Our Business is Saving Lives
Our new StoryMap is a creative way for you to learn the benefits and services of Garfield County Search and Rescue. Please enjoy it!
Millions of people visit the mountains of Garfield County, Colorado each year. A few will become lost, stranded, or injured . . . some will die.
Our objective is to find and rescue these lost or injured people before it is too late. Highly trained women and men respond to emergencies and disasters 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
We are dedicated to saving lives and educating the public on wilderness safety.
Garfield County Search and Rescue, Inc. (GCSAR) incorporated in Garfield County in the State of Colorado as a nonprofit, tax-exempt charitable organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
We operate under the authority of the Garfield County Sheriff. By Colorado State statute, the County Sheriff is responsible for search and rescue (SAR). As a separate corporation, Garfield County Search and Rescue, Inc. has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Garfield County Sheriff to provide search and rescue services to the county. We will also provide SAR resources to out of county and out of state agencies when requested through the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Services Department.
We do not charge the Sheriff or the subjects of SAR missions for our services.
GCSAR does not receive funding from any tax base or mil levy at the Federal, State, County or City level.
For funding we rely on donations from individuals, grants, foundations, businesses, corporations, and fundraising events. Our team members also pay membership dues to be a member of the team.
The Garfield County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO) supports us by providing some funding, and the use of office, training room, and vehicle and equipment storage space at the Emergency Services Center facility.
Our members donate their time, money, energy, and personal equipment in order to train, search, rescue, and educate the public on outdoor safety. None of our members get paid for any of the search and rescue work that they do.
We are also members of the Mountain Rescue Association (MRA), the Colorado Search and Rescue Board (CSRB), and the National Association for Search and Rescue (NASAR).
The Mountain Rescue Association (MRA) www.mra.org is a national accrediting organization for search and rescue teams. Each team has to demonstrate their competence in all aspects of mountain search and rescue, including avalanche rescue, technical rescue, search techniques, leadership and communication skills. Garfield County Search and Rescue is a member of the Mountain Rescue Association and is part of the MRA Rocky Mountain Regionwww.rockymra.org
The Colorado Search and Rescue Board (CSRB) www.coloradosarboard.org is an organization composed of many rescue units of differing disciplines throughout the State of Colorado.
The National Association for Search and Rescue (NASAR) www.nasar.org is an organization which serves as a forum within which search and rescue teams exchange ideas on a national level.
Garfield County Search and Rescue is an unpaid professional search and rescue organization:
- that does not create or enforce laws, rules or regulations
- that does not charge for search and rescue services
- that receives no monetary funding from the government
- that relies solely on grants, donations and corporate support
- whose members do not receive monetary compensation
- whose members are not reimbursed for food, fuel or other expenses
- whose members provide their own equipment
- whose members teach mountain safety classes to the general public
- whose members sacrifice their time, energy, and money to help someone who is lost, stranded, or injured
In a typical year GCSAR will touch over 4,000 people with our quick response to searches and rescues as well as our wilderness education programs.
If you wish to help, come and join Garfield County Search and Rescue or make a donation to provide financial support.