Developing people, raising standards, promoting excellence.

A personal message from Mike

I co-founded the Institute with Dave at a time when standards across technical rescue disciplines were not consistent, before the publication of the Concept of Operations and National Occupational Standards. We recognised the need for clear benchmarks for team capability and technical competence, alongside professional recognition of the qualifications and experience of individual practitioners from diverse backgrounds. Developing a system of examinations and introducing professional post-nominals were important steps towards that ambition. Our purpose was to give every rescue practitioner, whether voluntary, statutory, commercial or military, a shared professional home, a common standard to aspire to and recognition that would stay with them throughout their career.

A personal message from David

Mike and I founded the Institute with a clear purpose: to give search and rescue technicians around the world the professional recognition their skills, qualifications and experience deserve. Too often, their achievements were not fully recognised internationally. By providing a pathway to individual professional accreditation, we wanted to give them the same standing and sense of professional identity enjoyed by members of other established professional bodies. Today, I take great pride in the diversity of our membership and the sense of belonging it creates. One member captured this perfectly: “Sitting amongst volunteers, paid responders and military, I feel like I belong to a single organisation.” Seeing networks grow and friendships develop across roles, organisations and borders is immensely rewarding. So too is supporting members who may never have thought of themselves as academics, then watching them gain recognised qualifications and discover what they are capable of achieving. For me, that is at the heart of the Institute: recognising expertise, bringing people together and helping them realise their potential.