Reference · Search and Rescue
Every Search and Rescue Title, by Terrain, Domain, and Command Tier.
The field of Search and Rescue spans dozens of operational environments, jurisdictional frameworks, and historical eras. The 96 titles below are grouped by terrain, domain, operational function, and command tier. Each carries the crew-call level it usually fits — GS Ground Support (no clinical licence), BLS, or ALS — and links to every credential we verify for it.
Wilderness, Ground, and Mountain SAR
Cave and Subterranean Rescue
Maritime, Aquatic, and Swiftwater SAR
Urban Search and Rescue (US&R / Disaster Operations)
Canine (K9) SAR Units
Aviation, Airborne, and Military SAR
Medical and Evacuation Roles
Mounted and Motorized Vehicle Units
Management, Incident Command, and Search Planning
Historical and Auxiliary Titles
Wilderness, Ground, and Mountain SAR
| Title | Level | Credentials we verify |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Searcher / Ground Team Member | GS | NASAR SARTECH III · County Sheriff SAR Volunteer / Posse Academy |
| SAR Field Technician (SARTECH I, II, III) | GS | NASAR SARTECH III · NASAR SARTECH II · NASAR SARTECH I / Crew Leader |
| Ground Team Leader (GTL) | GS | NASAR SARTECH I / Crew Leader · ICS-200 |
| Visual Tracker / Sign Cutter / Mantracker | GS | agency / team training |
| Hasty Team Member / Initial Response Searcher | GS | NASAR SARTECH II · WFA |
| Grid Searcher / Sweep Line Searcher | GS | CERT · County Sheriff SAR Volunteer / Posse Academy |
| Mountain Rescue Technician | BLS | NFPA 1006/2500 · WFR |
| Alpine Rescue Specialist | BLS | AMGA Certified Alpine Guide · AIARE Pro 1 / Pro 2 (Professional Avalanche Training) |
| High-Angle Rope Rescue Technician | BLS | NFPA 1006/2500 · SRT |
| Litter Attendant / Litter Captain | GS | NFPA 1006/2500 |
| Rigging Specialist / Rigging Master | GS | NFPA 1006/2500 |
| Avalanche Rescue Specialist / Snow Safety Officer | BLS | Avalanche Pro 1 (A3 / AAA / NSP) · Avalanche Pro 2 (A3 / AAA / NSP) |
| Ski Patroller / Backcountry Ski Rescuer | BLS | OEC · Avalanche Pro 1 (A3 / AAA / NSP) |
| Wilderness Search and Rescue (WSAR) Responder | GS | NASAR SARTECH II · WFR |
| Direction Finding (DF) Operator | GS | Civil Air Patrol GES |
| Lost Person Behavior Specialist | — | NASAR MLSO |
Cave and Subterranean Rescue
| Title | Level | Credentials we verify |
|---|---|---|
| Cave Rescue Technician | BLS | NCRC Level 1 · NCRC Level 2 |
| Underground Haul Team Specialist | GS | NCRC Level 1 |
| Sump Diver / Cave Diving Rescuer | BLS | Full Cave Diver · Public Safety Diver II (ERD II / Advanced PSD) |
| Cave Communications Specialist | GS | NCRC Level 1 |
| Underground Rigging Master | GS | NCRC Level 2 |
| Mine Rescue Team Member (Surface / Subsurface) | BLS | agency / team training |
| Abandoned Mine Searcher | GS | NCRC Level 1 |
Maritime, Aquatic, and Swiftwater SAR
| Title | Level | Credentials we verify |
|---|---|---|
| Swiftwater Rescue Technician (SRT I, SRT II) | BLS | SRT-1 · SRT-A |
| Flood Rescue Specialist | BLS | SRT-A |
| Swiftwater Boat Operator / Inflatable Rescue Boat (IRB) Pilot | BLS | SRT-A |
| Personal Watercraft (PWC) Rescue Operator | BLS | agency / team training |
| Public Safety Diver (PSD) | BLS | Public Safety Diver I (PSD / ERD I) · Public Safety Diver II (ERD II / Advanced PSD) |
| Ice Rescue Technician | BLS | Ice Rescue Technician (Surface / Cold Water) |
| Surface Water Rescuer | GS | SRT-1 |
