Calgary Search and Rescue Association (CALSARA) is a registered charitable organization dedicated to providing fully-trained volunteers to assist local agencies such as City of Calgary Police Service, RCMP, MD of Rockyview, Municipal Police Services, in ground search and rescue operations.
We were founded in 1993 by former members of CFB Calgary after the Canadian Armed Forces left the city. Charitable Registration # 0978742-59
Tasking assignments include:
- Missing person searches
- Criminal evidence search & recovery
- Civil Emergency Response
- Lost Children Prevention and Civil Response at community events
- Preventative Search and Rescue education such as Hug-a-Tree and Survive Outside
- Search Management and integration with other agencies locally and provincially
When called upon by the authorities to help in a search, our members are ready and able to be deployed into the field within hours.
Upon setting up a base camp and command post near the point last seen or last known position, searchers are briefed by our experienced search managers about the subject and circumstances, broken into groups of three or more and spread out around the search area.
When located, the individual(s) is stabilized, secured and evacuated from the area.
We are a 100 percent Volunteer based organization
- All functions of the organization; operations, training, and administration are managed by volunteers – no employees.
- Volunteers pay $300.00 to become members and are required to provide their own equipment.
- We receive neither municipal nor federal funding.
- The province covers general liability plus directors and officers insurance for all SAR teams.
- The Calgary Police Service donated our now retired command post in 2005 and in 2012, we received a new truck R3 (both of these vehicles were retiring from CPS).
Funding
Our funding sources include:
- Training grants through Alberta Emergency Management Agency (AEMA)
- Private donations
- Alberta Community Spirit Program (the Province matches private donations received)
- Honorariums; such as Calgary Marathon course marshals
- Casinos
- The Lions Charity Classic Golf Tournament is our major sponsor
The Lions Club has chosen CALSARA as the recipient of the Charity Golf Tournament in the past. Proceeds helped purchase our Mule (ATV) and trailer. Proceeds have gone into our new building fund plus operations and maintenance. Last year’s proceeds went towards our new command post, to replace our aging unit, which was donated to us by CPS in 2005.
