Feel Good Friday - TEXSAR (Texas Search and Rescue)

The Mister Rogers quote, “always look for the helpers” is what has inspired today’s post. In response to the recent flooding in Texas, I went on a search for the helpers and found TEXSAR.

Founded in 2004 and headquartered in Austin, Texas Search and Rescue, known as TEXSAR, is one of the largest non-paid search and rescue organizations in the State. Their mission is “to serve our communities and our state by providing requesting agencies with a highly trained, autonomous search and rescue team.”

What began with six volunteers over 20 years ago has now grown into an organization with multiple divisions across the state that deploy hundreds of volunteers into all 254 counties in Texas. See what that looks like in this short video.

The 380 volunteers with TEXSAR include wilderness search and rescue technicians, flood and switftwater technicians, K9 handlers, medical professionals and pilots. The teams deploy when they are requested by the Governor of Texas; state, local and federal agencies; local law enforcement; and relief organizations such as the American Red Cross. TEXSAR has their own equipment and incident management team. They have already deployed crews, boats and K9s to Kerr County to assist with search and rescue operations there.

TEXSAR also has a community support team that helps with disaster preparation and education as well as providing resources following a crisis or disaster. As part of the celebrations of their 20th anniversary, TEXSAR is posting stories highlighting volunteers who are “Texans helping Texans”. You can read them at this link: 20 years, 20 stories.

If you live in Texas and want to support TEXSAR, you can attend their fundraising Search Party in September or become a volunteer. Search and rescue training is provided. The rest of us can shop for merch, make a donation and amplify their work on social media by following TEXSAR on Facebook or LinkedIn and subscribing to their YouTube channel.