FCSAR Association

A non-profit, volunteer, multi-disciplined Search and Rescue organization proudly serving NW Montana for over 50 years.

The general purpose and plan of this Association shall be to aid and assist in the saving of life and the preservation of property in Flathead County, Montana, and elsewhere; to lend the services of the Association to all persons in situations dangerous to life, limb, or property; train and equip search and rescue teams, and to assist the Sheriff or Flathead County and the Chiefs of Police of the cities of Kalispell, Whitefish, and Columbia Falls, Montana, whenever emergencies arise.

Flathead County Search and Rescue's objective is to provide a rapid response unit to both urban and back country search and rescue missions. The team trains regularly to be proficient with ATV's, boats, snowmobiles,  patient packaging and back country travel, (summer/winter). FCSAR also can assist with/support avalanche rescue, drowning and river/lake operations as well as in an urban environment to assist with missing persons, evacuation and disaster response. In addition, FCSAR supports four specialty teams; Man-tracking, K-9, Equine and the Mountain Rescue Team.

FCSAR consists of 36 volunteer members from across the Flathead Valley. Training typically occurs twice a month; the second Thursday of each month along with one Saturday.  FCSAR is under the jurisdiction and is dispatched by the Flathead County Sheriff's Department. The Team is on-call 24 hours a day 365 days a year. Members are trained, equipped and are self sufficient for a 24 hour operational period without resupply and all members are required to be current in Basic First Aid and CPR although the majority of our members maintain EMT-FR, W-FR, EMT, OEC, RN and Paramedic licenses.

Our response times from the time of dispatch to a meet location average between 30-60 minutes. FCSAR's jurisdiction is the Western half of Flathead County ranging from Whitefish, South to Lake County and West to Lincoln County. FCSAR is also available to respond to any other area the Flathead County Sheriff's Office dispatches us to, to facilitate in mutual aid requests.

FCSAR office located at: 525 Three Mile Drive - Kalispell, MT 59901