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SAR Program Overview • Ground Search and Rescue College • SAR Course Descriptions • Equipment • News • Affiliated SAR Organizations
In 1985 the Virginia Department of Emergency Services sponsored the first SAR college ever held in Virginia. The SAR college brought together members of volunteer Search and Rescue groups from across the Commonwealth for a two weekend, 50 hour program that focused on both field and management skills.
Building upon the success of this first ever GSAR college, the Virginia Department of Emergency Management continues to provide an intensive program to develop and maintain a network of search and rescue response resources.
The GSAR is hosted by Hungry Mother State Park http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/hun.shtml near Marion, Virginia, and is typically held late October and mid November of each year. The park provides a rustic setting in the mountains of southwest Virginia, with over 600 acres adjacent to National Forest lands. Students are lodged in bunkhouse style cabins and meals are served buffet style at the dinning lodge just a short walk from the Hemlock Haven Conference Center http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/hem.shtml.
The GSAR runs three field classes and one management class over two weekends. The student makeup typically consists of police, fire and rescue, EMS, and volunteer search and rescue organizations from all across the Commonwealth. Students will number about 80 with an instructor staff of 20. The classes offered are:
The GSAR begins with a Friday night registration and check-in at the Hemlock Haven Conference Center from 1800 to 1900 hours. Students are given their cabin and classroom assignments at that time. The opening plenary session begins at 1900 hours with all students and staff in the main conference room. Students are then dismissed to their perspective classrooms where sessions begin with an introduction and pre-test. Classes normally conclude by 2100 hours the first night.
Breakfast is served at 0700 with classes beginning promptly at 0800 hours. Classes will break for lunch at 1200 and resume at 1300 hours. The evening meal is served at 1700 hours and classes resume at 1800 hours. The Saturday class session should conclude by 2130 hours. Sunday follows the same routine with the first half of training concluding by 1600 hours (4 pm).
The second weekend of training follows a similar routine with the exception of Saturday afternoon and evening. Students are allotted more time for dinner as they will need additional time to prepare for the night exercise. Students can expect to remain in the field until the exercise is completed. Typically, this is between midnight and 1 am.
The following morning we roll the start time back 1 hour. Breakfast at 0800 with an exercise debrief scheduled for 0900 with all students and staff present in the main conference room. Students are then dispersed to their individual classes where they debrief issues that are specific to their training programs.
The classroom debriefs are followed by a course review before final testing begins. Students must pass a written exam with a minimum score of 80% in addition to practical testing stations to certify in the field skills.
The SAR college concludes in it’s entirety by 1600 hours.
This is the essential program format that has been taught since 1985. Students who attend the GSAR will find their learning experiences remarkably similar to those who have gone before them, and those who will come after them.
The GSAR experience is the heart and soul of a unified state network of search and rescue responders.