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 who provides professional volunteers trained in search management and field operations for missions in the mid-Atlantic region. Services include all-weather search and rescue for missing persons and downed aircraft, complete search and rescue management, as well as safety and survival education. Our conference is comprised of individual groups of professional volunteers who dedicate extensive amounts of time for rigorous training, search missions, group functions, preventative instruction, and public awareness. We have over 40 years of experience and our organization routinely trains other state, federal, and local government representatives in the art of search and rescue. With seven teams spanning five 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
Training Publications
Essentials for Search and Rescue
Training Guide
2023 WEMS Day Briefing
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
ASRC Archive
Meeting Sign-In
SAR Documents
Base Signs
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 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