Establishment of the Award

This award was established in 1977. Originally called the "Zimmerman-Rand Valor Award," it was the gift of the San Diego Mountain Rescue Team to NASAR, in memory of Ben Rand and Larry, two of their members killed in separate incidents. In 1990, on recommendation of the NASAR Board of Trustees, the Board of Directors approved the establishment of an unaffiliated valor award. The award is granted solely on merit to an individual or individuals selected by the Board of Directors who best represents, in their opinion, effort in the field of search and rescue that was above and beyond the call of duty, exemplifying the selfless, perhaps risky commitment to others embodied in the NASAR motto: "That Others My Live". ("or individuals" added by BOD 9/97)

The award does not have to be presented each year. It is not presented posthumously.

Basis for the Award

Any type of contribution to search and rescue shall qualify an individual/unit as a nominee for the NASAR Valor Award, providing the following criteria are met:

1. The action on the part of the nominee clearly must be shown to have been out of the ordinary, beyond the reasonably expected behavior in undertaking a search and rescue activity.
2. The action must be shown to have alleviated a situation in which a "victim" was in substantial peril, with the high potential for life-threatening injury or death.
3. The action must be shown to have occurred in such a way that in successfully carrying out the action, the nominee was required to place himself or herself in a situation potentially resulting in serious injury or death. However, it must be shown that the behavior on the part of the nominee did not exceed the bounds of good judgment and did not constitute reckless endangerment of his or her own well being or that of others.