Teams That Play Together, Stay Together

Members of our leadership team having fun in Alaska
photo credit: Bill Parker

I thought it might be nice to take a moment before the rush of the holiday season and upcoming busy winter training schedule to shed a little light on a side of SAR that we don't always talk about in blogs, updates and training summaries, and that is the amazing sense of camaraderie that grows from working with a group of such capable and reliable folks.

Semi-Colin and Ben on a Thanksgiving trip to Red Rocks
photo credit: Callie Hintzen

Companies and organizations who want to build camaraderie among their staff can hire outside professionals to come in and provide bonding exercises likes trust falls, ropes courses and nature hikes.  For a few hours or maybe a weekend, staff get to play together to develop trust, respect, loyalty and communication skills.  As SAR team members, we get to experience this kind of team building a minimum of one weekend a month.  We rely on one another to hold our weight over a 1,200 foot cliff with a litter and a patient.  We count on each other to get to a search and back safely in the middle of night.  We also go through some pretty stressful situations together and support each other through the aftermath.  

Enjoying the view photo credit: John Chang

The result is not only a cohesive team that can work together effectively and seamlessly during a call out or an emergency situation, but also a network of about 50 or so like-minded new friends to hang out with and go on adventures with.  In fact, we even had to start a separate mailing list for social events due to the high volume of invites, evites and outdoor trip planning.

Eszter, Chris and Abi laughing on a Sierra Club snow camping trip
photo credit: Emilie Cortes

This sense of camaraderie extends well beyond our own team as well and reaches into the entire SAR community. We are all sort of held together by this common mission and common goal.

Of course working in stressful situations with many people who tend be leaders rather than followers, it isn't always just warm and fuzzy.  There are difficulties encountered, lots of debriefing, logistics that need improving and there is always room for growth and improvement.  But reflecting back on the year, it is safe to say that despite any hiccups or logistical glitches, we are constantly working on ways to be better and to remember why it is we're doing this; someone is missing, and they need our help.

Happy December everyone, it's been a great year, here's to making 2013 even better!      

Tyler and Woody on a climbing trip in Yosemite
photo credit: Tyler Phelan