MARG ABOUT US

MOUNTAINEER AREA RESCUE GROUP, Inc.

The Organization

The Mountaineer Area Rescue Group (MARG) is a volunteer search and rescue organization dedicated to saving lives in the outdoors.  Our missions include wilderness search for lost persons and rescue of the injured from hiking, hunting, or other outdoor accidents.  We also assist with other outdoor rescues including cave rescues and technical (requiring the use of rope) evacuations of the injured.  Our group is composed of experts in many fields including search management, cave rescue, communications, and wilderness medicine. We are an affiliate (local chapter) of the Appalachian Search and Rescue Conference (ASRC).

The Appalachian Search and Rescue Conference is a community of nine search and rescue groups spanning from Pittsburgh, PA through the tidewater area of Virginia.  All groups follow a common set of operating and training standards.  Although we conduct training locally, all of our members are tested to accordance with the standards of the ASRC prior to certification.

Responsible Authority

The Mountaineer Area Rescue Group functions under the authority of the agency responsible for search and rescue (e.g. State Police, County Sheriff, Fire Department, Civil Air Patrol Mission Coordinator, Local Emergency Services Coordinator, Park Superintendent, etc.)  MARG (and ASRC) will only conduct operations at the request of such agencies, and will directly support the responsible agency.

Services

A Mountaineer Area Rescue Group quick response team can be mobilized in an hour or less.  The composition of the team depends upon the nature of the mission.  For a rescue operation, the quick response team is self-sufficient for 48 hours, and carries field portable medical, communications, and rescue equipment appropriate to the situation.  Members have medical training ranging from First Responder through Paramedic and field-qualified Physician.

MARG can also provide an overhead team to initiate the coordination and execution of a large-scale search operation.  Our members can provide advice only, provide specific management help, or supervise all aspects of the search operation, at the pleasure of the responsible authority.  Many members are graduates of the National Association for Search and Rescue's Managing the Search Function, and additional ASRC courses taught in search management.

We welcome the opportunity to train with other organization interested in search and rescue techniques.  We can also provide assistance with search related training to interested emergency service organizations within our service area.  From time to time we sponsor regional cave rescue and wilderness medicine training courses.

Service Area

The Mountaineer Area Rescue Group will respond to any location within a 2 hour drive of Morgantown, West Virginia.  Most of our members live in Monongalia and Preston Counties and the surrounding areas in West Virginia.  We are available for emergencies in other areas depending on travel time and transportation.  For many outside area emergencies we only ask that the responsible authority approve fixed-wing transport (usually funded by the US Air Force or the state) to minimize travel time and fatigue and to make our services more efficient.

We work with many emergency services organizations across the region.  We will respond outside our normal service area in response to a mutual-aid request from any of these groups.

Excluded Activities

The Mountaineer Area Rescue Group and ASRC have neither the equipment nor the intent to replace any of the services of established rescue squads, fire departments, or law enforcement agencies.  We provide specialized management, medical, and technical services in the outdoors, especially in rugged terrain.  We consider our mission finished when the lost person or accident victim reaches a normally accessible area (i.e., a road).

We will assist law enforcement agencies with certain tasks, such as collection of evidence or search and recovery of crime victims in wilderness areas.  However, we will not be involved in any pursuit or apprehension of criminals.

Field Support and Expenses

All members carry enough food and equipment to be self-sufficient for 48 hours.  For many extended operations we greatly appreciate support services, such as water, food, and shelter.  The Mountaineer Area Rescue Group, along with the Appalachian Search and Rescue Conference, are volunteer organization supported by membership fees and contributions.  There is never any fee for our service, although we appreciate any donations.

MARG is a federal tax-exempt 501(c)(3) charitable organization, EIN 55-0769381.  MARG may be designated as a donor-option on your United Way form simply by writing in our group name and address.

MARG also will gladly accept corporate and personal donations of money and field ready equipment.  If your or your company has things such as a high end Lap Top Computer (To use for preparing maps in the field), Small Laser Printer (For printing maps in the field), etc.

Membership

All Appalachian Search and Rescue Conference field members are experienced in outdoors activities, with training in land navigation, wilderness and emergency medicine, wilderness survival, and mountain rescue.  Training and certifications of Mountaineer Area Rescue Group members meets strict ASRC standards.  Administrative, medical, communications, and base management members support our field operations.  Anyone who is interested and willing to help is welcome to join.  Most members train and become certified in field operations, but we are also looking for members who can assist with administration (e.g., lawyers and accountants). If you are interested in joining or helping, call, write, or come to a meeting or training session.