Search & Rescue Skills for First Responders
Location: Southern Jackson County FD, 9015 Charleston Road, Ripley, WV 25271
Instructors: Natural Awareness Tracking School – Melissa Weeks
Course Dates: September 19, 20, 2026 – 8:00am to 5:00pm
Course Description: Search and Rescue Skills for First Responders. This course is a 20-hour course designed to equip participants with awareness, basic knowledge and the introductory skills necessary to effectively initiate and respond to a missing person’s mission. Students will be exposed to Search Operations, methods for establishing the search area, an overview of SAR skills (management, Lost Person Behavior, Tracking, Search Team Leader and Search Team member) Land Navigation (with and Without Technology) Clue Awareness, Patient Packaging and Litter handling. This course emphasizes a broad overview of many Search and Rescue related skills using classroom instruc-tion, practical exercises and hands on learning.
There will be a limit of 20 students for this class
Students will need to register through www.wvpst.org for this class
Go to Charleston website calendar, find class needed and click on class to register.
Please contact Eva Godbey with questions about registration at 304-766-0011 ext. 22 or Email: eva.godbey@k12.wv.us
If you have questions, please contact Jeff Cunningham, SAR Training Officer at 304-414-7682 or 304-941-6025 or Email: jeff.o.cunningham@wv.gov