Who We Are
Page updated: 7 January 2021
The New Zealand Search and Rescue Council provides strategic leadership and direction for country’s search and rescue region. Other organisations are responsible for carrying out the search and rescue services.
Who does what
The New Zealand Government has overall responsibility for search and rescue (SAR) policy.
The NZSAR Council provides strategic leadership to the New Zealand search and rescue sector. It does not provide operational management. The Council consists of the chief executives from key government agencies involved in SAR management or coordination — including the Ministry of Transport, New Zealand Police, New Zealand Defence Force, Maritime New Zealand, the Civil Aviation Authority, Fire and Emergency NZ, the Department of Conservation — along with an independent member.
The two coordinating authorities work together to manage the operations of search and rescue. These are the New Zealand Police and the New Zealand Rescue Coordination Centre (run by Maritime New Zealand).
Many other organisations provide the people, aircraft, vessels and other forms of support needed during a search and rescue operation. Thousands of New Zealanders volunteer their time and skills to support search and rescue efforts across the country.
Newsletters
Link is a quarterly newsletter produced by the NZSAR Secretariat for the search and rescue sector. Here you can read NZSAR Link Newsletters from 2007 - present.