Apply to Fernie SAR
Applications are accepted at any time of year. Please read what the commitment involves before you start — and read the Join Us page first if you have not already, because it sets out what we expect of members in full.
Who we are looking for
Candidates need to be Fernie residents. Preference is given to applicants who want to be involved in field operations and who can demonstrate excellent wilderness and backcountry travel skills in all seasons, along with familiarity with the local area.
Field members must be physically fit and must own the basic field equipment needed to respond safely and effectively for a minimum 24-hour period.
What the commitment involves
Fernie SAR is a volunteer organisation — there is no payment for what you do. Members are on call 24 hours a day, attend regularly scheduled and specialised training, and are expected to contribute to special projects and community events. Call-outs often happen in the middle of the night, at weekends and in poor weather, and a task may last hours or days.
The Join Us page sets all of this out in full. Please read it before applying.
What happens after you apply
We will contact you about the status of your application. Every candidate is asked to take part in an interview with a senior member of Fernie SAR.
Bear in mind that the group does not often take on new members, and when it does it is normally no more than a handful. When we do need new members, we reach out to those who have already submitted an application — so applying and hearing nothing immediately is normal, not a rejection.
Successful candidates join as a Member in Training. After three training sessions, MITs are added to the call-out list and included on tasks appropriate to their level of training. Once an MIT has covered the full Ground Search and Rescue syllabus — roughly an 80-hour course — they are considered for the GSAR exam.