Niagara Frontier Search and Rescue

Niagara Frontier Search and Rescue Niagara Frontier Search and Rescue Team is committed to provide Western New York, and surrounding ar Please put "Public Safety Agency" in the subject line.

Attention Public Safety Agencies (police, fire, emergency management offices, etc.): NFSAR is available to offer self-sustained personnel, crew boss (DEC Searcher 1/team supervisor) support, K9 capability, and technical rescue operational support with little to no lead time. We may be requested at any time during any season by contacting the Erie County Sheriff's Office dispatchers. For further in

formation, contact us at this page or at info@nfsar.org. About NFSAR:

Our team is composed of dedicated men and women committed to providing Western NY and surrounding areas with an organization of trained land search and rescue volunteers. Our objective and purpose is to:

• Provide trained land-based search and rescue personnel for lost or missing person incidents,
• Assist other agencies with technical rural or backcountry rescue and evacuation of injured or lost individuals from rough terrain or hazardous backcountry environments,
• Develop specially trained personnel to respond to K-9, Technical Rope and Winter/Cold Weather search and rescue operations,
• Disseminate information and conduct training programs for NFSAR team members and others concerning outdoor safety and search and rescue operations, and
• Associate with similar organizations in Western New York and the State of New York for the furtherance of the objectives of the Organization. Similar to other volunteer organizations, members bear the cost of equipment, uniforms and travel, as well as volunteer their time for meetings, training events and responding to team activations. While this is a volunteer organization, attendance at, and participation in, training events and searches are very important. Upon completion of the Basic SAR Academy, members are expected to meet specific baseline membership requirements, including:

• Attendance at no less than two (2) quarterly organizational meetings
• Attendance at no less than four (4) monthly team training events
• Being capable of meeting and maintaining the minimum NFSAR physical fitness readiness standard consisting of successfully hiking 2 miles on level terrain with a 25lb pack in 30 minutes or less (U.S. Forest Service Wildland Firefighter Work Capacity Test – Moderate)
• Remaining current with their required certifications, and
• Providing your response status for all team activation alerts. To apply for membership, you must be at least twenty-one (21) year of age and a citizen of the United States. For your application to be considered by the Membership Committee (at the appropriate time in this process), you will need to include copies of the following certifications:

• Proof of current Basic CPR certification
• Proof of current Basic First Aid certification (minimum requirement – higher level certs are always welcome )
• Certificate demonstrating completion of the free on-line FEMA training course ICS-100 (Introduction to Incident Command System), and
• Certificate demonstrating completion of the free on-line FEMA training course ICS-700 (National Incident Management System – An Introduction)

In addition to maintaining a team of well-trained volunteer wilderness search and rescue personnel, NFSAR has a secondar...
08/08/2025

In addition to maintaining a team of well-trained volunteer wilderness search and rescue personnel, NFSAR has a secondary mission of outdoor safety education. We appreciate the invitation from the City Of Tonawanda Police Department to attend their National Night Out event this week.

(It looks like K9 Georgia hopes that we will be invited back so that she can play with her new friends from the City of Tonawanda Fire Department!)

If your agency is holding an open house, "touch-a-truck," or similar event and would like NFSAR to bring its SAR trailer, please reach out to us!

Thanks, Getzville Fire Company, for a great training opportunity! NFSAR is proud to work closely with first responders...
08/08/2025

Thanks, Getzville Fire Company, for a great training opportunity! NFSAR is proud to work closely with first responders across the WNY region.

Our hearts are heavy as we share the news that one of our beloved K9s recently passed away after a sudden and aggressive...
07/04/2025

Our hearts are heavy as we share the news that one of our beloved K9s recently passed away after a sudden and aggressive tumor. Harley was more than a teammate — he was family. Harley showed incredible promise, heart, and dedication to the life-saving mission of our volunteer search and rescue team.

As a 100% volunteer organization, we rely on community support. The unexpected veterinary costs from this heartbreaking loss have placed a financial strain on our handler, and we are asking for your help.

If you are able, please consider making a donation to help us cover the veterinary expenses and continue our K9 training program. Your support means the world — not just to us, but to every future life amazing dogs like Harley may help save.

Thank you for standing with us.

Congratulations to NFSAR Second VP/Training Officer Jack Wellington on his completion of basic training as an Assistant ...
05/28/2025

Congratulations to NFSAR Second VP/Training Officer Jack Wellington on his completion of basic training as an Assistant Forest Ranger.

AFRs are seasonal, full-time DEC employees who work to preserve, protect, and enhance natural resources on State lands.

Great work Jack!

Get outdoors! It’s beneficial to your health, and fun!
05/02/2025

Get outdoors! It’s beneficial to your health, and fun!

05/02/2025

We have a highly capable team of volunteer professionals that bring training, equipment, and technical expertise to effectively confront life-and-death wilderness search situations.

We work in all weather, all year, and don’t stop because it gets dark!

NFSAR was requested by the Erie County Sheriff's Office to search a wooded area. Team members located the missing subjec...
05/01/2025

NFSAR was requested by the Erie County Sheriff's Office to search a wooded area. Team members located the missing subject 38 minutes after entering the woods.

NFSAR is available day and night in all seasons to assist public safety authorities with trained searchers, K9s, and technical rescue capabilities.

05/01/2025
A few scenes from our annual weekend training at Allegany State Park. We set up multiple mock searches and scenarios to ...
04/28/2025

A few scenes from our annual weekend training at Allegany State Park. We set up multiple mock searches and scenarios to hone our skills over rough miles and variable conditions.

We're happy to send assistance in support of this effort, as part of a coordinated storm response.
03/05/2025

We're happy to send assistance in support of this effort, as part of a coordinated storm response.

Home More News Oswego County SAR Secures Snow Removal Help from State Teams Oswego County SAR Secures Snow Removal Help from State Teams March 4, 2025 Oswego County Search and Rescue (OCSAR) has secured help through the New York State Federation of Search and Rescue (NYS FEDSAR) to assist people s...

02/11/2025

Did you know that missing/lost person searches are categorized in three types? They are:

1. Type I - the "Hasty Search," implemented when a first or second-party caller requests assistance and is on a known trail system or other place that is easily accessible to rescuers rapidly walking in pairs.

2. Type II - often off-trail, along a designated search area, geographic feature, or heavily wooded area, where the subject is presumed to be able to answer calls and may be expanded or contracted based upon undergrowth, terrain, or snow cover. In a Type II search, search crews deploy to assigned areas and spread out as far as they can, conditions permitting.

3. Type III - the Grid Search, methodical and slow, providing maximum probability of detection of a missing search subject, evidence, or sign of human activity. These searches involve significant planning and management, using an Incident Command System led by law enforcement. Typically, we conduct these searches on State forest land along with NYS Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Rangers.

NFSAR members are trained and equipped to conduct each of these searches, in all weather and in all seasons, day or night. We can supply teams, assistance with search management, crew leaders to supervise spontaneous volunteers, technical rescue capability, and K9 operations, as required by the authority having jurisdiction over a search operation.

We have searched for and located subjects, living and dead, in a variety of environments ranging from the Adirondacks and Allegany State Park, to suburban/wildland interface, to urban areas by special request.

Any law enforcement agency can request our services by contacting Erie County Emergency Services Communications (MERS). For more information, email: president@nfsar.org

01/30/2025

There's a trained and experienced wilderness Search and Rescue team in Western New York, with connections to a statewide network of teams to provide additional support.

NFSAR continues to be available 24/7, year round, in all weather and at all times. We are available to any public safety entity by requesting us via contact with MERS (Erie County Emergency Services Communications).

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