Spring SAR Symposium 2026
Embedded Files
Welcome to the Symposium
Welcome to the Symposium
📅 Dates: Saturday, May 16 – Sunday, May 17, 2026 with a pre-event, full-day class on Stress Resilience on Friday, May 15
📍 Location: UAA Allied Health Sciences Building, 3500 Seawolf Drive, Anchorage, Alaska
⏳ Time: Doors open 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
The Spring SAR Symposium is a hands-on training and networking event for Search and Rescue (SAR) volunteers. This event is designed to refresh SAR skills, learn from case studies, and strengthen collaboration among teams. Keep scrolling to see the resources and offerings from the 2025 event!
Feedback Surveys
Feedback Surveys
Most useful improvements come from hearing from attendees while the event is still fresh. Please take 2–3 minutes to complete the survey for each day you attended. Your input helps us choose future speakers, session topics, and hands-on training.
What to Expect
What to Expect
✅ Skill Workshops
✅ Case Studies & Panel Discussions
✅ Networking & Collaboration
✅ Field Training Exercises
Who Should Attend?
Who Should Attend?
This symposium is open to SAR volunteers, first responders, partner agencies, and team members looking to improve their search and rescue skills and build stronger working relationships across Alaska’s SAR community.
Pre-Symposium Offering
Pre-Symposium Offering
We are excited to announce a FULL-DAY training provided by Responder Alliance on Friday, May 15, 8am - 5pm.
☀️AM Sessions (8am to noon): Best for all search and rescue members. This session will teach you the Stress Continuum model, with tools for recognizing stress impact, improving team communication, and developing long-term stress resilience.
🌑PM Sessions (1pm to 5pm): Recommended for resilience teams, peer support, and organization leadership. This session provides tools for recognition of Potentially Traumatic Events, then guides responders though a science-based structure for addressing individual needs after high-risk incidents. It will also teach the framework for developing a culture of health and stress resilience.
Virtual Attendance
Virtual Attendance
Want to attend but can't come in person? We are expanding our virtual version of the event to include breakout sessions as well as general sessions! Keep scrolling to find links to each session.
Spring SAR Symposium Agenda 2026.pdfAgenda
Agenda
Saturday, May 16
Saturday, May 16
8:00 AM – Registration & Coffee
GENERAL SESSIONS: CLICK HERE TO JOIN VIRTUALLY!
9:00 AM – Welcome Message
9:15 AM – Icebreakers
9:45 AM – Keynote Speaker: Managing Risk Under Pressure by Joe Stock
11:00 AM – What ASARA and AIMT Can Do For You
11:30 AM – Red Cross Resources
🍽️ 12:00 PM – Lunch Break (On Your Own)
1:00 PM – SAR Teams Discussion Panel
2:30 PM – Breakout Sessions:
Case Studies [Click here to join this breakout session]
Behind the Scenes of Running a SAR Team [Click here to join this breakout session]
Stress Resilience [Click here to join this breakout session]
Rigging Systems for Rescue [sorry, no virtual option for this session]
4:30 PM – Wrap Up [CLICK HERE TO JOIN VIRTUALLY!]
Sunday, May 17
Sunday, May 17
8:00 AM – Coffee & Networking
GENERAL SESSIONS: CLICK HERE TO JOIN VIRTUALLY!
9:00 AM – FirstNet Integrations and Cell Phone Forensics: Lessons Learned
10:45 AM – SAR Partners Discussion Panel
🍽️ 12:00 PM – Lunch Break: Patient Packaging and Transport Obstacle Course (Bring Your Own Lunch) [sorry, no virtual option for this session]
1:00 PM – Radio Operations and Troubleshooting
1:45 PM – When We Find Them: The Role of the Medical Examiner
2:45 PM – Breakout Sessions:
Case Studies [Click here to join this breakout session]
The Role of the Family Liaison [Click here to join this breakout session]
Remote Uses of CalTopo + Meshtastic [Click here to join this breakout session]
4:45 PM – Closing [CLICK HERE TO JOIN VIRTUALLY!]
📌 Registration & More Information: https://forms.office.com/r/JAKDmmaHwk
For questions, please contact Manch Garhart (mgarhart@aimt-sar.org) or Shelby Carlson (stersteeg@aimt-sar.org).
Spring SAR Symposium 2025
Spring SAR Symposium 2025
📄Last Year's Agenda
📄Last Year's Agenda
🎥Recordings
🎥Recordings
Missed the event? Weren't able to attend all the sessions? Just want to rewatch a *really* good session? Check out the recordings below for any session that occurred in the auditorium.
Day 1 - Part 1
Day 1 - Part 1
Welcome | Team Introductions | Rescue Coordination Center
Day 1 - Part 2
Day 1 - Part 2
Case Study Panel | Solving Common Communication Challenges | Closing
Day 2 - Part 1
Day 2 - Part 1
Early Activation & Standby Best Practice | Paul Burke
Psychological First Responder Resilience | Dr. Jenn Dow
Day 2 - Part 2
Day 2 - Part 2
Structured Discussions on SAR Challenges & Innovations | Refining Decision-Making for Incident Commanders
Day 2 - Part 3
Day 2 - Part 3
Refining Decision-Making for Incident Commanders | Closing
📥 Resources
📥 Resources
Check out featured resources, slide decks, recordings, and more!
Slide Decks: Day One
Slide Decks: Day One
Rescue Coordination Center Slide Deck.pdfRescue Coordination Center
K9 Integration with Ground Teams Slide Deck.pdfK9 Integration with Ground Searchers
CalTopo for Field Users.pptxCalTopo Field Team Operations
Solving Common Communication Challenges Slide Deck.pdfSolving Common Communication Challenges in Search and Rescue
Slide Decks: Day Two
Slide Decks: Day Two
Early Activation & Standby Best Practices Slide Deck.pdfEarly Activation & Standby Best Practices
CalTopo for ICP & Base Slide Deck.pdfCalTopo Base Operations
Refining SAR Decision-Making for IC Slide Deck.pdfRefining Decision-Making for Incident Commanders
Structured Discussions on SAR Challenges & Innovations
Structured Discussions on SAR Challenges & Innovations
Breakout Takeaways D.pdfBreakout Takeaways B.pdfBreakout Takeaways C.pdfBreakout Takeaways A.pdfCalTopo Handouts
CalTopo Handouts
AK Caltopo - Expectations and Suggestions for using Caltopo.pdfAK Caltopo - Guide - Summary of Field Team Naming Convention for SAR.pdfAK Caltopo - Guide - Viewing a mission map, updated.pdfAK Caltopo - Guide - Mission Map step by step guide, Admin and Manager, updated.pdfAK Caltopo "Base" Checklist.pdfCalTopo Orienteering Course
CalTopo Orienteering Course
Blue Course Map.pdfBlue Course
Blue Course
Red Course Map.pdfRed Course
Red Course
0N0AP.pdf7KCQD.pdfBVM4F.pdfPG0AE.pdf📌 More Information:
📌 More Information:
For questions, please contact Manch Garhart (mgarhart@aimt-sar.org) or Shelby Carlson (stersteeg@aimt-sar.org).
If you're interested in future trainings or SAR symposiums, fill out this form!
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