Cochrane Search and Rescue

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Cochrane, AB
Cochrane Search and Rescue

Cochrane Search and Rescue Association is a charity that saves lives. We provide on-call professional dedicated search and rescue Volunteers 24/7.

Cochrane Search & Rescue Association (CSAR) focuses on the overall objective that we have deployable resources ready any minute of any day to respond to the needs of our community, our tasking agencies and our immediate “CSAR Family”. Our Goals and Objectives:
CSAR’s overall goal is to continually strive to improve our search and rescue capabilities to deliver a valuable service to our community a

nd surrounding area. We will leverage member knowledge, equipment and technology to increase our search effectiveness. Our Partners:
We continually strive to build relationships within our community and work closely with other local search and rescue organizations and the various Government organizations that can, and frequently have, called us to respond to an emergency or search. Local SAR Partners:
Presently we are closely associated with Calgary Search and Rescue, Foothills Search and Rescue and Olds Search and Rescue. It is our intent to develop these existing relationships as well as encourage a mutual growth and connection spanning the South West of the Rocky Mountains, foothills and prairie lands. Tasking Agencies:
CSAR work under the jurisdiction and area of Cochrane RCMP as well as collaborate with Cochrane Fire, Parks Canada, Kananaskis Emergency Services and Conservation Officers. Our Resources:
Over the last few years, CSAR has seen an increase in the level of professionalism and specialization in certain areas. Our “bread and butter” are our Ground Search teams yet CSAR boasts additional resources in the form of a K9 Section, ATV Section, and Search Manager Team. Ground Search:
Perhaps the most important aspect of any SAR Organization, Ground SAR teams form the backbone of any missing person, evidence or other incident. From groups of three (3) to seven (7) our Ground SAR Teams perform a variety of different search procedures. Each team is lead by a Team Leader who, in turn, reports directly to the Search Manager. ATV Section:
Presently, our ATV section compromises of two CSAR ATVs, two Member ATVs, an ATV Trailer and truck. Again, our aim is to ensure our ATV Operators practice regularly to ensure that all aspects of ATV Searching are practiced time and again – ready to be deployed at a moments notice. Search Manager Team:
Using the Incident Command System (ICS) and Lost Person Behaviour (LPB) our Search Managers receive the highest level of training, undergo regular Search Manager Training sessions and maintain our mobile command centre. CSAR Family:
As with all people, our own Membership may require help at times from their teammates. Cochrane Search & Rescue prides itself on the fact that in addition to serving our community and surrounding area – any one of our Members can reach out for help and it will be given, without question and with dignity.

06/24/2026

06/23/2026

🚨🚁 Exciting News from Cochrane Search and Rescue! 🚁🚨

Over the past couple of weekends, we're thrilled to share that our new members have been diligently training to become fully qualified members of the team! 🌟

Their comprehensive training covered essential topics including:

✅ Pre-course learning
✅ Introduction to Search and Rescue (SAR)
✅ Personal factors and safety protocols
✅ Clothing & Equipment essentials
✅ Environmental awareness
✅ Transportation methods
✅ First Aid & Survival skills
✅ Navigation techniques
✅ Effective Communication strategies
✅ Search Theory fundamentals
✅ Responding to emergencies
✅ On-the-ground SAR Operations
✅ Assessment practices
✅ Supplementary Training in SAR Basics Standards

We are proud of our dedicated team and grateful for their commitment to serving our community. Together, we stand ready to respond with skill and compassion. 💪❤️

Join us in welcoming our new members to the Cochrane SAR family! If you're interested in learning more about our team or supporting our mission, visit our website - https://cochranesearchandrescue.org/

05/21/2026

A morning of action, excitement and community fun is landing in Cochrane!

The First Responder Expo brings together interactive displays, big equipment and unique demonstrations for all ages to enjoy.