| Open Water Lifeguard Rescuer | BLS | agency / team training |
| Maritime SAR Controller | — | ICS-300 |
| Coast Guard Coxswain | — | USCG Master Captain's License (25 / 50 / 100 GT) |
| Maritime Boarding Team Searcher | GS | agency / team training |
| Helicopter Rescue Swimmer (Aviation Survival Technician) | BLS | AST (Aviation Survival Technician) / USCG Rescue Swimmer |
| Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV) Pilot / Submarine Rescue Specialist | — | Closed Bell / Saturation Diver (SAT) |
Urban Search and Rescue (US&R / Disaster Operations)
| Title | Level | Credentials we verify |
|---|---|---|
| Rescue Specialist / Heavy Rescue Technician | BLS | US&R Rescue Specialist |
| Search Specialist / Technical Search Specialist (TSS) | GS | US&R Technical Search Specialist |
| Structural Collapse Specialist | GS | US&R Rescue Specialist |
| Heavy Equipment and Rigging Specialist (HERS) | GS | US&R Heavy Rigging Specialist |
| Hazardous Materials (HazMat) Searcher / CBRN Reconnaissance Specialist | BLS | agency / team training |
| Confined Space Rescue Technician | BLS | NFPA 1006/2500 |
| Trench Rescue Specialist | BLS | US&R Rescue Specialist |
| Shoring Specialist | GS | US&R Rescue Specialist |
| Breaching and Breaking Specialist | GS | US&R Rescue Specialist |
| Acoustic / Listening Device Search Specialist | GS | US&R Technical Search Specialist |
| Search Cam / Optical Search Tool Operator | GS | US&R Technical Search Specialist |
Canine (K9) SAR Units
| Title | Level | Credentials we verify |
|---|---|---|
| SAR K9 Handler / Dog Handler | GS | K9-SAR |
| Live-Find Wilderness K9 Handler | GS | FEMA Canine Search Specialist (Live-Find) · K9-SAR |
| Human Remains Detection (HRD) / Cadaver Dog Handler | GS | FEMA Canine Search Specialist (HRD / Cadaver) |
| Trailing Dog Handler / Scent Tracking Handler | GS | K9-SAR |
| Air-Scent Dog Handler | GS | K9-SAR |
| Urban Disaster / Rubble Search K9 Handler | GS | FEMA Canine Search Specialist (Live-Find) |
| Avalanche Scent K9 Handler | GS | Avalanche Dog Handler (CARDA / Wasatch Backcountry Rescue) |
| Water Scent / Shoreline K9 Handler | GS | FEMA Canine Search Specialist (HRD / Cadaver) |
| K9 Flanker / Handler Support Searcher | GS | NASAR SARTECH III · CERT |
Aviation, Airborne, and Military SAR
| Title | Level | Credentials we verify |
|---|---|---|
| Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) Operator | ALS | TCCC · Special Operations Combat Medic (SOCM / 18D / Navy IDC) |
| Pararescue Jumper (PJ) | ALS | TCCC · Special Operations Combat Medic (SOCM / 18D / Navy IDC) |
| Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) SAR Specialist | — | TCCC |
| Flight Medic / Aeromedical Evacuation Technician | ALS | FP-C |
| SAR Helicopter Pilot / Rotary-Wing Rescue Pilot | — | agency / team training |
| Fixed-Wing SAR Observer / Spotter | GS | Civil Air Patrol GES |
| Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) Operator / Sensor Operator | GS | Civil Air Patrol GES |
| SAR Flight Engineer / Crew Chief | — | agency / team training |
| Airborne Hoist Operator / Winch Operator | — | HRT |
| Smokejumper Rescue Specialist | BLS | agency / team training |
| Drone / Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS) SAR Pilot | GS | agency / team training |
| Civil Air Patrol Ground Search / Airborne Observer | GS | Civil Air Patrol GES |
Medical and Evacuation Roles
| Title | Level | Credentials we verify |
