In 1956, with the publishing of the first National Search and Rescue Plan, the US Coast Guard was designated the federal Search and Rescue (SAR) Coordinator responsible for search and rescue in the maritime regions, and, likewise, the US Air Force was designated the federal SAR Coordinator responsible for search and rescue in the aeronautical (inland) regions. Since the inception of the Plan, both services have worked closely together developing procedures and techniques which have increased the efficiency of SAR operations.
Since 1966 the US Coast Guard and the US Air Force have jointly operated the National SAR School, redefining programs as the needs of the services have evolved. Each service provided the expertise from its area of responsibility and shared in the burden of instruction across lines of responsibility.
The mission of the school is to provide standardization and professionalism within the search and rescue community.
The Air Force element of the National SAR School provides academic instruction on inland search planning and procedures to SAR professionals from all U.S. military branches, various U.S. government agencies, volunteer SAR organizations, as well as members of the international SAR community. The National SAR School is located at USCG Training Center Yorktown, VA.