📅 May 31 | 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
📍 Cochrane Lions Club Event Centre
🎟 By donation to the Cochrane Food Bank

Learn more: https://www.cochrane.ca/firstresponderexpo

05/13/2026

**Swift Water Rescue Course Completed!** 🌊

This past weekend, 24 dedicated members of Cochrane Search and Rescue (CSAR) successfully completed the Swift Water Rescue Course! 💪🌟

⭐️ We would like to thank the following organizations for their generous support ⭐️

Rocky Talkie
Rocky View County
Cochrane Activettes

Our training included a comprehensive curriculum covering:

- Water dynamics and basic hydrology
- River hazards and accident reviews
- Rope fundamentals (knots, bends, and hitches)
- Water rescue equipment, both software and hardware
- Cold water physiology, panic response, and drowning considerations
- Shore-based rescue techniques, including reach and throw methods
- Throw bagging techniques
- Written knowledge evaluation
- Individual and team-based proficiency evaluations

Additionally, we explored essential Operations-level skills such as:

- Self-rescue principles
- Ferry angles
- Defensive swimming techniques
- Victim tow techniques
- Live bait contact rescues
- Risk assessment and site evaluation
- Anchoring concepts and basic mechanical advantage systems

As we move into the warmer months, we urge everyone to prioritize safety when near or entering any water bodies.

Your safety is our priority! 🌊💙

05/08/2026

On May 6th, we supported the Town of Canmore in a crucial functional exercise to test emergency procedures.

The drill simulated a wildfire threatening the Canmore Nordic Centre area, requiring door-to-door evacuations.

Working alongside local authorities, Search and Rescue assisted in mock evacuating Zones 20 (Mineside) and 21 (Rundleview). We want to clarify that this was a simulation, and no residents were asked to evacuate!

The exercise took place at the Canmore Firehall, allowing us to effectively test the capabilities of the Emergency Control Centre (ECC) and ensure preparedness for real emergencies. A big thank you to everyone involved for making this important safety event a success!

05/03/2026

🌟 Thank You to Inter Pipeline! 🌟

Cochrane Search and Rescue are incredibly grateful for the support from Inter Pipeline through their Community Engagement Program Grant. Your generosity has made a significant impact on our Enhanced Emergency Response Project!

Thanks to the funds provided, we have successfully purchased a Skedco Rescue System (a lightweight stretcher) and 30 hard hats for our civil emergency response. 🚑💪

These essential pieces of equipment will greatly improve patient safety and comfort during transport, reduce the risk of injury to our responders, expedite evacuations in tough terrains, and enhance the professionalism and preparedness of our rescue team.

Together, we are making a difference in our community! Thank you for believing in our mission and supporting our efforts! 💙

05/02/2026

Tomorrow, May 3, to kick-off Emergency Preparedness Week, Cochrane Search and Rescue (CSAR), with support from the Town of Cochrane, will be conducting door-to-door outreach in the community of Heritage Hills. The CSAR team will be providing residents with helpful emergency preparedness information to support household readiness.

Emergencies can happen quickly and without warning. Through this outreach, CSAR and the Town of Cochrane are working to strengthen community awareness and ensure residents have the information they need to be better prepared.

Learn more➡️ cochrane.ca/emergencypreparedness

04/23/2026

Introduction to Tracking Training Night

Tonight, several of our members took part in an engaging ** Introduction to Tracking Training **.

This essential training helps our team learn how to effectively track and locate missing persons in various environments, enhancing our ability to respond swiftly and efficiently in emergencies.

During the session, members learned valuable skills such as identifying tracks, understanding missing person behavior, and utilizing different tracking techniques. Members also learned the importance of using light to identify foot prints. These skills are important for situations where it’s unknown the direction a missing person may have travelled.

A huge thank you to attending members this evening and our Tracking Team for providing the training.

04/04/2026

We are incredibly grateful to the Town of Cochrane in supporting our "Vehicle Lighting Enhancement Project" for Units 1 and 4.

Thanks to your partnership, we are upgrading our search and rescue vehicles with certified emergency warning lights, including LED light bars, perimeter strobes, scene lights, and rear flashers.

These enhancements will ensure our vehicles are more visible in all operating conditions, significantly boosting operational safety on both roadways and at emergency scenes. This initiative not only increases public awareness during our missions but also aligns our vehicles with established emergency vehicle standards.

Thank you for helping keep everyone safe at emergency scene’s 🚨

03/28/2026

A heartfelt thank you to Cochrane Home Treasures for their generous donation to Search and Rescue!

Your support has played a crucial role in enabling us to replace our aged SUV with a newer vehicle, ‘Unit 2’ which enhances our ability to respond to emergency search and rescue callouts.

The support we receive from local organizations like Cochrane Home Treasures is invaluable. It not only strengthens our operational capabilities but reinforces the vital connection between our team and the community we serve.

Thank you Home Treasures for your community focused generosity 🙏

Address

Cochrane, AB

Website

http://www.cochranesearchandrescue.org/

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