Thanks to all of those that made this year's recruitment a big success, and welcome to all the new trainees.

We recruit every year for active outdoor types to volunteer as a member of the rescue team.  Our Annual Recruitment Meeting will be held some time in September.  For more info or send an e-mail to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it so we can contact you when we begin the recruiting process.

BASIC MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be 18 years old or older on the first day of the recruitment month
• Must be in excellent physical condition
• Must have recent, extensive backpacking or mountaineering experience

You MUST also attend our recruitment training weekend October (Date TBD).

Download the MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FORM

More information or questions:
Electronic Mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Mail: SDMRT, P.O. Box 82602, San Diego CA 92138
Browse this web site for further info as well

TEAM INFORMATION

Our team is a close knit group of men and women dedicated to providing professional search and rescue services in any weather, at any time, and on any terrain. We operate under the direction and control of the agency responsible for search and rescue at the operation site, usually the local county Sheriff's department, and for that reason, must have members with high dedication and proficiency. The work requires considerable personal commitment, from learning our procedures to attending trainings and, finally, to responding at any time to rescue calls. The time involved, costs, and responsibilities are explained below. You should seriously consider these factors before applying for membership, however if you feel you are qualified, the rewards are well worth the investment you will make as a volunteer rescuer.

ORGANIZATION

SDMRT is a California nonprofit corporation, a member of the nationwide Mountain Rescue Association, and a recognized leader in the field of Search and Rescue. We go anywhere we are called, including Northern California and parts of Mexico. Joint searches, which make up most of the Team's operations, are usually conducted with the San Diego Sheriff's Reserve Search and Rescue Bureau, other Mountain Rescue teams or other volunteer teams. The Team was founded in 1967 and has logged over 800 missions since then.

Membership is divided into three classifications: Rescue Members comprise the majority of the Team and perform all normal field work, Trainees are persons in training to become Rescue Members, and Support Members assist the others by providing a specialized function. A seven-person Board of Directors is elected each year by the membership to direct the Team's activities, however the full membership participates in all policy decisions. During field operations, the Team is directed by an Operation Leader selected from a small number of qualified members.

MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS

Prospective members must be 18 years old, in excellent physical condition, and have recent backpacking, mountaineering or equivalent outdoor experience. As a minimum you must be self-reliant and comfortable on the terrain and under the conditions in which we must operate. This means you must have adequate backpacking equipment, and know how to use it. In addition, we look for characteristics which enable a person to become an effective rescuer - motivation, maturity, stability, tenacity, leadership, and the ability to work well with other people under stressful conditions. It also helps to have a sense of humor!

TRAINING

Specialized emergency rescue units must be composed of disciplined, highly trained, dependable people. The lives of fellow Team members, as well as the person being rescued, depend on each member performing capably in a complex and usually exhausting situation. For this reason, each Trainee must meet the minimum requirements shown on the training requirements list before becoming a Rescue Member. All training is provided by the Team except the medical, which can be obtained through outside sources. It usually takes one to two years to become a fully qualified Rescue Member by completing all requirements during regular Team training evolutions. Trainees may participate in operations, however, after completing a basic training course and fulfilling certain other requirements. We are generalists. Although certain members may specialize in one or more subjects, we expect all Rescue Members to be competent in all skills, since we never know which will be needed in any situation. Training may be strenuous, however we stress safety at all times. Operations are run on a semi-military structure, requiring members to follow the legitimate orders of the Team leaders.

TIME

You will be expected to attend three events each month. The Team business meeting is held on the second Wednesday of the month at 7:00 PM. On the weekend after the Team meeting, we hold our monthly field training, which usually runs from Friday night to Sunday afternoon. Classroom training, dealing with the next field training subject, is held on the fourth Wednesday of the month. Within the first three months after acceptance, Trainees must attend two Team meetings, two classroom trainings, and two field trainings. After that, they must attend 50% of the Team meetings, indoor trainings, and field trainings and 20% of the operations in order to remain on the Team. Actual operations can come at any time, so it is important to be able to go without delay. Check with your employer about getting an occasional day off, without prior notice, for searches. Counting everything, you can expect to spend between 400 and 800 hours each year as a Team member.

COSTS

Although the Team provides some equipment such as radios, each member must pay all of his or her expenses. SDMRT is financed entirely by dues and contributions. The major expenses are equipment and transportation. If you have basic backpacking equipment (pack, sleeping bag, tent, boots, etc.), your expenses will be limited to additional special rescue gear such as mountaineering equipment, helmet, uniform, and winter gear. We s as mandatory on the PERSONAL EQUIPMENT LIST before participating in trainings and operations. Check the list to see what you need and estimate the cost.

Transportation costs involve gasoline and other car expenses as you will be driving or carpooling to most trainings and operations. Dues are currently $35 per year, $15 of which goes to the National Mountain Rescue Association (MRA). Miscellaneous expenses include the Team Operations Manual, uniform, books, special trainings, and equipment maintenance and replacement. You will also need to rent a pager from the Team if you do not already have one compatible with our system. Starting off, expect to spend $500 to $800 on Team activities, with more depending on your commitment. One help is that much of these expenses may be tax-deductible and that local mountaineering stores give special discounts to members.