Mountain Rescue Association
Encyclopedia
In the United States, mountain rescue is handled by professional teams within some national parks and by volunteer teams elsewhere. Volunteer teams are part of the Mountain Rescue Association (MRA) and operate under the authority of the local sheriff's department.
Under the National Incident Management System
, mountain rescue unit qualifications are standardized.
Occasionally there are editorials or legislative bills suggesting that climbers should be charged for rescues, particularly after a sensational high-profile rescue. The American Alpine Club
has released a report explaining the facts behind the costs of a rescue and the potential problems resulting from charging for rescues. The MRA has issued a similar statement.
, Grand Teton National Park
, and Mount Rainier National Park
.
groups. It was founded in 1959 at Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood
. The first of these groups was Seattle Mountain Rescue
(originally called the Mountain Rescue Council), founded in 1948. The teams will also assist on missions out-of-county or in a national park when requested. Occasionally, military assets are used on missions, such as helicopter search or extraction or advanced electronics detection. These services are available free of charge and without extra cost to the taxpayer as a part of the MAST program and serve as part of routine training for the military.
Under the National Incident Management System
National Incident Management System
The National Incident Management System is emergency management doctrine used nationwide to coordinate emergency preparedness and incident management and response among the public and private sectors.NIMS is a comprehensive, national approach to incident management that is applicable at all...
, mountain rescue unit qualifications are standardized.
Occasionally there are editorials or legislative bills suggesting that climbers should be charged for rescues, particularly after a sensational high-profile rescue. The American Alpine Club
American Alpine Club
The American Alpine Club, or AAC, was founded in 1902 by Charles Ernest Fay, and is the leading national organization in the United States devoted to mountaineering, climbing, and the multitude of issues facing climbers...
has released a report explaining the facts behind the costs of a rescue and the potential problems resulting from charging for rescues. The MRA has issued a similar statement.
Mountain rescue in the National Parks
Parks with professional teams include Denali National Park, Yosemite National ParkYosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park is a United States National Park spanning eastern portions of Tuolumne, Mariposa and Madera counties in east central California, United States. The park covers an area of and reaches across the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain chain...
, Grand Teton National Park
Grand Teton National Park
Grand Teton National Park is a United States National Park located in northwestern Wyoming, U.S. The Park consists of approximately and includes the major peaks of the long Teton Range as well as most of the northern sections of the valley known as Jackson Hole. Only south of Yellowstone...
, and Mount Rainier National Park
Mount Rainier National Park
Mount Rainier National Park is a United States National Park located in southeast Pierce County and northeast Lewis County in Washington state. It was one of the US's earliest National Parks, having been established on March 2, 1899 as the fifth national park in the United States. The park contains...
.
Mountain Rescue Association
The Mountain Rescue Association (MRA) is an American umbrella organization for over eighty volunteer search and rescueSearch and rescue
Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations...
groups. It was founded in 1959 at Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood
Mount Hood
Mount Hood, called Wy'east by the Multnomah tribe, is a stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc of northern Oregon. It was formed by a subduction zone and rests in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States...
. The first of these groups was Seattle Mountain Rescue
Seattle Mountain Rescue
Seattle Mountain Rescue is a volunteer mountain rescue group operating out of King County, Washington. Within the county, is part of the King County Search and Rescue Association...
(originally called the Mountain Rescue Council), founded in 1948. The teams will also assist on missions out-of-county or in a national park when requested. Occasionally, military assets are used on missions, such as helicopter search or extraction or advanced electronics detection. These services are available free of charge and without extra cost to the taxpayer as a part of the MAST program and serve as part of routine training for the military.