The 1st Special Response Group's "anytime, anywhere" commitment requires high standards from its members. The team's ability to deploy anywhere in the world at a moment's notice requires significant medical and physical requirements from it's members. Prospective members should be aware of the requirements for membership and think carefully on their ability to commit before starting on the application process.

Before you fill out an application, please understand the following in your mind and heart. This is NOT your backyard we deploy to, and it never will be. In the safety section of the average SAR briefing you will find notes about rattlesnakes, hypothermia, poison oak, and if you are really lucky, meth labs.

Our safety briefings include discussions about rebels, narco-terrorists, malaria, non-existent sanitary systems, contaminated water supplies, hotels that do not accept canines, tapeworms, and a host of other hugely unpleasant things should be considered normal for a 1SRG deployment. We will do our best to mitigate the threats, keep everyone informed of what they are, and possibly turn down a deployment, but you "must" be prepared for them. If you're not comfortable with this, you may not belong on 1SRG.

If you cannot get time off from your job at the last moment and be gone for up to eight days at a time, you may not belong on 1SRG.

The time to figure this out is not after you and the team have invested a lot of time in the application process.

There are two major membership classifications within the team - Support and Operational. All members, no matter their classification, must meet the following requirements:

• Minimum age of 21.
• Complete 1SRG General Application.
• Complete 1SRG background check authorization and pass a background check.
• Complete 1SRG insurance form.
• Any member who's application includes references to membership in other organizations - military, public service, or private - must include the appropriate documentation to support document this claim. (Eg, DD214 for U.S. military).
• Have e-mail account for receiving documents and information from the unit.
• Possess an alphanumeric pager or cell phone capable of receiving text messages to receive mission call-out information from the unit.
• Maintain a 1SRG file (3" loose-leaf notebook) with copies of all 1SRG documents that have been marked for retention.
• Maintain a log of your personal training and regularly submit copies to 1SRG’s Chief Training Officer.

Any operational member must maintain an operational membership with a local search and rescue or disaster response team.

Any members, support or operational, who intend to travel internationally with the team must meet the following requirements:

1. Be in excellent health (as determined by a physician).
2. Pass the Physical Fitness Requirement.
3. Have all vaccinations as indicated on the Vaccination and Prescription Medications, Certification.

   • Yellow Fever
   • Typhoid
   • Tetanus/Diphtheria
   • Hepatitis A
   • Hepatitis B
   • Rabies (RabAvert)
   • All normal childhood vaccinations

4. Fill 1SRG required prescriptions -

• Cipro
• Lomotil
• Keflex
• Anti-malarials

5. Complete the additional 1SRG documentation requirements

• Medical History and Clearance Form
• Vaccinations and Prescription Medications Form
• Physical Fitness Form - Pack Test
• Insurance Form
• Background Check Waiver

Any members, support or operational, who intend to travel internationally with the team must have the following documents:

• Valid drivers license (with an expiration date at least one year from date of application.)
• Valid passport (with an expiration date at least one year from date of application.) Frequently, it may be a requirement of a host government that your passport expire more than 60 days after entry to that country. This requirement should successfully avoid that situation in most instances.
• Current Yellow Card (vaccination documentation)

Any members who desire to deploy on any mission with 1SRG must have the following certifications:

• NASAR SAR Tech II or better.
• FCC Technician No Code license
• FAA Class II Medical or equivalent (Eg. National Park Service medical certification)
• ICS basic course or better
• US DOT First Responder (or equivalent) or better. Wilderness First Responder highly recommended.

Any members who desire to deploy on a disaster response or USAR response with 1SRG must have the following certifications:

• HAZMAT Awareness or better
• Rescue Systems 1 or better

Any canine teams who desire to deploy on any wilderness SAR mission with 1SRG must certify to an appropriate local standard and be recommended by at least two current 1SRG members.

Any canine teams who desire to deploy on any disaster response or USAR response with 1SRG must be certified as FEMA Type II or better.

After being accepted by 1SRG, a member must complete their uniform requirement before they are allowed to deploy with the team.

Members must carry equipment required by 1SRG and their personal gear may not exceed 65lbs and must fit into the two 1SRG issued gear bags.