Thank you for your interest in becoming a member of Niagara Frontier Search and Rescue (NFSAR).  NFSAR is a non-profit, all-volunteer SAR team dedicated to providing rural and wilderness search and rescue as well as outdoor safety education to the citizens of Western NY.  The team is also a member of the New York State Federation of Search and Rescue (NYSFEDSAR), an umbrella organization that coordinates search and rescue resources supporting NYS DEC Forest Rangers and law enforcement organizations across all of New York State.

If you have previously been a member of a ground search and rescue team:
You can apply to “transfer” to NFSAR.  You will need to complete a background check, a NFSAR orientation, and NYSDEC’s Basic Wildland Search Skills 8-hour course to become fully operational with our team.  Send an email to NFSAR, describing your experience as a member of another team.

If you have not been a member of a ground search and rescue team:
The NFSAR Board of Directors currently plans to run our next training academy in the first half of 2026.  We will hold information sessions in the latter half of 2025 so that those interested in joining can learn more about the team’s mission as well as the application, interview, and training process.   In order to be considered for membership, applicants must:

• Be at least 21 years old when the academy begins in January of 2026
• Be a citizen of the United States
• Be able to commit to the academy training calendar: one classroom training and one field training each month for six months, generally held on Saturday mornings
• Submit current First Aid and CPR certifications from an accredited agency such as the American Red Cross or American Heart Association
• Submit documentation showing you have completed online training for the Incident Command System: ICS-100 and IS-700
• Submit a criminal background check
• Pass a Fitness Test: complete a 2-mile walk over level terrain in 30 minutes or less while carrying a 25-pound pack

Send an email to NFSAR if you would like to be notified when the application window opens.