Mercy Centre

Search & Rescue (SAR) On-Call Team Member (Volunteer/Internship)

Job Description

Onsite | Emergency Response | Volunteer | Training Provided


Become a Search & Rescue Volunteer and Help Save Lives

Are you looking for a search and rescue volunteer opportunity where you can make a real difference in your community?

The Doc Martyn Foundation is seeking dedicated, resilient and compassionate individuals to join our Volunteer Search & Rescue (SAR) Team. As a member of our emergency response team, you’ll help locate missing people, support rescue operations and assist vulnerable communities during emergencies across Thailand.

Whether you have previous emergency services experience or simply have a passion for helping others, this role offers exceptional training, teamwork and the opportunity to save lives.

If you’re searching for a SAR volunteer, rescue volunteer, or search and rescue internship, we’d love to hear from you.


Position Details

Position: Search & Rescue (SAR) On-Call Team Member (Volunteer)

Department: Emergency Response & Rescue

Location: Onsite (Thailand)

Commitment: On-call shifts plus regular training sessions

Duration: Minimum 12 months preferred

Compensation: Volunteer (Unpaid)

Start Date: Immediate


About Doc Martyn Foundation

The Doc Martyn Foundation is a registered charity dedicated to improving healthcare, emergency response and humanitarian support for vulnerable communities throughout Thailand.

Our volunteers support:

  • Search and rescue operations
  • Emergency medical response
  • Remote medical clinics
  • Community outreach programmes
  • Child welfare initiatives
  • Public health campaigns

Our Search & Rescue Team works alongside local communities and emergency services to respond quickly when people need urgent assistance.

Every deployment has one goal: bringing people home safely.


About the Role

As a Search & Rescue Volunteer, you’ll become part of a highly trained emergency response team prepared to respond to missing person incidents, medical emergencies and humanitarian situations.

You’ll work alongside experienced volunteers and emergency responders, learning practical rescue skills while supporting real-life operations.

This opportunity is ideal for anyone interested in emergency services, disaster response, outdoor leadership or humanitarian volunteering.


Key Responsibilities

Emergency Response

When called upon, you’ll help:

  • Respond to emergency call-outs
  • Search for missing persons
  • Assist with rescue operations
  • Support medical response teams
  • Help evacuate vulnerable individuals
  • Provide logistical support
  • Assist with humanitarian emergencies
  • Support local emergency services

As a rescue volunteer, you’ll always operate under the guidance of experienced team leaders while following established safety procedures.


Search Operations

You’ll receive training to assist with:

  • Grid searches
  • Wilderness searches
  • Rural search operations
  • Urban search techniques
  • Missing person investigations
  • Navigation using GPS and maps
  • Search planning
  • Evidence awareness
  • Scene safety

Every operation requires teamwork, communication and attention to detail.


Rescue Equipment

Volunteers will learn how to safely use equipment including:

  • GPS devices
  • Two-way radios
  • Maps and compasses
  • Medical equipment
  • Rescue stretchers
  • Emergency kits
  • Personal protective equipment
  • Field supplies

Training is provided before operational deployment.


Training & Development

To maintain operational readiness, volunteers participate in regular training covering:

  • First Aid
  • CPR
  • Emergency response
  • Land navigation
  • Search techniques
  • Radio communications
  • Incident management
  • Survival skills
  • Team exercises
  • Rescue simulations

Continuous learning helps ensure every volunteer is prepared for real emergency situations.


Teamwork & Communication

Search and rescue depends on teamwork.

You’ll work closely with:

  • Search Team Leaders
  • Medical Volunteers
  • Emergency Responders
  • Community Leaders
  • Local Authorities
  • Rescue Coordinators

Strong communication and professionalism are essential during every operation.


Who We’re Looking For

We’re looking for reliable individuals who enjoy working outdoors, solving problems and helping others during difficult situations.

Ideal applicants may have experience or interest in:

  • Emergency Response
  • Search & Rescue
  • First Aid
  • Outdoor Activities
  • Disaster Response
  • Military
  • Emergency Services
  • Security
  • Healthcare
  • Community Volunteering

Previous experience is helpful but not essential.

We welcome volunteers from all backgrounds who are willing to learn.


Skills & Requirements

Successful volunteers should demonstrate:

  • Good physical fitness
  • Calm decision-making under pressure
  • Excellent teamwork
  • Strong communication skills
  • Reliability
  • Self-discipline
  • Problem-solving ability
  • Positive attitude
  • Willingness to train regularly
  • Commitment to safety

Basic First Aid and CPR are desirable but can often be completed during training.


Applying, Takes 5 mins…
Your help will last a life time!

What You’ll Gain

Learn Life-Saving Skills

Develop practical experience in:

  • Search planning
  • Rescue techniques
  • Emergency response
  • First Aid
  • CPR
  • Navigation
  • Radio communications
  • Leadership
  • Incident management
  • Team coordination


Make a Genuine Difference

Few volunteer roles provide the opportunity to directly save lives.

Every successful search operation helps reunite families and provides hope during times of crisis.


Professional Development

This experience is highly regarded by employers in:

  • Emergency Services
  • Healthcare
  • Security
  • Community Services
  • Outdoor Leadership
  • Humanitarian Organisations

You’ll develop confidence, leadership and decision-making skills that are valuable across many careers.


Work Alongside Experienced Responders

Learn from experienced rescue volunteers, medical professionals and emergency response personnel while building practical field experience.


