Technical Search Specialist - Search and Rescue Volunteer

Priority Search & Rescue is currently accepting applications for volunteers.

We are a fully volunteer, Texas nonprofit organization that specializes in wilderness and urban search and rescue. We respond to a variety of deployments from Missing persons to large scale natural disasters. We ask that you be available two Saturdays a month for training and meetings.

No prior training or knowledge is required as we will get you trained.

We request that you live within a 2.5-hour drive from Huntsville, Texas, and be comfortable with traveling to and from Huntsville as needed, which is where our deployment base is located, we also do most of our training events in or around this area.

As a “Technical Search Specialist” you’ll be expected to:

• Implement Technical skills and operate equipment necessary to perform the operations for the day.
• Perform search operations under the direction of the Task force leader in charge.
• Provide periodic progress reports as needed.
• Ensure accountability and maintenance of all issued equipment.
• Perform any additional tasks you may be assigned.
• Evaluate and modify search and rescue tactics as needed.
• Act as a team player and work well with others in stressful situations.
• Using apps, GPS and Compass to map areas and make notations as things progress.
• Acting as a team liaison with other agencies and working with other agencies to complete tasks as needed.
• Searching structures in US&R environments or other locations indicated in the mission assignment, utilizing appropriate technical search equipment and techniques
• Detecting, locating, documenting and marking locations of victims, potential victims and hazards
• Working with canines to coordinate and flank (watch dog to see if it is signaling/detecting)
• Making assessments through the use of technical search equipment and
• Cooperating with and assisting other search and rescue resources
• Must be able to lift/carry up to 50lbs.
• Able to live and work in an austere environment.

What is an Austere environment? Imagine the collapse of society or the zombie apocalypse (without the zombies). There may be no running water, electricity or medical care. You may be expected to sleep on cots or pads in a parking lot or under canopy's or you may even sleep in a vehicle. You could also go days without a shower and when you do get a shower it may be a garden hose type shower. 

Requirements:

• Physical Training Walk: Members must be able to walk 2 miles within 40 minutes carrying a thirty-pound pack (tested annually)

When we are called, which can be at virtually any time, we will send out notifications that we have a request to deploy, you’ll be asked to respond with availability promptly. If you are unable to attend, we understand but ask that you make at least 75% of the call outs within your first year and then 50% of the call outs after that.

You’ll be required to purchase some equipment such as uniforms and personal items as well as build a 24-hr pack which be utilized as your deployment pack. We will give you purchase links to all the pieces of our uniforms when you join. On average the recruit will pay out of pocket around $100 in the first couple of months as they build their uniforms and packs. 

We are not state or federally funded and are funded only by the donations of the members of our communities and by the volunteers of Priority SAR. This is not a job you'll become rich from in a monetary sense, but you will become rich with knowledge and the feeling of doing something for another person in their time of need.