MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS

Foothills SAR values applicants of all social and ethnic backgrounds, ensuring the utmost inclusion, professionalism, and respect for our membership.

RECRUITMENT is currently closed. It is typically a competitive, application-based process that we assess on the needs of our organization

OPERATIONAL MEMBERS

  • Experienced in mountain and foothills travel (hiking, skiing, climbing), including backcountry overnight camping, with a preference for those who understand the trail systems within our call-out region. This is a requirement.
  • Good physical fitness with an ability to hike on and off-trail in mountainous / foothills terrain, for over 8 hours wearing a 25-35lb backpack, in all weather conditions. This is a requirement.
  • Personal equipment for mountain travel, including the 10 essentials, and appropriate wilderness clothing and footwear (no cotton clothing, no camo, and sturdy hiking-specific boots). This is a requirement.
  • Incident Command Systems 100 (requirement) training, with ICS 200 or above considered an asset. Emergency Management training considered an asset. NOTE: This training can be completed after successful intake.
  • Minimum Standard/Intermediate First Aid (requirement), with a preference for Wilderness First Aid, Wilderness First Responder, or higher considered an asset.
  • A clean Criminal Record and Vulnerable Sector Check. This is a requirement.
  • Experience in emergency response situations, and a strong backcountry knowledge, with a background as a police officer, firefighter, ACMG guide, wilderness instructor, paramedic, nurse, etc., considered an asset.
  • Training in avalanche rescue (AST1 or AST2), swiftwater rescue, OCC field leader, navigation, GPS, etc., considered an asset.
  • Background in logistics, IT, engineering, mechanics, trades, radio communications, etc., considered an asset. These are crucial components to the day-to-day operations of our team.
  • Training in psychological first aid, counselling, crisis/suicide intervention, etc., is considered an asset. Empathy and compassion skills are crucial for the care of our subjects, their families, and fellow SAR responders.

SUPPORT MEMBERS

  • This position is a non-callout based position, with support members assisting in the many day-to-day needs of our organization.
  • A clean Criminal Record and Vulnerable Sector Check is a requirement.
  • This is a lesser requested role by the nature of the few positions available. If you are interested in this position, please let us know directly and mention skills you bring.
  • If you have a physical limitation or disability, we will consider your application with an understanding of the skills you can bring to our team, alongside any accessibility requirements. Foothills SAR has members with physical needs, and are proud of these members for the skill areas they contribute in.
  • We prefer members who are capable in radio communication, IT, logistics, mapping software, GPS, ICS, emergency management, mechanics, maintenance, etc., for our vehicles and equipment.
  • We prefer members with a background in accounting, data-tracking, IT, logistics, security, etc., for our software management and financial assistance.
TRAINING REQUIREMENTS

New members are brought on-board as Members-In-Training (MIT), and are permitted to attend training under the supervision of fully operational SAR members. In order to become operational, MIT members must attend the full SAR Basics course. This course consists of multiple evening online sessions, along with 2 full weekends of classroom and in-field training. Further, there is a written exam, overnight survival component, and mock-rescue exercise, that all MIT members must attend and pass.

Once fully operational, members are expected to attend, at minimum, a 1x monthly meeting and a 1x monthly training session. This is to keep up to date with the team, and to prove professional Search and Rescue competency skills that are assessed regularly.

Operational members must maintain status through regular training – in alignment with CSA Z1620, National Core Competency Standards for Ground Search and Rescue Operations.

TIME COMMITMENT

Foothills SAR members regularly contribute a minimum of 75 to 100+ hours annually, with a majority of members contributing over 100 hours to the operations, logistics, community events, fundraising, and call-out requirements of the team.

Having an understanding family, friends, and employer are essential to this position. It should be considered another professional employment position, as members are on-call 24/7 and 365 days a year. Call-outs often come at inconvenient times, in difficult weather conditions and inopportune moments. Foothills SAR members are required to be available for the majority of these calls, as well as for the regular and often difficult training that we undertake on weekends, evenings, and at night.

SPECIALTY TEAMS

Foothills SAR has members trained in the following specialties: Low-Moderate Angle Rope Rescue, ATV/UTV Response, and Disaster Response. In order to be a member of these specialty teams, FSAR members must be fully operational ground responders for a minimum of 1 year and in good standing with the organization. Once a member of a specialty team, members must maintain ground responder competencies alongside the required competencies of their specialty team.

Unique exceptions to joining earlier than 1 year may apply, when new members are already experienced and certified in these respective areas – however, this is on an individually assessed basis. We are not currently looking to develop new specialty teams at this time.

NOTE: Due to increasing disasters across Alberta, Foothills SAR is becoming more heavily involved in responding to these situations. Therefore, all FSAR members are becoming trained in responding to disasters as opportunities become available – to ensure all members are capable of responding to these complex emergencies as required.

COMPENSATION

This is a completely volunteer position, with independent financial requirements necessary to both join Foothills SAR and obtain/upkeep the required equipment, and training, for responsible Search and Rescue duties.

EXPERIENCED SEARCH & RESCUE MEMBERS

Search & Rescue members from other teams might apply for our fast-track transfer process, if they meet the following criteria:

  • Must have completed a SAR Basics course, with a certificate of completion
  • Must have completed ICS 100 (minimum) with a certificate of completion
  • Must have Standard/Intermediate First Aid (minimum) with a certificate of completion
  • Must complete a clean Criminal Record with Vulnerable Sector Check
  • Must be a member in good standing with their previous team, and have been fully Operational at the time of transfer – if still active
  • If retired from SAR, must have been gone from Operational Search & Rescue duties for no longer than 1-1.5 years

Search & Rescue members who qualify for our fast-track transfer process will then meet with a member of our training team, who will do an in-field assessment of professional ground SAR competencies. Transfer candidates who are successful may then have the opportunity to become fully Operational Foothills SAR members. Transfer candidates who are not successful, may have the opportunity to become Non-Operational members – working with our training team to build skills in order to work towards Operational status.

If interested, please reach out via our contact page and directly mention our fast-track transfer process, which team you are/were a member of, years of experience, roles, and other skills or training you have received. A member of Foothills SAR will get back to you to determine further steps if you qualify.