Team Culture

Search and Rescue teams become like family.

Through regular training, emergency deployments and community activities, you’ll build lasting friendships with people who share your commitment to helping others.


Who Should Apply?

This opportunity is ideal if you’re looking for:

  • Search and rescue volunteer opportunities
  • Search and rescue volunteer roles
  • SAR volunteer opportunities
  • Rescue volunteer programmes
  • Search and rescue internship
  • Emergency response volunteering
  • Disaster response volunteering
  • Volunteer rescue teams
  • First responder volunteer opportunities

Whether you’re beginning your emergency response journey or looking to use your existing skills to serve your community, we’d love to welcome you to our team.


Apply Today

Applying takes less than 5 minutes.

Join a dedicated team committed to protecting communities, responding to emergencies and saving lives across Thailand.

When every second matters, your decision to volunteer could make all the difference.

Applying, Takes 5 mins…
Your help will last a life time!

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a SAR volunteer do?

A SAR volunteer (Search and Rescue volunteer) helps locate missing people, supports emergency response operations, assists with rescue missions and works alongside trained team members during emergencies. Volunteers also attend regular training to maintain the skills needed for safe and effective deployments.

What is a search and rescue internship?

A search and rescue internship gives aspiring emergency responders valuable hands-on experience in search operations, navigation, rescue techniques and emergency preparedness. At the Doc Martyn Foundation, interns and volunteers work alongside experienced team members while developing practical life-saving skills.

Do I need previous experience to become a rescue volunteer?

No. Previous emergency services experience is helpful but not essential. If you want to become a rescue volunteer, we’ll provide training in search techniques, first aid, emergency response procedures and team communication to help you prepare for operational deployments.

What training will I receive?

All volunteers receive ongoing training in areas such as: Search and rescue operations, First Aid and CPR, Land navigation, GPS and radio communications, Emergency response procedures, Team safety, Incident management and Wilderness survival skills. Our goal is to ensure every volunteer is confident and prepared before taking part in rescue operations.

What does an emergency response volunteer do?

An emergency response volunteer assists during emergencies by supporting rescue teams, helping locate missing people, providing first aid where appropriate, assisting with evacuations and working closely with emergency services and community organisations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I join a volunteer rescue team without professional qualifications?

Yes. Many members of our volunteer rescue team begin with little or no emergency services experience. We welcome motivated individuals who are physically fit, eager to learn and committed to serving their communities.

Is this suitable for people interested in disaster response?

Absolutely. If you’re looking to become a disaster response volunteer, this role provides practical experience responding to emergencies, supporting affected communities and working as part of a coordinated emergency response team.

Will I gain first responder experience?

Yes. While volunteers always work within their level of training and under qualified supervision, this opportunity is ideal for anyone interested in becoming a volunteer first responder. You’ll learn valuable emergency response skills that can benefit both your personal and professional development.

Do you carry out wilderness rescue operations?

Depending on operational requirements, our teams may conduct searches in rural, remote and difficult terrain. If you’re interested in becoming a wilderness rescue volunteer, you’ll receive training in navigation, search techniques, personal safety and outdoor emergency response before participating in field operations.

Is this suitable for someone considering a career in emergency services?

Yes. This role is excellent preparation for anyone interested in becoming an emergency services volunteer or pursuing a career in emergency management, ambulance services, rescue organisations, disaster relief, healthcare or community safety.

What skills will I develop?

As part of our Search & Rescue Team, you’ll build practical skills including: Emergency response, Search planning, Rescue techniques, Teamwork and leadership, Navigation and GPS, Radio communications, First Aid and CPR, Problem-solving, Crisis management and Incident coordination. These transferable skills are highly valued across emergency services, healthcare and humanitarian organisations.

Applying, Takes 5 mins…
Your help will last a life time!

Job Summary

wave-1-bottom
docmartyn.org Website
Remote/Hybrid/Thailand/International Location
Entry level Highshool / University
Mercy Centre

About

Founded in 2025 by Doctor Martyn Green, an expert physician and philanthropist, Doc Martyn’s Charity delivers critical emergency response, medical outreach, and social work across Thailand, with a vital focus on the underserved regions of Isan. Operating in a state of permanent readiness, our specialized rescue teams deploy directly to isolated areas to provide rapid, life-saving intervention for road traffic collisions, farming accidents, and industrial mishaps, while our dedicated search and rescue units brave extreme weather events like northern floods and unpredictable earthquakes to stabilize cut-off communities. When disaster strikes, our teams also undertake the grueling but deeply necessary duty of body recovery, ensuring human dignity in death and bringing closure to grieving families. Parallel to our emergency response, we combat grassroots vulnerability through targeted healthcare, education, and community outreach. We actively break regional taboos by empowering women and girls through Ayesha’s Female Health Screening Program, manage chronic illnesses like HIV/AIDS, diabetes, and hypertension, and deliver compassionate treatment pathways for alcohol and substance abuse. Grounded in a mission to alleviate poverty, we operate localized food distribution networks and rebuild substandard housing to protect vulnerable families from dangerous living conditions. Furthermore, we work aggressively to dismantle child sex trafficking pipelines and eliminate child labor, combining high-risk rescue interventions with holistic educational sponsorships to protect the fundamental right of every child to grow up safe, free, and empowered.

Contacts

Phone: (+66) 02 671 5313

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