|---|---|---|
| Wilderness Paramedic (WP-C) | ALS | W-PC |
| Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician (W-EMT) | BLS | WEMT |
| Wilderness First Responder (WFR) | GS | WFR |
| Technical Rescue Medical Specialist | ALS | US&R Medical Specialist · NFPA 1006/2500 |
| Flight Paramedic (FP-C) / Flight Nurse (CFRN) | ALS | FP-C · CFRN |
| Evacuation Staging Coordinator | GS | ICS-200 |
| Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) Rescue Medic | ALS | TCCC · TP-C |
| Dive Medical Technician (DMT) / Hyperbaric Chamber Operator | BLS | DMT (Diver Medic Technician) |
Mounted and Motorized Vehicle Units
| Title | Level | Credentials we verify |
|---|---|---|
| Mounted SAR Posse Member / Equestrian Searcher | GS | County Sheriff SAR Volunteer / Posse Academy |
| Mounted Team Leader | GS | NASAR SARTECH I / Crew Leader |
| OHV / ATV / UTV Reconnaissance Searcher | GS | NASAR SARTECH III |
| Snowmobile Rescue Operator | GS | Avalanche Pro 1 (A3 / AAA / NSP) |
| Four-Wheel-Drive (4x4) Recovery Specialist | GS | agency / team training |
Management, Incident Command, and Search Planning
| Title | Level | Credentials we verify |
|---|---|---|
| Search and Rescue Incident Commander (SAR-IC) | — | ICS-300 · NCRC Level 3 |
| Search Manager / Managing Lost Person Incidents (MLPI) Director | — | NASAR MLSO |
| Search Planner / Lost Person Incident Analyst | — | NASAR MLSO |
| Operations Section Chief (SAR Operations) | — | ICS-300 |
| Logistics Section Chief (Base Camp Manager) | GS | ICS-200 |
| Safety Officer / Technical Safety Specialist | — | ICS-200 |
| Incident Dispatcher / Base Radio Communications Specialist | GS | ICS-100 · Civil Air Patrol GES |
| Mapping and GIS Specialist / SAR MAP Coordinator | GS | agency / team training |
| Spontaneous Volunteer Coordinator | GS | CERT · ICS-200 |
| Staging Area Manager | GS | CERT · ICS-200 |
Historical and Auxiliary Titles
| Title | Level | Credentials we verify |
|---|---|---|
| Shipwreck Surfman / Lifesaving Station Keeper (U.S. Life-Saving Service) | — | agency / team training |
| Alpine Guide Rescuer (Historic Alpine Chamonix / Zermatt guides) | — | IFMGA Mountain Guide |
| Monastery Alpine Hospitaller / Saint Bernard Handler | — | agency / team training |
| Auxiliary Sheriff's Search Posseman | GS | County Sheriff SAR Volunteer / Posse Academy |
| Disaster Light Search and Rescue Worker (Civil Defense / CERT Auxiliarist) | GS | CERT |
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Deployment tracks
Agencies and contractors pick a title from this list when they draft a callout; the level decides who is texted. Activate a profile on the track that matches your credentials.
Wilderness EMSBackcountry SAR · National parks & wilderness areas
Tactical MedicineLaw-enforcement TEMS · Federal interdiction & task forces
Flight & Critical Care TransportRotor-wing HEMS · Fixed-wing medevac
Dive & Marine MedicineCommercial & saturation diving · Marine & polar expeditions
Alpine & Technical RescueHigh-angle rope access · Mountain & glacier SAR
Remote Industrial & OffshoreMining & remote construction camps · Offshore rigs & FPSOs
Search, Water & Cave RescueWilderness SAR teams · US&R task forces & disaster response
Wildland Fire EMSWildland fire line EMS · Helitack & smokejumper support
Physicians, PAs & NPsMedical direction & protocols · Expedition medical officer
Ground Support & Entry-Level SARGround sweeps & hasty searches · Line & grid searches