Summary
Organization name
Colorado Search and Rescue Association
1973
Tax id (EIN)
84-0995409
Category
Public Safety, Disaster Preparedness & Relief
Organization Size
Small Organization
Address
1312 17TH ST 558DENVER, CO 80202
CO, US
A safer Colorado backcountry since 1973
CSAR's mission is to bring organizations together to find, rescue, and recover those in need in the Colorado backcountry. Composed of volunteers from our member teams, CSAR assists and empowers through public education, advocacy, coordination, collaboration, and continuous skill development.
Backcountry search and rescue (BSAR) teams in Colorado respond, at the request of law enforcement, to incidents on the eastern plains; in our urban and suburban areas; on the soaring peaks, cliff walls, and roaring rivers of the rocky mountains; and in the deserts and canyons of our western slope.
CSAR assists its member teams in several ways. Our state coordinators rotate in an on-call role to facilitate resource requests from any team that needs help, whether it be additional members from other teams, dog teams from other counties, helicopters from the National Guard, or cell phone forensics from the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC). CSAR also provides education for volunteer responders, advocacy, collaboration tools and best practices for the BSAR community, and backcountry safety education for the public.
If an incident becomes a state-declared disaster, CSAR works closely with the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management to ensure the right SAR resources are available. CSAR and the SAR teams work closely with a host of State of Colorado departments, the Colorado National Guard, the Civil Air Patrol, the USFS, and a great number of other for-profit and nonprofit entities and local agencies, not to mention other first responders and the health care systems.
Giving Activity
Mission
We bring organizations together to find, rescue, and recover those in need in the Colorado backcountry. Composed of volunteers from our member teams, CSAR assists and empowers through public education, advocacy, coordination, collaboration, and continuous skill development.
Background Statement
In Colorado, county sheriffs are responsible for coordinating BSAR efforts within their counties. But until recently, the only state funding support for this important work was $400 - 500k in annual grants from the Department of Local Affairs’ SAR Fund. Most of these funds were raised from a 25-cent surcharge on hunting and fishing licenses and motorboat, snowmobile and OHV registrations, and the sale of Colorado Outdoor Recreation Search and Rescue cards. In 2023, the BSAR Fund moved to Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Due to new legislation supported by CSAR and passed in 2021 and 2022, the BSAR Fund now also receives funding from the Keep Colorado Wild Pass Program. For the first time in its history, CSAR began seeking to supplement this state funding through its own public fundraising efforts in 2023.
Media gallery
Instagram gallery
Organization Data
DENVER, CO 80202