There is another kind of SAR - the one where things go wrong in spite of all your planning and careful forethought.

It's also fairly common for substance abuse to be a part of "the problem."

Our SAR team also searches for evidence, such as plane parts after a crash, and for remains. Life insurance payouts won't happen without remains. Sometimes SAR is a charitable thing to do. Someone's house and children could depend on us.

For many of the volunteers I know, it's a lifestyle. Not sure about adrenaline junkie, but there are those who fit that on the team - they are also the ones ice climbing for fun and leisure in between trainings. Most of us are saner than that.