Frequently Asked Questions

How much do your services cost?
When responding to a true emergency, DELMARVA Search and Rescue does not charge for it's services.  We are a volunteer group, and provide our own gear and transportation to all emergency callouts.  Many of the training classes we hold are also done without cost.  In our "business", we'd much prefer people don't get into the situations we're called to get them out of.  So we offer training to the community, as well as other public safety and search groups with the hope that the information will prevent a serious incident one day. 

Sometimes, due to the nature of the class we teach, it's necessary to charge a fee for materials and time.  These costs are always communicated up front, and we believe that they are very reasonable when compared to similar classes held by for-profit groups.

What's with the orange shirts?
Yes, we know we look like jack-o-lanterns in our black pants and orange shirts / coats.  But there's good reason for this (and it's not just because we think Trick-or-Treating shouldn't have an age limit) ... we want to be seen in the woods!  When performing a search in the woods, there are many reasons why we'd like to be extra visible:

• Hunting Season.  No one wants to end up in the medical tent with an arrow sticking out of their rear-end!
  

• Search Technique.  Some of the search techniques we utilize require searchers to be spaced far apart from each other, but still traveling at the same pace on the same bearing.  So it's much easier for us to glance up once in a while and notice the bright orange colors to our left and right, and know we're still on course, and aren't lagging behind the rest of the team.

How can I join your team?  What are the requirements?
Email us ... we can provide all the answers you need.  We are currently working on an on-line application process, which will make it even easier to obtain more information and apply for the team.

Where is DELMARVA?  What area does your team cover?
DELMARVA stands for Delaware, Maryland, Virginia.  Our primary callout area consists of the states of Delaware and Maryland, plus the Virginia peninsula.  Upon request (and barring financial and manpower restrictions) we will respond to emergencies or training anywhere we can be of assistance.  We have officers who each cover a portion of our area (Delaware, Northern / Central Maryland, and Southern Maryland / Virginia peninsula).  These officers can bring a small "local" task force to the incident relatively quickly after callout, while additional resources are organized and responding within the next few hours..

How do I choose a Search and Rescue Team? Are you the only one?
There are many teams in the area - check our links page for more information. When choosing a team, it's important to learn about the team. Make sure they're incorporated (this protects individuals from liability). Any corporation should have a charter and bylaws ... check them out to see if you agree with how they do things. Check on insurance ... will you be covered if you are injured? If you make a bad decision in the field? If they say they're charitable, check them out with the IRS before assuming you can write off expenses or accept donations. It's easy to check to see if a group is an "exempt" group by IRS standards: Call 1-877-829-5500, listen to the menus, and give the IRS employee the name of the group.

Find out what the team's training focuses on. Some teams are ground search teams only, others are just canine teams, while others are both. Within the canine teams, some are all one type of dog, such as all airscenting dogs. Others train various types of canine searching. Check the standards the team follows ... some teams are NASAR-oriented, while other teams follow local SAR council standards.

Ask the prospective team if you can attend a training session with them. You'll get to see them "in action" to see how they interact, what the leadership is like, etc. You may be asked to sign a training waiver, which protects the team from liability. It's important to do your homework, and see if you "fit" into the team environment. These are people you'll be training and responding with, so it's important to feel that it's a match for your goals and personality.