When Every Life That Can Be Saved Is Saved: Dr. Jessie Virga joins IASARC
Behind every heroic rescue you see in the news is a system. Like any system, a search and rescue (SAR) system is composed of components, each performing its specialized function, enabling the entire system to function effectively. In SAR, if every component of the system is not performing optimally, then what is intended as a rescue may instead turn into a body recovery.
“I’ve been on the teams that got there too late because of a lack of coordination…and the rescue became a body recovery.” - Dr. Jessie Virga
At the nexus of every SAR system is the coordination component - talented women and men who investigate potential distress alerts, conduct complex search planning, synchronize diverse resources, and even plan long-range rescue missions. Unfortunately, this critical element of a successful rescue operation is often overlooked. As Vice Admiral Dean Lee, U.S. Coast Guard (Ret.), recently noted, “few understand the complexities involved in planning and executing rescue operations.” Yet, without effective coordination, the system as a whole fails to save lives.
Dr. Virga conducting hoist training.
The International Association of Search and Rescue Coordinators (IASARC) is the world’s first nonprofit organization dedicated exclusively to enhancing the coordination functions of lifesaving operations. As an international professional association, we comprise leading experts from around the globe, united in the shared mission to Advance the Profession of SAR Coordination through challenging professional certifications, advocacy for improved law and regulation, and scientific advancement.
IASARC’s vision is a world in which every life in distress that can be saved is saved - a world where the talented women and men of SAR coordination have every tool, resource, and competency necessary to achieve lifesaving perfection. Ours is an audacious vision, and one that Dr. Jessie Virga shares.
Dr. Jessie Virga joins the IASARC team as Chief Administrative Officer (CAO). As a U.S. Navy veteran, former member of the Riverside Mountain Rescue Unit, and homeland security expert, she is more than qualified to help lead this all-volunteer team in transforming SAR coordination into a fully professionalized enterprise.
Our vision is audacious, our mission daunting, but humanity deserves no less. Although the work ahead of us is significant, thanks to our rapidly growing network of volunteer contributors from around the world, we have the utmost confidence that, with your help, we will make historic advancements in the profession of SAR coordination.
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