RAT-SAR

RAT-SAR is a 501(c)(3) regional search, rescue, and training organization incorporated under the laws of the State of Alabama and member unit of the Alabama Association of Rescue Squads. The team is a responding agency for Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office Multi-Agency Search and Rescue (Bankhead National Forest), and also provides aid to other sheriff’s offices and AHJs in Alabama,  Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina. RAT-SAR is founded on the Mountain Rescue / Alpine principles of self-sufficient, mobile teams trained to operate for extended periods of time in remote wilderness, mountainous, high angle, subterranean, hazardous terrain, and other austere environments. RAT-SAR does not charge for its services.

RAT-SAR is comprised of team members with extensive training and experience in wilderness land search, technical rope rescue, backcountry rescue, cave rescue, and search incident management. RAT-SAR works as a stand-alone team or attached to other teams operating under an Incident Command System. RAT-SAR also offers certified NASAR training to search and rescue members. RAT-SAR does not charge for any of its services.

The RAT-SAR team stands ready to assist AHJs in the Southeastern U.S. with the following:

• Wilderness Land Search
• K9 (Area, Scent Specific, HRD)
• Incident Management
• Backcountry Technical Rescue
• Mountain Rescue
• Cave Rescue
• Team Training