Search-And-Rescue: What Do They Carry?

I spent a week last Spring in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.  These mountains are some of the most beautiful, and welcoming, that I have ever seen.  But as one gazes upon its rolling peaks, it is wise to remember the adage, Looks can be deceiving.  After all, this is the home of Mount Washington, famous for its dangerously erratic weather, which for 76 years, until 2010, held the record for the fastest wind gust ever recorded on the Earth’s surface.  During all seasons of the year, outdoors people, from novice to experienced, are routinely needing to be rescued from its various peaks and slopes.  Just for the short period that I was there, there were at least three major search and rescues, and a few minor ones.  Sometimes the endings are happy, many times they are not.

In this part of the country, search and rescues are conducted by the Conservation Officers of New Hampshire Department of Fish and Game.  They are some of the best in the business.

So what do search-and-rescue (SAR) teams actually carry?  Well, unlike the rest of us, who try to balance weight and utility, the SAR folks need to be prepared for most anything, whether it is the weather or the condition of their patient.  This translates, then, into a heavy pack, oftentimes in the range of 50-60 pounds.

Check out this video which was produced by New Hampshire Public Radio:

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Do you want to learn how to prepare yourself for your next outdoor adventure so that you are better set to wait for SAR, or better yet, avoid needing SAR in the first place?  Then consider registering for one of our upcoming Wilderness Survival or Wilderness First-Aid courses.