Search and Rescue (SAR) involves locating and evacuating persons who are trapped, lost and/or injured. The Appalachian Search and Rescue Conference (ASRC) is a confederation of wilderness search and rescue organizations. We provide professional volunteers trained in search management and field operations for missions throughout the mid-Appalachian (mid-Atlantic) region. Services include providing experienced personnel for all-weather search and rescue for missing persons and downed aircraft, comprehensive search management and safety and survival education. Our conference is comprised of individual groups of professional volunteers who dedicate extensive amounts of time to rigorous training, search missions, group functions, teaching outdoor safety classes and providing public awareness of outdoor hazards. We have over 50 years of experience. The ASRC and its groups routinely train state, federal, and local government representatives in the art of search and rescue. With six teams spanning multiple states and over 300 active members, as well as Remote Support Corps members across the globe, we are one of the oldest and largest SAR resources in the United States.
Allegheny Mountain Rescue Group
Pittsburgh, PA
Blue Ridge Mountain Rescue Group
Charlottesville, VA
Maryland Search and Rescue
Columbia, MD
Mountaineer Area Rescue Group
Morgantown, WV
Northwest Pennsylvania K-9 Search and Rescue
Erie, PA
Shenandoah Mountain Rescue Group
Vienna, VA
Publications and Documents
ASRC Uniform
ASRC Uniform Made Simple
One-Pagers
- ASRC TYT Handheld Radio Basics
- Radio Best Practices and Common Prowords
- ASRC Radio Channel Zones
- Phonetic Alphabet
- Hydration
- Hypothermia: Killer of the Unprepared
- Field Team Member Search Briefing
- In the Field with a SAR Dog Team
- Managing SAR Dogs for Incident Staff
- SAR During Disease Outbreaks
- ASRC BOD Member/Rep/Delegate Job Aid
Training Publications
New 1/26: expanded version 1.2 of Essentials for SAR!
Governing Documents
- Administrative Manual
- Articles of Incorporation
- Branding and Publishing Guide
- Bylaws
- Credentialing Policy Manual
- Operational Guidance Manual
- Remote Support Corps Charter
- Training Standards
Administrative Documents
SAR Documents
ASRC Events
The ASRC has four major annual events.
The ASRC Remote Support Corps (RSC) Virtual Training Event is usually held each spring. As RSC members are distributed across the globe, this is an online experience.
The ASRC General Membership Meeting (AGM) and Search and Rescue Exercise (SAREX) is usually held in the fall in western Maryland or northern West Virginia. The SAREX offers training in both Base operations (incident management) and wilderness field search and rescue. The meeting and SAREX are open to all interested people. Registration is usually not capped.
The ASRC Retreat is a primarily indoor educational program, very interactive, but specific to the ASRC’s needs. It is held at the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club Bears Den Lodge, a vehicle-accessible facility along the Appalachian Trail in northern Virginia. Non-ASRC attendees are welcome, but registration is capped due to facility size. The Retreat is held Martin Luther King weekend (the weekend before the third Monday of January) each year.
Wilderness EMS Day is a one-day Base/field exercise jointly sponsored by the ASRC and the EMS Fellowship of the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Medicine. It is held in western Pennsylvania just outside of Pittsburgh, usually in late October or early November. Registration is capped due to facility size and field team size constraints.
Donations
As a 501\(c\)(3) non-profit organization, the ASRC endeavors to keep its operating costs to a minimum. Members of our Groups provide their own personal gear, transportation, and training. We are proud to provide our services at no cost to anyone in need. Your tax-deductible donation helps defray Conference expenses and allows us to continue operating throughout the mid-Appalachian region. All donations are fully tax-deductible.
Contact the ASRC
If you have a search and rescue emergency, do not contact the ASRC directly. Dial 911 and report the incident to your local law enforcement agency.
If you would like to contact the ASRC, and do not have an emergency, please feel free to contact an ASRC Officer:
ASRC Chair
ASRC Vice Chair
ASRC Secretary
ASRC Treasurer
Conference Training Officer
Conference Operations Officer
ASRC Communications Officer