Search and rescue (
SAR) is the
art of
finding lost people and bringing them to
safety. Most search and rescue
teams are made up of
volunteers coordinated by the local
sheriff's department or
police agency. SAR mostly takes place in
rural areas after people become
lost or go down in
plane crashes. If you are
lost in a rural area and they know about it,
SAR will come looking for you. Make their job easier by staying put (especially if you are near a
vehicle!) and making
signals that can be seen from the air or by ground searchers. To improve your chances of being found, make sure someone knows what your plans are and where you are going so that they can notify SAR if you fail to return.
The Coast Guard is responsible for maritime SAR in the United States. There is a specialization of SAR called urban search and rescue or USAR which focuses on heavy rescue of trapped and entombed people following earthquakes and other disasters.