NJ State Search & Rescue
Mission Statement
The New Jersey State Search and Rescue Program is committed to safeguarding the public by maintaining a coordinated, professional, and fully capable search and rescue system. We enhance statewide SAR capabilities across all response disciplines by establishing minimum baselines and standards for training, certification, and operational readiness, ensuring alignment with the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and addressing gaps in federal guidance.
As the lead agency for Emergency Support Function 9 (Search and Rescue), we oversee and support New Jersey Task Force One, the State’s Urban Search & Rescue team, land and wilderness SAR resources, wide area search resources, and catastrophic incident response capabilities. Through standardized best practices and strong interagency partnerships, we ensure that search and rescue operations across New Jersey are unified, timely, and effective in locating and assisting individuals in distress.
New Jersey Emergency Support Function 9 (NJESF-9) serves as the statewide coordination framework for Search and Rescue operations during large-scale or catastrophic incidents. Its primary role is to integrate the capabilities, personnel, and assets of multiple agencies into a single, organized response system. By establishing consistent procedures, communication channels, and incident management structures, NJESF-9 ensures that all participating entities operate as one unified SAR force.
Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) is a specialized discipline within the broader field of search and rescue focused on locating, extricating, and providing immediate medical stabilization to victims trapped in natural disasters, structural collapses or other compromised, man-made environments. It combines elements of technical rescue, engineering assessment, medical care, hazardous materials awareness, swift and flood water rescue, and coordinated incident management. The New Jesey State Police, Office of Emergency Management is the Sponsoring Agency for New Jersey Task Force 1 (NJTF-1), the State’s Type 1 Urban Search and Rescue Task Force and supports all the administrative functions for the Task Force. Read more about NJ-TF1 here.
Land Search and Rescue (Land SAR) is the discipline of locating, accessing, medically stabilizing, and evacuating people who are missing, lost, injured, trapped, or otherwise in need of assistance in non-urban, primarily outdoor environments. It is the foundational SAR discipline used in wilderness areas, rural regions, suburban fringe zones, parks, forests, and mixed-terrain environments and includes specialties to include tracking and area search Canine, Ground Search and Mountain Rescue Teams. The State, in partnership with the State Police Public Safety and Security Unit and New Jersey Department of Corrections, maintains a force of trained Land SAR technicians. Numerous local, county and regional partner teams as well as validated professional non-profit teams from the Search and Rescue Council of New Jersey Search and Rescue Council of New Jersey make up the bulk of the State’s Land SAR response capability.
Catastrophic / Wide Area Search Resources: In the event of large-scale disasters such as hurricanes, floods, or other catastrophic events, the State SAR Program and ESF9 ensures the rapid mobilization of SAR resources across the state. These responses may include swift and flood water search and rescue teams, wide area search and rescue teams, and High Wheeled Vehicles. The State, in partnership with NJ-TF1, the State Police Public Safety and Security Unit, and New Jersey Department of Corrections maintains a force of trained Wide Area SAR technicians. These operations may include coordination with federal resources to provide a unified response. Numerous local, county and regional partner teams make up the bulk of the State’s Wide Area SAR response capability.
SAR Mission Data
The embedded ArcGIS dashboard provides an interactive look at Search and Rescue mission activity reported across New Jersey over the past twelve months. This tool displays information contributed by state, county, and local partners, including the type of incident, the county of reporting, and characteristics of missing or endangered individuals such as those with autism, dementia, or other special circumstances. The dashboard helps illustrate mission trends and response patterns statewide, offering the public a clearer understanding of how New Jersey’s SAR resources are utilized to support individuals in need.