Chris Snook is the founder of Rescue Agency Manager and has served in Search & Rescue leadership while building technology solutions for complex industries for more than three decades.
Guides by Chris Snook
OperationsWhen Multiple Search & Rescue Agencies Respond: Who's Really in Charge?How Incident Command actually gets established when several agencies show up to the same search — jurisdiction, Unified Command in plain English, and why nobody just "does their own thing."Search & RescueWhy Search & Rescue Command Looks Different in Pennsylvania Than It Does Out WestEvery state runs SAR authority differently. A look at Pennsylvania's emergency-management model against the Western sheriff model — and why you need to know your own state's answer.OperationsYou Arrive at a Mutual Aid Search. Now What?Ten things experienced responders do in the first few minutes at a mutual-aid search — from parking and check-in to confirming who you report to.Volunteer ManagementVolunteer Retention: Why Good Responders Leave and How to Keep ThemIn volunteer SAR, members pay in time and money, not dues. What actually keeps trained responders is belonging, not swag or recognition tokens.TechnologyField Tested: Using Starlink During Search & Rescue TrainingAfter several weeks of weekly training, our SAR team evaluated Starlink as a replacement for a cellular hotspot.TrainingCertification Tracking That Keeps Your Team DeployableA practical system for tracking certifications — advance-warning windows, proof, and role-based deployability — so a lapsed cert never quietly pulls someone off the board.OperationsThe 7 Records Every Search & Rescue Team Should KeepThe records grant reviewers, insurers, and auditors ask for first — what to capture, how long to keep it, and the pitfalls that trip up rescue teams.