My Journey into Search and Rescue "That Others May Live"

David Burnell’s journey in Search and Rescue (SAR) spans some of the world’s most challenging and heart-wrenching environments. As a former SAR instructor, he has participated in hundreds of missions—including air operations, body recoveries, cave and mine rescues, vertical and trench extractions, vehicle entrapments, and fire support deployments. His experience extends across global crisis zones such as Haiti, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Thailand, Burma, Alabama, and post-tsunami Japan in 2011.

As a certified public safety SCUBA instructor through Dive Rescue International (DRI), David has trained federal dive teams and foreign special operations helicopter pilots in water egress and rescue techniques. He served as Vice President of the Rapid City Dive Team, carrying out numerous body recoveries in some of the most extreme conditions imaginable—from ice-covered lakes and black water to submerged vehicles and aircraft.

These missions didn’t just shape his skills—they shaped his soul. David’s search and rescue writing draws from those lived experiences, offering raw insight into the physical, emotional, and spiritual weight of answering the call “that others may live.”

During my final assignment in the U.S. Air Force, I found myself in a desk role—a position that, while important, left me yearning for more physical engagement and hands-on service. That hunger for purpose led me to discover the Pennington County Search and Rescue (PCSAR) team in South Dakota. It was a volunteer unit, but far from ordinary. This elite team operated across one of the most rugged and expansive counties in the state, including the area surrounding Mount Rushmore National Monument.

What began as a way to “keep the blood flowing” quickly evolved into a mission that would shape my life. The PCSAR team trained and performed with the same intensity and precision as the best special operations units I had worked alongside in the military. It was professionally led, well-funded, and highly disciplined. We responded to between 100 and 200 high-risk trauma calls each year, many of which demanded rapid, technical rescue under extreme conditions.

To earn my place, I committed nearly a year to intense training, including achieving my Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certification. Weekly Tuesday night drills and long Saturdays became routine. The scope of our mission required constant readiness and proficiency across some of the most specialized rescue disciplines in the field.

Serving as a member of PCSAR meant being on the front lines of some of the region's most dangerous emergency operations. I worked alongside law enforcement, fire departments, and federal agencies during large-scale disasters and localized crises throughout the Black Hills and surrounding rural communities.

High-Profile Missions:

• Wildfire evacuation and containment in the Black Hills

• Tornado recovery operations in rural South Dakota

• Ice rescues on frozen lakes with zero visibility

• Swift water rescues during floods and rapid water events

• Technical cave and mine rescues using rope systems

• Dive team operations for body recovery, including submerged vehicles and aircraft

Our Core Rescue Capabilities:

PCSAR members are cross-trained in a wide variety of disciplines. My training and missions included:

Cascade Support (SCBA refills for Fire & Dive teams)

• Cave and Mine Rescue 

• Trench and Confined Space Rescue

• Vehicle Extrication

• Vertical and Mountain Rescue

• Ice Diving and Ice Rescue

• Swift Water and Flood Response

• Wildland and Structural Fire Support

• Search Operations for Missing Persons

• Tornado Watch and Evacuation Support

• Public Survival Instruction and Outreach

What It Takes to Be on the Team:

Being part of this team took more than courage; it demanded discipline, grit, and commitment. Volunteers had to:

• Maintain strong physical fitness for rugged, extreme environments

• Pass background checks and specialized training

• Commit to weekly training and active call-outs

• Be ready for rapid deployment with a clear head and steady hands

• Communicate effectively and lead under pressure

My time with PCSAR honed my technical rescue skills and deepened my leadership in crisis, compassion for victims, and an unshakable respect for the strength of the human spirit. These were some of my life’s most intense and rewarding experiences, and they continue to shape how I lead, teach, and serve today.