BC Search and Rescue Association
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersSidney, Canada
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
BC Search and Rescue Association firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- BC Search and Rescue Association
- Legal name
- BC Search and Rescue Association
- Website
- https://bcsara.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
BC Search and Rescue Association industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Search and Rescue Services
- NAICS
- Emergency and Other Relief Services (62423), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Emergency Response & Search-and-Rescue (SAR) (BPAGAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Search & Rescue (Urban/Water/Wilderness) Coordination (HLAJAGAJ), Search & Rescue (SAR) & Technical Rescue Training (EDAOAMAI)
Keywords
Where BC Search and Rescue Association is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sidney
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
BC Search and Rescue Association business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Donations: The organization accepts donations from the public through various channels including direct mail, online platforms, cryptocurrency, and endowment funds through Victoria Foundation and Vancouver Foundation
- Government Funding: BCSARA receives provincial government funding to support 78 GSAR groups with training, equipment, and operational costs. In 2019, the largest single funding grant was announced for 80 recognized groups.
- BC Gaming Grants: BC Gaming grants support SAR group infrastructure, equipment purchases, and operational needs
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
BC Search and Rescue Association product offering
Product offeringCore offering
BCSARA represents 78 ground search and rescue (GSAR) groups across British Columbia and coordinates free 24/7 volunteer-led search and rescue services delivered by 3,200+ trained unpaid volunteers. The organization also delivers the BC AdventureSmart outdoor safety education and prevention program, supporting volunteer groups with training, equipment funding, and mental health (CISM) services.
Product overview
The BC Search and Rescue Association operates a portfolio of volunteer emergency services and public safety programs. The core offering is Ground Search and Rescue (GSAR) provided by 78 volunteer groups with 3,200 trained volunteers responding to approximately 1,960 incidents annually. BCSARA's primary prevention product is the BC AdventureSmart program, which delivers outdoor safety education through multiple sub-programs including Survive Outside, Hug a Tree and Survive, and Snow Safety Education. Supporting services include a Trip Plan mobile app, the Adventure Hub online resource database, expert webinar series, a podcast (Good Chats), mental health support through CISM, volunteer recognition programs, and merchandise sales. The organization does not offer a commercial software product but provides free public safety tools and educational resources.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- BC AdventureSmart: Outdoor safety education and prevention program created by BCSARA to help reduce the number and severity of SAR incidents. Programs include Survive Outside, Snow Safety Education, and Hug a Tree and Survive.
- John MacGregor Memorial Award
Products and services
- Ground Search and Rescue (GSAR) Services Volunteer-led ground search and rescue operations across British Columbia, provided 24 hours a day, 365 days a year by 3,200 unpaid professional volunteers organized into 78 GSAR groups covering the entire province.
- BC AdventureSmart Program Provincial outdoor safety education and prevention program teaching the Three Ts (Trip Plan, Train, Take the Essentials) to reduce the number and severity of SAR incidents among outdoor recreationists in British Columbia.
- AdventureSmart Trip Plan App Free mobile application that allows outdoor users to share their trip route and expected return time with emergency contacts for improved outdoor safety.
- Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Mental health support service for SAR volunteers and their family members to manage the psychological impact of search and rescue operations.
- Expert Webinar Series Online educational webinars featuring field experts covering seasonal outdoor safety topics, SAR prevention, and preparedness for outdoor enthusiasts.
- Good Chats Podcast Podcast series discussing outdoor safety, SAR topics, and wilderness preparedness for the BC outdoor community.
- Adventure Hub Free online custom database platform for outdoor enthusiasts in British Columbia to explore new recreation opportunities and access safety information.
- John MacGregor Memorial Award Annual award program established in 2021 that recognizes exceptional actions during emergency response and outstanding commitment to safety within the BC SAR community.
- BCSARA Merchandise Store Online retail store selling BCSARA-branded apparel and accessories to support fundraising and awareness.
Quantifiable outcome
- 95% of subjects found or rescued within first 24 hours of activation
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use BC Search and Rescue Association
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
BC Search and Rescue Association technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
BC Search and Rescue Association partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- North Shore RescuecorePartner in the Know Before You SNOW winter safety campaign. North Shore Rescue provides expertise on winter response realities and reinforces winter preparedness messaging.
- Avalanche CanadacorePartner in the Know Before You SNOW winter safety campaign, providing avalanche safety expertise and promoting backcountry safety awareness.
- Grouse Mountain, Mt. Seymour, Cypress MountaincoreSki area partners amplifying the Alpine Responsibility Code and promoting safety messages about in-bounds vs. out-of-bounds terrain.
- Metro Vancouver and BC ParkscoreLand managers promoting advisories, closures, and regional winter travel tips as part of the Know Before You SNOW campaign.
- Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH)minorAmplifying winter safety messages across healthcare channels as part of the Know Before You SNOW campaign.
- West Vancouver Schools and North Vancouver School DistrictminorPromoting Snow Safety Education to students through school districts as part of the Know Before You SNOW campaign.
- North Shore Tourism AssociationminorAmplifying winter safety messages across tourism channels as part of the Know Before You SNOW campaign.
- Emergency Management BC (EMBC)coreEMBC is a key provincial government partner that works with BCSARA on funding, training standards, operational coordination, and the Alternative Support Model for SAR. BCSARA and EMBC jointly fund initiatives including first aid training, rope rescue programs, and swiftwater rescue standards.
