An Examination of Reasons for Leaving Search and Rescue Units

This internal report details the findings of a survey of those who have left Search and Rescue (SAR) teams between March 2016 and June 2018. Respondents were asked about their overall membership experience and, in particular, about their ultimate decision to leave SAR. The survey focused entirely on operational members, e.g., those who qualified as operational members or above.
In total, 52 eligible participants responded to the questionnaire, which was delivered online using Online Surveys (formerly Bristol Online Surveys). The questionnaire asked a range of questions regarding their decision to leave SAR, alongside questions intended to capture their experience while they were a member. A mixture of question types were utilised, including open questions intended to enable respondents to provide further detail about their responses. 8 of those responding to the questionnaire went on to take part in full, semi-structured interviews administered by telephone. Findings indicated that reasons for leaving could be organised under the following thematic headings: Time; Feelings of Guilt or Pressure; Monetary Cost; Task Incongruence; Interpersonal Relationships; and Wellbeing.