BUSAR

BUSAR is an all-hazards, search and rescue team operating in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

BUSAR is an interagency fitness and training group for Search and Rescue personnel.

08/06/2026

This reel is dedicated to the unsung heroes of Great Smoky Mountains National Park: the Permanent, Seasonal, and Volunteer Preventive Search and Rescue (PSAR) Rangers.

Search and rescue is like a meal. It takes many ingredients to make it happen. But the meat and potatoes are the PSAR Rangers who patrol the park every day, ready to respond the moment someone needs help.

Working alongside Law Enforcement Rangers, park staff, and partner agencies, including Team BUSAR, the past couple of weeks have brought multiple rescues and back-to-back night operations.

While most people were asleep, these PSAR Rangers, after already working a full shift, were still hiking the trails, carrying out rescues into the early hours of the morning.

To our PSAR brothers and sisters: thank you for your dedication, professionalism, and sacrifice. Your work often goes unseen, but it changes lives.

Drop a ❤️ and give PSAR a shout-out in the comments. They deserve to hear it.

07/27/2026

Quarter 2 Impact Report

Every hour invested in missions, pre-deployment, training, and education strengthens our ability to support visitors and assist the National Park Service when we're needed most.

This quarter reflects the dedication of our team, our foundation, our partners, and everyone who supports this mission. Thank you for helping make it possible.

The numbers tell part of the story. Behind every hour is a team preparing before they're needed.

Thank you for your continued support.

07/23/2026

Quarter 2 Impact Report

The National Park Service's Preventive Search and Rescue (PSAR) Rangers are the primary frontline resource assisting visitors throughout Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

BUSAR serves alongside them as a reserve search and rescue team, providing trained personnel to support missions, strengthen operational readiness through pre-deployment, and expand the park's response capability.

During the second quarter of 2026, our members contributed 90.5 mission hours, 161 pre-deployment hours, 312 training hours, donated $2,423 in supplies and training, and helped educate 1,029 people through community outreach and preparedness efforts.

These accomplishments are reflected in our Q2 Impact Report and none of it would be possible without the support of our community.

Thank you to our members, supporters, sponsors, PSAR Rangers, and partner agencies for making this mission possible.

The full Q2 Impact Report is available at teambusar.org/donate

07/17/2026

Strong teams are built through training.

This week BUSAR had the opportunity to train alongside Smokies PSAR Rangers, the Smokies Technical Rescue Team, and Townsend Volunteer Fire Department on the Norwegian reeve highline system for swiftwater rescue. If you'd like to learn more about the system, I've posted a video link in the comments.

These are the skills you hope you never have to use, but when the call comes, the preparation matters. Every evolution builds stronger partnerships, sharper skills, and a safer response for the people who need us most.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to train, teach, and learn together. We all leave better than we arrived.

07/02/2026

🇺🇸 4th of July Weekend Safety Reminder

The most important piece of gear you carry this weekend isn't your boots. It's your water.

If you're heading into the Smokies, expect temperatures in the 90s with high humidity. Even experienced hikers can become dehydrated and overheated faster than they realize.

Before you hit the trail:
- Hydrate before your trip
- Carry more water than you think you'll need and a way to disinfect collected water
- Bring electrolytes, not just water.
- Start early and avoid the hottest part of the afternoon.
- Take plenty of breaks in the shade.
- Keep an eye on children, older adults, and anyone who starts slowing down.
- Traffic will be heavy, so carry water in your vehicle

Watch for the early signs of heat illness:
• Heavy sweating
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Muscle cramps

If someone becomes confused, stops sweating, or loses consciousness, call 911 immediately and cool them off by getting them in the shade, immersing them or wetting their clothes, and fanning them. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are serious medical emergencies.

The mountains will still be there tomorrow. Make smart decisions so your holiday is remembered for the right reasons.

Have a safe and happy Independence Day!

06/09/2026

This weekend, two Team BUSAR members laced up their boots, shouldered their packs, and took part in a 5K ruck benefiting Isaiah 117 House in Blount County.

When children are removed from unsafe situations, they often enter foster care with little more than the clothes they're wearing. Isaiah 117 House provides a safe, welcoming place where children can receive clean clothes, meals, comfort, and care while awaiting placement with a foster family. Their mission is to reduce trauma for children, support child welfare workers, and ease the transition for foster families.

We're proud to support organizations that serve some of the most vulnerable members of our communities.

Service takes many forms. Sometimes it's a search mission. Sometimes it's a training exercise. And sometimes it's simply putting one foot in front of the other for a cause that matters.

Thank you to everyone who participated, volunteered, donated, and helped make the event a success.

06/02/2026

EXPECTATION ➡️ REALITY

Our quarterly interagency training was originally planned to include support from G Company 1-111th MEDEVAC and UH-60 Black Hawks.

Unfortunately, weather had other plans.

While the aircraft couldn't participate, responders from across East Tennessee still came together to train on patient packaging, litter operations, and interagency coordination.

Search and rescue missions rarely go exactly as planned. Training shouldn't either. And it's a great reminder to all that the helos may not be coming to save the day.

Special thanks to Blount Partnership for letting us host the training at their location.

And thanks to everyone who participated:

• G Company 1-111th MEDEVAC • Townsend Fire Department • Blount County Rescue Squad • Blount County Special Operations Response Team • Knoxville Fire Department Special Operations Team • Great Smoky Mountains National Park • Team BUSAR • American Medical Response (AMR)

The helicopters didn't make it.

The rescuers did.

05/27/2026

BUSAR recently spent time with approximately 240 students at Sam Houston Elementary teaching practical outdoor safety and emergency preparedness through hands-on scenarios and exercises.

Students learned shelter building, emergency signaling, basic patient care, and simple survival concepts designed to help them stay calm and make good decisions in stressful situations.

The best rescue is the one that never has to happen.

05/22/2026

Conditions this Memorial Day weekend may be more challenging than many visitors expect.

Rain, slick terrain, low visibility, changing temperatures, and limited cell service can quickly turn a short hike into a difficult situation. Roads will be slick, the there may be fog and high traffic.

Before heading into the mountains:
• Check the forecast
• Carry rain gear and extra layers
• Bring water, food, a map, and a light source
• Let someone know your plans
• Don’t rely solely on cell service

Most outdoor emergencies start as small problems that slowly compound.

Preparation matters.

Address

Knoxville, TN

Website

http://teambusar.org/

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