Becoming a Member of RMRG
Overview
If you are interested in becoming a member of the Rocky Mountain Rescue Group, you have come to the right page. We are excited that you are considering giving back to the Boulder County community as a member of our team.
RMRG will have an upcoming training class in Fall 2025.
Applications are due by August 1st, 2025 by 5PM MST.
PROGRAM requirements
To be considered for this program, you will be asked to do the following:
Agree to a criminal background check, for which you will be required to pay a small fee.
Show a willingness and ability to devote the time to both the training process to become a member and then ongoing time for training and SAR calls once you are a member. SAR missions often require interrupting what you are doing (work, family, etc) and responding to unscheduled events at odd times including work hours, nights, weekends, and holidays. With RMRG’s 70+ members responding to 150 SAR calls a year, membership is a significant time commitment that should not be underestimated.
Commit to several required events:
Before the PTP, attend one of the two Intro to RMRG Lectures (July 22nd and 24th, 2025)
Attend all 4 days of the PTP Weekends (October 25-26, November 8-9, 2025)
After the PTP, attend a minimum of 4 Meetings and 4 Practices per calendar quarter on an ongoing basis, with additional trainings expected.
How to apply
Submit an application for Prospective Membership by 5PM MST on August 1st, 2025
Application LINK HERE
You must attend one of the two in person “Intro to RMRG” lectures (the lectures are identical) on the following dates at the Meadows Library Meeting Room (4800 Baseline Rd).
July 22nd, 2025, 5:30-6:30pm
July 24th, 2025, 5:30-6:30pm
AFTER YOU APPLY
After the application period is over, a committee of members will review all applications and select candidates to interview. Interviews with candidates will be scheduled around the end of August.
After the interviews, the committee will make a final selection of prospective members to admit into the training class by early September 2025.
prospective training program (PTP) Weekends
If you are invited to join the prospective training program, you will need to:
Fully attend both PTP weekends which are designed to provide you with a basic knowledge of mountain search and rescue:
October 25-26, 2025
November 8-9, 2025
Pass a knot test at the beginning of the first weekend:
Knots include: Bowline, figure 8, water knot, double sheetbend, double fisherman’s, munter hitch, prussik, alpine butterfly, and clove hitch.
Pass a deeper knot test at the end of the second weekend applying these knots in a rescue context.
RESCUE TRAINING
After the PTP weekends, you will be assigned mentors and start attending team-wide Wednesday night meetings and Sunday morning field practices. Going to as many meetings and practices as you can provides you with the background and skills to move towards full membership and gives members the opportunity to get to know you. Prospective members must maintain a minimum attendance of 4 field practices and 4 meetings in every calendar quarter in order to continue in the program.
Your mentors will also arrange additional focused trainings, which will give you the opportunity to practice and perfect required skills, and get additional hands-on time with team gear.
Member Application & Vote
It typically takes prospective members 12 to 18 months of regular attendance at meetings and practices before being ready to submit a membership application. Election to membership is determined by a majority vote of active members assessing your technical competency along with many other non-technical factors. Completion of the PTP and search and rescue training is not a guarantee of election to membership. Once you are elected, you will participate as a fully contributing member of the team on mountain search and rescue missions.
who is a “QUALIFIED” candidate?
Many wonder what it takes to get on the team. The skills on our team range from basic hiking experience to world-class free-climbing and aid climbing experience, and everything in between. While most of our members carry a basic first aid and CPR card (the minimum entry requirement), we have WFRs, EMTs, paramedics, nurses, PAs, and emergency physicians. Areas of employment range from undergrad students to engineers, entrepreneurs to sheriff's officers, carpenters to consultants. There is no one skillset or experience level that defines our group; the most important qualities in a rescuer are intelligence, humility, character, love of the outdoors and a desire to help others as part of a team.