Volunteers Bring Your Loved Ones Home.
Our volunteers hit the trails. Your generosity fuels the mission. King County Search and Rescue Association (KCSARA) advocates for our seven specialized member units and their 600+ highly skilled volunteers. We secure the resources, raise public awareness, and build the community support necessary for them to do their life-saving work.
As one of the oldest, largest, and busiest SAR networks in the United States, our member units bring decades of experience to locating the lost, providing aid to the injured, and responding during disasters. On average, there are over 150 missions a year in King County—that is an active mission every two days, all driven by a single purpose: to bring loved ones home.
Search & Rescue is 100% FREE in King County. Your Donation Funds the Mission.
These critical operations are provided at absolutely no cost to the communities served or the subjects rescued. We never charge for our services, which means KCSARA relies entirely on the generosity of supporters like you to advocate for our units and keep our teams fully resourced and ready to deploy.
Fuel the Work: How Your Support Powers Excellence
By investing in KCSARA, you are directly funding the vital infrastructure, safety initiatives, and resources that protect our community and equip our professional volunteers:
- Advanced Programs: Funding initiatives like Rapid Alpine Deployment (RAD), Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS/Drones), and our CARE Team, which provides critical stress resilience and psychological first aid for both subjects and responders.
- Rigorous Volunteer Training: Supporting 600+ responders in Wilderness First Aid (WFA), CPR/AED, advanced technical rigging, and joint training exercises with regional emergency partners.
- Essential Operations & Admin: Keeping the fleet moving by covering fuel, vehicle licensing, and registration, while providing the backend technology tools, bookkeeping, and legal support that keep missions running smoothly.
- Public Education & Safety: Funding public safety messaging, outdoor recreation safety courses, and initiatives that ensure all outdoor enthusiasts know how to access 911 and stay safe.
- Advocacy & Partnerships: Leading the effort for sustainable SAR funding across Washington state by working with local, state, and federal representatives, land managers, and outdoor organizations.
Double Your Impact!
Many employers match charitable contributions. Please visit doublethedonation.com/KingCountySAR to see if your company will double your life-saving gift today.
Image Credit: Stephanie Dewar (watercolor) | Michael Peters Jr. (photo)
Impact descriptions for donations represent examples of KCSARA's ongoing operational costs. Gifts will be deployed where the current need is greatest unless donor directed otherwise.
