

• Must be 18 or older.
• All field operations team members must meet or exceed the Oregon State Sheriff's Association Search and Rescue Certification standards. We train our members internally to meet this requirement.
• All members are registered as Emergency Service Workers with Clackamas County Emergency Management and Oregon Emergency Management.
• Each member must have a minimum certification in First Aid and CPR. (First Responders, EMTs, and Paramedics are always welcome.)
• Our bylaws and state laws require that members maintain necessary training hours quarterly in order to provide the safest and highest level of expertise.
• While outdoor experience is not required, you do need to be in good physical shape to be a field operations member. In addition to field operations, we also assist with base camp and communications functions.
• All team members are required to supply and maintain their own equipment. The equipment list (attached below) appears long and expensive, but we find many people have most of what's on this list already at home. If you find after reviewing our equipment list that you don't have everything we require, please don't let that stop you from applying to join our team. We'll let you know ahead of time what things are critical and which things you can wait to get.

Before joining, you should know... 

Before you decide to sign up as a search and rescue (SAR) team member, there are some things about SAR work we would like you to know. The following list of SAR-related issues isn't meant to scare you away or discourage you from joining our team. We simply want to make sure you have as much information as possible before making this type of commitment.

• We are a volunteer organization. We do not get paid for our work.
• SAR work can be the most unforgiving, ungrateful, unappreciated work you've ever not been paid for. You can spend 5 days on a search for someone you might never find, or who might not even say thank you. SAR work can also be the most rewarding thing you ever do.
• Each member is responsible for providing his or her own gear (with the exception of radios, Stokes Litter, and other team equipment--see the equipment list (below) for more information on what you need to provide yourself).
• We train and search in all types of weather, temperatures, and terrain--both day and night. 3am searches in driving rain, up and down drainages, through vine maple and salmonberry briars, are common.
• We search for all kinds of people in all kinds of situations: missing hikers, hunters, children, Alzheimer's patients, suicide victims, body recoveries, and more. We also do evidence searches including those for human remains. You always have the option of not going on a callout, but we want you to know upfront that we do a lot more than just finding missing hikers.

How to join PNWSAR 

1. Come to a general meeting.

   At the meetings we review recent searches, discuss search and rescue related issues and have some sort of training or guest speaker. It's a great opportunity to meet the team and see if you like what we do. We welcome several new members each month at the general meeting, so you won't be the only new person there.

2. Fill out a membership application that is attached below. 

   This is a pretty simple application but necessary. Make sure you respond completely to all application questions.

3. Return your completed application and $5 non-refundable application fee.

   You can either bring your application and fee to the next meeting or you can mail it to us at the following address:

   Pacific Northwest Search and Rescue

   PO Box 1263

   Oregon City, OR 97045

    

Our Board of Directors meets the 1st Thursday of each month. All new member applications are reviewed as a regular part of the agenda. All new member candidates are required to meet with our board for a brief interview prior to final acceptance of membership. All potential candidates MUST attend a few group training exercises and general meetings prior to acceptance.