ERSARA members have the choice of three training paths, depending on how involved they wish to be. SAR Support, SAR Provider, and SAR Manager, each with required training for that level.

All ERSARA members must take ERI Basic SAR Skills (60 hour), and Standard First Aid with level C CPR.  This is the only training required of members who are designated as SAR Support.  This path may include driving vehicles, fundraising, base camp and administration.  These members would not go searching, but could at any time increase their training to become a SAR Provider.

In addition to what is covered in Basic SAR Skills (BSS), SAR Providers must undertake more advanced training in Navigation, Survival, Wilderness First Aid, Civil Emergency Response (CER) and Evidence Handling.  ERSARA has a 2 year training cycle: Year One is BSS orientated, and Year Two is CER orientated.  We also run many lectures throughout the year on various subjects. Past lectures have included bone identification, hypothermia, media relations and bear awareness.

SAR Managers will have at least 5 years experience and 35 missions as a SAR Provider, and have been recommended by our Board of Directors. 

Being a volunteer organization that deals with the public, ERSARA is accountable for its members, therefore all applicants must be at least 18 years of age and have a clean criminal record.  There is also a security and interview process required before being accepted.  Please keep in mind that we normally only recruit in the fall to ensure new members are fully trained before accepting another recruitment class. 

Members of other SAR groups who wish to join ERSARA, or former members of ERSARA, do not have to wait for a recruitment year and may apply at any time with the appropriate documents (letter of reference from your former group, your SAR resume and copies of all current training certificates).  After this initial information is received and okayed by our Board of Directors, an interview must take place along with a security clearance.

Those working in the public safety field, such as Police, Fire, EMS, Military etc., will be restricted to an Associate membership, rather than a Regular membership due to conflicts of interest in the work we do. This just means that these members can not hold an Executive position, nor have any voting priviledges. We also ask that our regular members who wish to apply to any of the above positions, wait 2 years after joining ERSARA to do so. All training requirements remain the same.

Please contact us if you have any questions regarding this.