Rocky Talkie Search and Rescue Award
Rocky Talkie is giving a total of $75,000 to SAR teams in 2024 through their annual Search & Rescue Awards. The goal of these awards is to support underfunded teams and drive greater awareness of the incredible contributions that volunteer SAR members make to our mountain communities.
The 2024 SAR Award Winners
Featured Rescue:
Black Canyon of the Gunnison Search and Rescue Team, Colorado
The Great White Wall
When a climber sustained life threatening injuries on the wall, the Black Canyon SAR Team raced against time to save her life.
Black Canyon of the Gunnison SAR received $25,000 and will be using their grant over two years for team training, instructional seminars, gear for members, and safety messaging in the park to help prevent future accidents.
2024 Needs Based Grants Recipients:
Baker County Search and Rescue, Oregon
Calaveras County Search and Rescue, California
Powell County Search and Rescue, Kentucky
San Gorgonio Search and Rescue, California
Spokane County Search and Rescue, Washington
SAR Awards—Need Based Grants
Five teams will receive $10,000 each
Need Based Grants will be given to underfunded SAR teams to help them acquire critical equipment or fund important projects for their operations. This year, 5 teams will be selected to receive a $10,000 grant. Applicants for Need Based Grants are asked to submit a brief description of a specific funding need their team has in 2024.
SAR Awards—Featured Rescue of the Year
One team will receive $25,000 in funding
One team will be selected for the Featured Rescue of the Year based on a 2023 volunteer-led rescue operation. This team will receive $25,000 in funding and a video created by renowned filmmaker and climber, Jon Glassberg. The intention of this video is to shed light on the incredible service that volunteer SAR teams provide to adventurers in need. We believe that this awareness is the first critical step towards increasing the support of SAR teams and ultimately the safety of everyone who recreates in the mountains.
Watch a featured video from the 2023 award below:
Applicants for Featured Rescue of the Year are asked to submit a brief description of a rescue operation from 2023 which illustrates the team’s skill level, passion, and dedication. The award video will be shared widely and the featured mission highlighted in the AAC’s 2023 edition of Accidents in North American Climbing. The selected team will also have the opportunity to be featured in an AAC Podcast episode telling their story, listen to an episode from last year here.
Timeline
Applications will be accepted from September 22nd, 2023 until 11:59 PM on January 31st, 2024. The six winners will then be selected by a small group of SAR professionals, members from the American Alpine Club and the Rocky Talkie team. Winners will be contacted in February 2024.
If selected for the Featured Rescue of the Year, we estimate that approximately 2-3 days of filming with team members involved in the mission will be conducted in March or April 2024. The film will be publicized to the community in July 2024.
Eligibility
Any Search and Rescue team that is registered in the United States or Canada as a non-profit. The submitted rescue for Featured Rescue of the Year must have occurred in the 2023 calendar year and volunteer SAR members must have participated. Applications for Need Based Grants must be for projects in the 2024 calendar year.
2023 Recipients
Chelan County Mountain Rescue
Portland Mountain Rescue
Inyo County Search & Rescue