CORSAR Card
As a member of this group, chances are that you enjoy being in remote areas far away from the resources of the city. When stepping into the backcountry, it is important to remember that if something were to happen, the local search and rescue department is your best chance at getting out and to definitive care. As an EMT in the foothills, I see even the most prepared people get into trouble which requires them to ask for our help.
Did you know that Colorado has a program called the Colorado Outdoor Recreation Search and Rescue Card (CORSAR) that helps out your local Search and Rescue, Sheriffs Departments, Emergency Medical Services, and Fire Department should you need help in the backcountry? Buying a COSAR Card helps ensure that the appropriate services are able to respond to your emergency: it helps financially maintain their readiness to respond when your emergency call comes in.
The CORSAR card is not insurance, but rather a way we can contribute to the teams who are willing to go in to get you out. Through SAR Fund grants, SAR teams receive equipment, such as radios or ropes, and send team members to special SAR training courses. The fund will also pay for team or volunteers’ equipment that is damaged during SAR missions
If someone does not have a CORSAR Card the county or its search and rescue team bears the expenses that might be incurred in a search or rescue. If a financially-strapped county or SAR team accrues previous un-reimbursed extraordinary costs, it may be difficult for them to properly respond to your emergency.
The Colorado SAR Fund is a state-administered reserve pool of money that can reimburse a county sheriff or a search and rescue agency for expenses they might incur in search and rescue missions: damaged or destroyed SAR team and personal equipment, helicopter time, food for searchers, fuel and the like. Search and rescue teams are the usual recipients of SAR Fund money. Just as importantly, it provides tens of thousands of dollars in grants for training and equipment to Colorado’s search and rescue teams
The CORSAR Card is available to purchase through the state website: https://dola.colorado.gov/sar/cardPurchase.jsf
The CORSAR Card is available in 1 and 5 year memberships. The 1 year has a cost of $3 and the 5 year has a cost of $12.
As members of the Overland Community, it is our responsibility to support all of the organizations who make it possible to go out and enjoy the outdoors. Purchasing a CORSAR Card contributes to your safety as you navigate the outdoors.