The MRA Annual SAR Exercise 2025 will be held June 13 through through June 15. This year’s event will be hosted by the Marin County SAR team and will be held at NatureBridge Golden Gate, located in the scenic headlands of Marin County.
The annual MRA SAR Exercise aims to advance the field of search and rescue through education, innovation and collaboration and provides an opportunity for attendees to learn and share new search and rescue techniques. Attendees will also have the opportunity to share best practices based on real-life experiences and network with other professionals in the field.
“We couldn’t be more excited about hosting this year’s MRA event” said Michael St. John, Unit Leader of Marin County’s Search and Rescue team. “The Marin headlands, with its vast open space, is the perfect venue for an event such as this and we’re very excited to showcase this beautiful corner of California. He added, “We’ll be offering a wide range of classes covering virtually every topic in the field of search and rescue. Many of our instructors are leading national experts and thought leaders in the industry, making this a can’t miss event for everyone involved in SAR.”
For those interested, the event will unofficially kick off on Thursday, June 12 with a series of specialized pre-event classes. Topics will range from Family Liaison training to a series of technical rope-oriented classes to a one-day class covering initial actions in search management, among others. The conference officially begins on June 13 and will feature a keynote address by guest speaker Katjarina “Katja” Hurt. Hurt, who serves as a member of the Seattle Mountain Rescue Resilience Team, will be giving an overview of “Breaking the Halo,” her highly requested leadership and risk management tool that extends beyond outdoor recreation.
The three-day conference will offer a variety of classes, lectures and panel discussions in key SAR categories, including: Technical Rope Rescue; Search Management; Team Dynamics and Resilience; Aviation in SAR; Medical Issues in SAR; Technology in SAR; Animal Rescue; K9’s in SAR and more.
In addition to the workshops and lectures, the conference will provide an opportunity for attendees to participate in a variety of live field exercises, with emphasis in the areas of technical rope rescue and aviation rescue operations.
An exhibition area will showcase leading SAR gear manufacturers including Arcteryx, Black Diamond, CalTopo, Harken, Garmin, Rocky Talkie, and others, who will have an opportunity to showcase their latest products and technologies. The MRA is grateful to Direct Relief and JP Morgan Chase for sponsoring the conference.
For more information on pricing, lodging and location along with a list of specific classes and instructors, please be sure to visit the MRA website at www.mraconference2025.org