Wilderness Search & Rescue

Call 911 as soon as possible if someone is missing and there is concern for their safety. The earlier official responders receive information, the better they can assess urgency, coordinate resources, and protect important evidence and location details.

Do not attempt to contact search and rescue teams directly. Local law enforcement is the correct first point of contact for emergency response.

It's helpful to gather the following information when possible to provide with the report: 

• Recent photo
• Clothing description
• Medical needs or medications
• Vehicle information
• Cell phone details or possible location information
• Known routes, destinations, habits, or planned activities
• Timeline of when and where the person was last seen

Avoid spreading unverified information about missing persons as this can cause confusion. 

Families and loved ones can help by designating a single point of contact, building a clear timeline, staying available for questions, and preserving potentially useful items or information if requested by responding authorities.

Do not self-deploy volunteers into the search area or disturb the last known location unless directed by authorities. This can delay search and rescue activities and destroy evidence that could help locate the missing person(s). 

WSAR resources are requested by official incident authorities, typically through county-level coordination. Requests usually come from County Emergency Management, the Emergency Operations Center, Incident Command, Unified Command, or County or Local Law Enforcement leadership coordinating the incident.

Based on incident needs and availability, WSAR may help coordinate or support resources such as ground search teams, search management support, human tracking, K9 resources, UAS / drones, and aerial support.

Resources vary by incident type, location, weather, safety requirements, and availability.

Consider requesting WSAR support when an incident involves increased search complexity, time sensitivity, terrain challenges, weather concerns, vulnerable populations, limited local resources, or the need for specialized search capabilities. Some examples include: 

• Subject overdue or missing with increasing time pressure
• Child, elderly, medically vulnerable, or dementia-related incident
• Rough terrain, wilderness area, water-adjacent area, or low-visibility conditions
• Need for organized search management or additional trained search teams
• Need for specialized resources such as K9, tracking, UAS, or air support

To request support, contact your NCEM Area Coordinator or the NC State Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and be prepared to provide incident details, current status, resource needs, and a point of contact for follow-up coordination. To reach the NC State EOC, call 919-733-3300.

It is helpful to have the following information available before requesting the support: 

• Incident location
• Last known point, date, and time
• Subject profile and relevant risk factors
• Actions already taken
• Known hazards or access issues
• On-scene point of contact
• Type of support needed

Once a request is received, coordination staff work to clarify the need, identify appropriate resources, communicate with responding teams or partners, and support follow-on coordination based on incident requirements and availability. These resources will respond and integrate under the local established command structure and do not take over or manage the incident from the local authority.

WSAR in North Carolina is a coordinated network that supports counties during incidents. Teams span across each of the 3 regions of the state and include volunteer teams, county teams, and regional teams. These are supported by partner agencies and Federal support from organizations like the Civil Air Patrol. Combined these teams with state coordination, support local jurisdictions to help identify and coordinate resources when requested.

Teams respond through established coordination processes to support accountability, responder safety, and unified communications.

Opportunities vary by team, county, and capability, but most pathways begin with contacting a team, learning local expectations, and completing training and readiness steps over time. Here are some steps to get started: 

• Contact a team or local program
• Ask about orientation or membership process
• Learn training expectations
• Understand fitness, readiness, and safety standards
• Integrate into team operations through approved processes

WSAR participation requires discipline, accountability, safety awareness, and a commitment to official coordination processes. All WSAR teams are vetted and approved through standards and processes administered through North Carolina Emergency Management per the North Carolina Administrative Code. Self-deployment of personnel or volunteers is not accepted.