- Victoria FoundationminorAccepts donations on behalf of BCSARA through endowment funds, including the John MacGregor Memorial Award Fund.
- Vancouver FoundationminorAccepts donations through endowment funds to provide lasting legacy for BC search and rescue community.
- CanadaHelpsminorOnline donation platform partner that processes credit card donations and cryptocurrency contributions for BCSARA. Tax receipts issued through CanadaHelps.
- Justice Institute of BC (JIBC)coreTraining partner providing rope rescue and swiftwater rescue instruction and curriculum development for BC SAR volunteers.
- RCMP and Municipal PolicecoreRequesting agencies for SAR activations. BCSARA works with police services as the primary agencies responsible for lost and missing persons.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
BC Search and Rescue Association competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Alberta Search and Rescue Association: Provincial counterpart to BCSARA representing volunteer ground search and rescue groups in Alberta. Directly comparable as a non-profit society that advocates for SAR volunteers, distributes government and gaming grants, and runs public safety education programs within its province.
- AdventureSmart (National): National outdoor safety education program that originated as BC AdventureSmart (a BCSARA initiative launched in 2004 and expanded nationally in 2009). Directly comparable as a prevention and public education offering, though now operating at national scale beyond BCSARA's direct governance.
- Search and Rescue Volunteer Association of Canada (SARVAC): National umbrella association representing volunteer SAR organizations across Canada. SARVAC is the most direct peer to BCSARA — both advocate for unpaid volunteer SAR groups, coordinate with government on funding and training standards, and deliver prevention programming, but at the national level rather than provincial.
- Ontario Search and Rescue Association: Provincial volunteer SAR association in Ontario serving a similar advocacy, funding-distribution, and prevention-education role for its member groups. Comparable in mission, structure, and reliance on provincial government and gaming funding.
Emerging players
- North Shore Rescue: One of the 78 GSAR groups represented by BCSARA and a strategic partner on the Know Before You SNOW campaign. Comparable as a volunteer ground SAR team in BC delivering technical rescue (including winter/avalanche response), though at the group level rather than the provincial coordinating body.
- Avalanche Canada: National non-profit delivering avalanche safety forecasting, education, and public warnings — a closely related outdoor safety mission that overlaps with BCSARA's Snow Safety Education program and partners on the Know Before You SNOW campaign. Comparable in volunteer/non-profit structure and grant-dependent funding model.
Others
- National Search and Rescue Secretariat (NSS): Federal government body that funds SAR volunteer initiatives via the New Initiatives Fund (NIF), which has historically supported BCSARA's swiftwater rescue standards and rope rescue programs. Comparable as a funder/regulator rather than a direct competitor.
Broad incumbents
- St. John Ambulance: National volunteer-based charitable organization providing first-aid training, emergency response, and community safety services. Comparable as a volunteer-led public safety non-profit with training programs and government/foundation funding, though its mandate is broader and operates across multiple provinces.
- Canadian Red Cross: Large national humanitarian organization that delivers emergency response, disaster relief, and first-aid training across Canada. Comparable in its volunteer-driven emergency services and donation/grants funding model, but operates at far greater scale and across a much broader portfolio than BCSARA's focused SAR mandate.
Regional players
- BC Adventure Centre / Outdoor Recreation Council of BC: BC-based non-profit coalition representing outdoor recreation user groups, with overlapping public-safety and outdoor education mission. Comparable as a regional non-profit working on outdoor recreation policy and education in BC, though focused on recreation access rather than emergency response.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
BC Search and Rescue Association social profiles
Digital presenceBC Search and Rescue Association financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
BC Search and Rescue Association leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
BC Search and Rescue Association funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
BC Search and Rescue Association M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about BC Search and Rescue Association
What does BC Search and Rescue Association do?
BCSARA represents 78 ground search and rescue (GSAR) groups across British Columbia and coordinates free 24/7 volunteer-led search and rescue services delivered by 3,200+ trained unpaid volunteers. The organization also delivers the BC AdventureSmart outdoor safety education and prevention program, supporting volunteer groups with training, equipment funding, and mental health (CISM) services.
Is BC Search and Rescue Association a public or private company?
BC Search and Rescue Association is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was BC Search and Rescue Association founded?
BC Search and Rescue Association was founded in 2002. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is BC Search and Rescue Association based?
BC Search and Rescue Association is headquartered in Sidney, Canada, in the North America region.
How does BC Search and Rescue Association make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations are the primary driver. The others are government Funding and BC Gaming Grants.
Who are BC Search and Rescue Association's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Alberta Search and Rescue Association, AdventureSmart (National), Search and Rescue Volunteer Association of Canada (SARVAC) and Ontario Search and Rescue Association. Emerging players are North Shore Rescue and Avalanche Canada. National Search and Rescue Secretariat (NSS) is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are St. John Ambulance and Canadian Red Cross. BC Adventure Centre / Outdoor Recreation Council of BC is listed as a regional player.
Does BC Search and Rescue Association have an API?
No public API is recorded for BC Search and Rescue Association.
What industry is BC Search and Rescue Association in?
BC Search and Rescue Association's product category is Search and Rescue Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAAAA, Emergency Response & Search-and-Rescue (SAR), with a secondary code of HLAJAGAJ, Search & Rescue (Urban/Water/Wilderness) Coordination. Its NAICS code is 62423 and its SIC code is 8300.