Where is the Mountain Rescue Association?

Central Arizona Mountain Rescue -- Technical search and rescue in Arizona's rugged backcountry. Temperature extremes, expansive wilderness, and unforgiving topography are the standard. This team operates anywhere, anytime, and in any weather. 

I am writing from Salt Lake City, Utah where the Mountain Rescue Association is having their winter meeting. While they are here, MRA members are discussing their annual budget, how to preserve their history, training, future events, collaboration, and let others know what they do. 

They are also discussing how they will collect incident data in the coming year and this was a good opportunity to talk about mapping and the power of GIS. I am honored for the invite and thought I would take a moment to help get their message out. Stay tuned for more great news from this meeting!!!

So who is the MRA? 

From the MRA blog...

The Mountain Rescue Association is an organization of teams dedicated to saving lives through rescue and mountain safety education.  We do so by improving the quality, availability, and safety of mountain search and rescue through; 

• Creating a framework for and accrediting member teams 
• Promoting mountain safety education
• Providing a forum for development and exchange of information on mountain search and rescue techniques,  equipment, and safety
• Representing member teams providing mountain search and rescue services to requesting governmental agencies 

The Mountain Rescue Association creates excellence through:

•   Professionalism
•   Integrity
•   Camaraderie
•   Dedication
•   Respect
•   Knowledge

Courage - Commitment - Compassion

Where is the MRA active?

This is a tough question to answer as many of their incidents are inter-agency and far from team headquarters. Without a nationwide search and rescue incident records management system the 'where' and 'how many' questions are tough to answer. 

However, I was able to gather some data from the MRA Teams website and quickly make this map using Esri Maps for Office. 

View Larger Map

Don't forget Alaska!

How can we help the MRA? 

• Sponsor them, sponsors are heroes! http://www.mra.org/sponsors
• Join an MRA team so you can save lives too
• Make your team join the MRA: http://www.mra.org/about-mra/how-to-join
• Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Blogger, LinkedIn
• Come to the 2014 NASAR / MRA Conference