MASAR Search Team Member Certification Requirements

Maine Association for Search and Rescue Certification Requirements

Qualified, certified volunteers are the heart of Search and Rescue, especially in larger searches, because the Maine Warden Service ("MWS" - legally responsible for all searches in Maine's woods and inland waters) needs to know their professional volunteer searchers won't divert resources by themselves getting lost or needing medical attention.

That's where MASAR comes in. The very simplified explanation is that it's a

mostly-administrative umbrella organization that provides training/certification opportunities for members of MASAR units, maintains records of it all so that the MWS doesn't have to, and dispatches searchers on requested by the MWS. MASAR currently has 15 certified units for people to choose from if they want to become involved, and Maine Mounted SAR is one of those.

All our riders must meet the "ground pounder" Search Team Member certification standards below in order to become certified for Search and Rescue of any kind under MASAR:

Successfully complete ICS-100 online course (Introduction to Incident Command System)
Successfully complete BASAR (BAsic Search And Rescue) online course, written test, practical exam
Successfully complete unit-approved Map/Compass and GPS training
Hold a current Basic First/Aid & CPR Certification (Wilderness First Aid or First Responder certification is optional but recommended)
Successfully complete Aerobic Fitness Test (2-mile walk with 25# pack in 30 min preferred) within 6-mo
Other requirements as specified

Please click here for the Maine Association for Search and Rescue (MASAR) "Search Team Member" ground search standard for certification (the source document for the text above).

Mounted Search Teams must also successfully complete the Mounted Team Evaluation, described separately here.