Land Search and Rescue, a national volunteer organisation dedicated to saving lives and providing critical support to the lost, missing and injured, is excited to announce its upcoming May campaign, “Searchlight.”
This special initiative is designed to commemorate the organisation’s remarkable 91-year journey,
showcasing the selfless dedication of volunteers, the countless hours invested in community safety,
and the numerous lives saved through their tireless efforts.
National Reach and Specialised Disciplines:
Land Search and Rescue is a national volunteer organisation with over 3,300 trained search and rescue volunteers who are members of 64 local groups covering the length and breadth of New Zealand. Volunteers operate in suburban, urban, wilderness, and rural areas, including regional and forest parks, mountains, shorelines, canyons and caves. Unpaid professionals offer their specialist search and rescue skills free to the public 24 hours a day, 7 days a week via the New Zealand Police and the Rescue Coordination Centre. Specialist disciplines such as Land Search and Rescue Dogs, CaveSAR, CanyonSAR, Alpine Cliff Rescue (ACR), and RiverSAR operate on a local level where there is a requirement for these specialist skills.
Volunteer Impact: From July 2022 to June 2023, our volunteers donated over 102,627 hours to Search and Rescue activities. In the official stats for the year 2022/23, Land Search and Rescue engaged the dedicated efforts of 3,667 volunteers during these search and rescue operations (SAROP), totaling an impressive 18,090 volunteer operational hours. The organisation conducted 456 operations, assisting 161 persons, and successfully rescuing 160 persons. This remarkable feat underscores the dedication and effectiveness of Land Search and Rescue in fulfilling its mission to save lives and provide crucial support to the lost , missing and injured.
Volunteer Hours: Land Search and Rescue owes its success to the extraordinary volunteers who tirelessly contribute their time and expertise. The Searchlight campaign will shine a spotlight on the countless
hours these dedicated individuals have invested in training, preparedness, and actual search and rescue operations. Their commitment has been instrumental
in the organisation’s ability to make a positive impact and save lives.
