— Our Story —

In September 2024, Hurricane Helene became one of the most devastating natural disasters to impact the southeastern United States. Communities across Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia endured catastrophic flooding, widespread destruction, and months of recovery. Thousands of first responders, emergency managers, National Guard personnel, utility workers, and volunteers worked tirelessly to protect lives, restore critical infrastructure, and bring hope to devastated communities.

Despite an extraordinary response, the sheer magnitude of the disaster overwhelmed available resources. Search operations continued for weeks, recovery efforts lasted for months, and local, county, state, and federal agencies faced challenges that no single organization could overcome alone.

For those of us serving on the ground, one truth became unmistakably clear: when disasters exceed available resources, communities need more than government response alone. They need trained, organized volunteer teams that can integrate seamlessly with public safety agencies, expand operational capacity, and remain engaged long after the initial emergency has passed.

That realization became the catalyst for Premier Search and Rescue.

What began as a small group of retired first responders, military veterans, medical professionals, and dedicated volunteers united by a shared Christian faith has grown into a multi-state volunteer search and rescue organization committed to serving communities in their greatest moments of need.

Less than a year later, that need was reinforced during the catastrophic flooding of the Guadalupe River in the Texas Hill Country on July 4, 2025. As rapidly rising floodwaters swept through communities, lives were lost, families were forever changed, and an extensive search, rescue, and recovery operation unfolded. Once again, local, county, state, and federal public safety agencies responded with extraordinary dedication, yet the scale of the disaster required additional trained personnel and sustained operational support.

Premier Search and Rescue deployed alongside our public safety partners, witnessing firsthand how trained volunteer organizations become an essential force multiplier during large-scale disasters. By expanding operational capacity, providing specialized capabilities, and supporting recovery efforts beyond the initial emergency response, we help strengthen the communities and agencies we serve.

These defining moments shaped our mission.

Premier Search and Rescue was established as a faith-based auxiliary of Steelecroft Church to augment—not replace—local, county, state, and federal public safety agencies. We exist to provide trained search and rescue volunteers, disaster response and recovery teams, emergency preparedness, and specialized operational capabilities that strengthen the overall emergency response system.

Since our founding, Premier Search and Rescue has grown into a highly organized volunteer search and rescue organization operating across five states. Our members train year-round to work alongside sheriff's offices, fire departments, emergency management agencies, and state officials in support of search, rescue, disaster response, and recovery operations.

We remain committed to building trusted partnerships, expanding specialized capabilities, and ensuring communities have additional resources when they need them most.

Our motto, Cum Gratia Dei—With the Grace of God—reflects the spirit in which we serve. Every mission begins with a willingness to answer God's call, and every successful outcome is accomplished through His grace, faithful teamwork, and selfless service to others.

This calling is beautifully expressed in Isaiah 6:8:

                "Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?'
                 And I said, 'Here am I. Send me.'"

Those words are more than Scripture to us—they are our response.

When communities face tragedy, when families need hope, and when our public safety partners call for assistance, we answer with willing hearts, prepared hands, and steadfast faith.

Here am I. Send me.