Fort McMurray Search & Rescue Society

10/01/2026

10/01/2026

If there’s one thing Fort McMurray is known for, it’s dropping everything to help a neighbor in need. Time and time again, when a call goes out, our community shows up, flashlights in hand, ready to search. We see that, and we are deeply grateful for your support.

​When emergency responders—including the RCMP, K9 units, Search and Rescue and air support—are deployed, an organized system is critical to finding a missing person quickly.
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When well-meaning community members begin searching on their own without coordination, it can unintentionally create major hurdles for active rescue operations:

• ​K9 Tracking: Uncoordinated foot traffic leaves extra scent trails, making it significantly harder for search dogs to track the missing person’s scent.

• ​Drone & Thermal Imaging: Drones look for heat signatures and movement. Responders must pause and investigate every heat signature detected, which diverts critical time and resources if it turns out to be a helpful neighbor.

• ​Coverage Gaps: Spontaneous searching often leads to many people checking the same areas while other vital zones remain untouched.
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How You Can Help Us:

1. ​Check Your Own Property First: Check your yards, sheds, unlocked vehicles, and security/doorbell camera footage. This is one of the fastest, most effective ways the public can assist.

2. ​Follow Official Directives: Monitor official RCMP or Search and Rescue social media channels for direct instructions rather than relying on unverified chatter in local Facebook groups.

3. ​Report to the Staging Area: If additional volunteers are needed for a ground search, official command will set up a Volunteer Staging Area. Please check in there first so team leaders can register you and track everyone's safety.

4. ​Never Freelance: Please refrain from heading out into trails, trees, or neighborhoods independently unless directed by responders on scene.

We are so grateful for a community that shows up. We appreciate your enthusiasm — we simply need a safe and coordinated effort to bring our neighbours home safely.

09/20/2026

When you're out on the water at night, conditions can flip in an instant.

​Last night, our team was called out to the Clearwater River.

Navigating the Clearwater is tricky at the best of times with low water levels and it's constant shifting sandbars, but operating in complete darkness added another level of complexity.

​Not long after we launched, heavy fog rolled in, dropping visibility to near zero. When safety risks stack up, pushing through isn't always the brave choice—it's often the reckless one. After re-evaluating the conditions, we made the call to hold our position.

​In search and rescue, dynamic risk assessment isn't just a buzzword—it’s how we make sure everyone comes home.

Know your limits, respect changing conditions, and never be afraid to re-assess the plan when safety is on the line.

09/13/2026

Fueling up with the best in the business!

We had a great morning at the Regional Emergency Services Pancake Breakfast.

This is always such a awesome event for our community!

Congratulations to Steff who won our Yeti Prize basket!

09/10/2026

Great day on the river supporting our partners at the Fort McMurray Fire Department!
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We were glad to provide waterborne support and logistics transport during FMFD’s boat training today.

Seamless inter-agency support keeps our entire local emergency response network ready to react when the call comes.

​Always a pleasure working alongside our local firefighters!

09/09/2026

Keep an eye out for our team today, we're out on the river with Local 2494 conducting training exercises.

Stay safe out there!

08/29/2026

08/24/2026

Brewed for Rescue is on at The Canadian Brewhouse

Join Fort McMurray Search and Rescue for a Silent Auction and 50/50 in support of the volunteers who never stop searching.

Comment below for tickets or email [email protected].

08/22/2026

August Training Day - Some of our SRT members ran scenarios—practicing reading water currents, executing precise boat handling, and safely retrieving subjects from rocks and obstacles in fast-moving water.

07/30/2026

Our hearts are heavy following the outcome of the search for Parker Wells. Our volunteers joined this effort, holding onto hope every step of the way.

​We extend our deepest condolences to Parker’s family, loved ones, and all those grieving this tragic loss. Thank you to everyone who gave their time and support to assist in the search.