In mid-June, the announcement was made that the Utah Division of Emergency Management is working with the Governor’s Office of Outdoor Recreation on a campaign that promotes the Utah Search and Rescue Assistance (USARA) program.
USARA cards are available for Utah residents, as well as visitors, that enjoy the multitude of recreational areas and opportunities available throughout the state. It was explained that the revenue from these cards and direct donations provide support to the search and rescue teams statewide and go toward training and equipment.
The support also provides reimbursement of rescue costs on behalf of the victims that have purchased the cards. While Utah is known across the globe for its environment, national parks and recreation, the outdoors comes with many risks.
“The USARA card program intends to provide peace of mind for individuals and families who experience unexpected events and need to be rescued from Utah’s backcountry,” the Division of Emergency Management explained. “The program promotes preparedness and caution when hiking, hunting, snowmobiling and enjoying many other activities in the outdoors.”
The cards, in electronic form, are available for purchase at rescue.utah.gov by domestic visitors, residents of the Beehive state and foreign nationals. Cards are available in either a one-year or five-year period. There is also a family card option for an individual, spouse and children that are aged 21 or younger to cover each member of the family.
If an individual wishes to support the search and rescue teams of Utah but is not interesting in purchasing a card, there is a way to donate at the aforementioned website. Funds that are gathered from the USARA program fund cover the costs of resources that support calls for help, including planes, rescuer transport, equipment and helicopters.
“The USARA card has been described as another piece of ‘safety equipment’ that can financially protect an individual when an emergency occurs,” said the division.
This campaign is slated to run until July 31.