12/19/2025
As the Holidays begin, we came across this post from South Eastern Alberta Search and Rescue Association and it’s very true .. we get thanked but for every time you see us it means we have the support of family and friends to volunteer when the call comes in 24/7 - 365
Families who stand behind Search and Rescue personnel understand a reality that few outside the profession ever fully grasp: when the call comes, there is no delay, no negotiation, and no hesitation. We respond immediately. We leave homes, jobs, celebrations, and comfort behind to answer a call for help—often for someone we have never met, but whose survival may depend on minutes, discipline, and trained action. Emergencies do not wait for convenient moments, and neither do Search and Rescue teams.
During the application process, candidates are asked a critical question: Are your family members supportive of this commitment? At first, the weight of that question may not be fully understood. Over time, however, families come to recognize what that support truly demands. They learn that the words “so others may live” are not ceremonial or symbolic. They represent a hard promise—one that requires sacrifice, resilience, and acceptance that service to the mission will sometimes come before personal comfort.
Search and Rescue is not casual service. It is not recreational volunteering. It is a professional, disciplined, and high-risk responsibility carried out by men and women who train relentlessly, operate under pressure, and accept the reality that their actions may be the difference between life and death. When teams deploy, they do so with intent, accountability, and an aggressive commitment to locating the missing, stabilizing the injured, and returning them home.
Behind every responder stepping into the field stands a family quietly holding the line at home. They organize gear, locate forgotten equipment, manage responsibilities, and provide unwavering support as their loved ones step out the door into uncertainty. Their role is not secondary. It is foundational. Without their strength, understanding, and sacrifice, Search and Rescue operations would not be possible.
Search and Rescue teams operate in harsh environments, long hours, and adverse conditions. We push through fatigue, weather, terrain, and doubt. We work when others sleep. We move when conditions are at their worst. We do not stop because it is uncomfortable, inconvenient, or difficult. We stop only when the mission is complete.
To serve in Search and Rescue is to accept a standard—of professionalism, readiness, and personal accountability. It is to embrace a mindset that places human life above personal preference. It is a calling built on action, not recognition, and results, not applause.
I am proud to serve alongside Search and Rescue professionals who embody this standard every day. I am equally proud of the families who enable this service through their patience, sacrifice, and unwavering belief in the mission. Their support strengthens our teams and allows us to respond without hesitation when lives are on the line.
This Christmas, and every day of the year, we acknowledge the families who stand behind Search and Rescue personnel and the teams who answer the call regardless of the cost. Your commitment, toughness, and dedication save lives.
Merry Christmas.
So others may live.
