# Help Wanted



## Sarah Platts (Jan 12, 2010)

*This caught my eye....*​ *WANTED* Men and Women at least 18 years of age for community service. Must be willing to travel at a moment's notice using your personal vehicle to do so, hike great distances over varied terrain, and pick up your own expenses. Shifts are mainly late night-early morning hours, often working with next to nothing to do the impossible in poor or extreme weather conditions. You provide all the equipment, we provide the working conditions. Interested applicants apply to your local Search and Rescue Unit. Salary: $0.00 - $0.00 ​


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## Meg O'Donovan (Aug 20, 2012)

In British Columbia, youth can join local SAR at age 16, with consent of parents. They can take specialized training courses for free, e.g., swiftwater rescue, ice rescue (lake and river), ropes and high angle rescue, first aid, air brakes training, etc. Such courses, taught by professionals and resulting in recognized & respected certification, cost non-SAR people a lot of money. For those who test successfully, the certification may help them into related fields of work. 

There is probably more competition to access such opportunities in urban areas where there are many volunteers, than in rural places that have smaller groups of more aged volunteers and much more wilderness territory to cover. Responsible, physically fit, younger members are much in demand as ground pounders in the bush here.

The federal gov't is starting to offer tax credits for SAR volunteers who exceed a set # of hours per year. It costs us more for gear and gas than the tax credit is worth, but it is a nice gesture to show appreciation. If you want more details on the tax credit idea, take a look at the link on this site:

www.facebook.com/pages/Nicola-Valley-Search-and-Rescue/554036444662213

Are there similar tax credits for SAR in the States?


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## mel boschwitz (Apr 23, 2010)

Sarah,
Pretty catchy and oh so true. Lol. I wonder if an ad like that works?


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## Sarah Platts (Jan 12, 2010)

I think it works more for volunteer medics than SAR. All that adrenaline rush when the tones go off and you get to drive down the road with flashing lights and making Whoop-Whoop noises. Some kids never outgrow it.....

I know I was pulling down an extra 80-100 hours a month on top of my full time paid job which supported my volunteer habit. I admit it...... I was a trauma junkie..... Then I got dogs.....


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## mel boschwitz (Apr 23, 2010)

There ain't nothing like running hot to calls. Lol


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## Jason Demo (Apr 23, 2013)

Sarah Platts said:


> *This caught my eye....*​ *WANTED* Men and Women at least 18 years of age for community service. Must be willing to travel at a moment's notice using your personal vehicle to do so, hike great distances over varied terrain, and pick up your own expenses. Shifts are mainly late night-early morning hours, often working with next to nothing to do the impossible in poor or extreme weather conditions. You provide all the equipment, we provide the working conditions. Interested applicants apply to your local Search and Rescue Unit. Salary: $0.00 - $0.00 ​


I definitely joined my local SAR team for the pay


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## Sarah Platts (Jan 12, 2010)

Welcome Aboard! We need all the help we can get. Tell you what.... stick with it for a couple of years and we will double your salary! :mrgreen:


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## mel boschwitz (Apr 23, 2010)

I thought it doubled yearly? :razz:


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