Affiliated Search and Rescue Organizations

These organizations are full members of the Virginia Search and Rescue Council and hold a Memorandum of Understanding  with the agency. A listing of member organizations and meeting minutes can be found by clicking on the link below to the Virginia Search and Rescue Council.

The Virginia Search and Rescue Council

The SAR council provides a common forum for all search and rescue organizations, and serves as an advisory board to the VDEM SAR Program Office.  The SAR council meets on the last Saturday of the first month, of each quarter.

State Partners

Other state agencies may also play a role in supporting search and rescue operations.  Those with the most frequent and direct response include:

• Virginia State Police
  • Operates and maintains the Missing Children / Person Clearinghouse
    • Operates and maintains the Virginia Amber Alert Program
    • Operates and maintains the Virginia Senior Alert Program
  • Provides air support through Aviation Division
  • Provides trained search personnel through the Tactical Field Force
  • Provides swift water rescue through VSP Dive / Recovery Team
• Virginia Dept. of Game and Inland Fisheries
  • Direct support through local Conservation Police Officers
    • Responsibility to investigate hunting accidents
    • Responsibility to investigate boating accidents
• Virginia Marine Resources Commission
  • Responds to a number of distress calls on the Chesapeake Bay and open waters within the jurisdictional boundaries of the Commonwealth