Thank you for your interest in joining our team. We have not set the dates for the next new member training cycle. Training typically takes place during March and April, but timing may vary. All sessions take place at the Hanover Fire Station, 48 Lyme Road, Hanover, NH, unless otherwise noted.

We seek individuals who share our love of the outdoors and are committed to helping others. This is important and rewarding work that requires serious commitment. Please discuss the time demands with your family, friends, and employer before applying. Volunteer search and rescue is meaningful but rarely convenient. Callouts happen at any hour, in any weather, and often require sudden changes to personal plans. Members are expected to respond to at least one in every three missions (33%) each year. Many enthusiastic trainees later discover they cannot maintain the necessary flexibility.

There are also financial responsibilities. Annual dues are $25. Members must cover their own clothing, gear, electronics, and mileage. The team provides some shared equipment, but additional personal purchases are expected.

New volunteers undergo two months of rigorous training before becoming full team members. Once on the team, members attend regular trainings and participate in two full-scale search scenarios each year to stay current with the latest search and rescue techniques.

To join, you must:

• Be at least 18 years of age.

• Live in New Hampshire or Vermont (reasonable exceptions may be considered).

• Complete a liability waiver.

• Complete a satisfactory background check.

• Pay initial annual team dues of $25.

To maintain membership, you must:

• Successfully complete all training requirements. Training dates will be posted when the next training cycle begins.

• Acquire and maintain a suitable 24-hour ready pack.

• Abide by the UVWRT Constitution and UVWRT Standard Operating Procedures.

• Maintain a professional attitude and level of dedication.

• Contribute annual team dues of $25.

• Demonstrate adequate physical condition based on the UVWRT Fitness Requirements.

• Commit to regularly responding to callouts. We aim to have members respond to at least 33% of all callouts each year – one out of every three – to demonstrate adequate dedication.

Additional Resources

Here are some informative resources to help you decide if joining the team is right for you.

• Day Four – A rescuer’s account of a hiker’s baffling survival
  An article by James Mason chronicling the search for a man in his 60s who was missing on or around the Franconia Ridge in the White Mountains in May 2009 that first appeared in the AMC journal Appalachia Winter/Spring 2023 issue.

• Missions
  Browse recent mission summaries to get a better sense of the types of calls UVWRT responds to and the conditions our team works in.

Apply

If you have read this entire page and are ready to apply, please complete the application form. We will contact you when the next training cycle opens. Please note that final acceptance is at the discretion of the UVWRT officers. Applications may be declined or deferred to maintain a manageable team size, regardless of individual qualifications.