The Air Land Emergency Resource Team is a training and service organization. It is our goal to find practical applications of our emergency response training through volunteer service to local, national, and international authorities.
The ALERT mission is to Equip Men to Serve Nations. To that end, we look for and recruit faithful men who are growing spiritually and are sensitive to God’s direction, and who have a desire for discipline in their lives. These men are taught to have solid core values and moral fiber—making them men of integrity. They are also taught the skills necessary to help people in crisis. They are challenged to be “givers” rather than “takers,” to glorify God through good works, and to show honor to authority. ALERT stands for character, service, and skill, and an eagerness to use those qualities in meeting the needs of people in crisis.
The most significant aspect of ALERT service is not the professional training and experience of its members, but rather their desire to serve others, their willingness to follow directions, and their wholehearted approach to the tasks set before them. These distinctive qualities enable ALERT men to creatively adapt their collective skills in meeting the unique needs of those in crisis.
Where is ALERT based?
ALERT’s headquarters and training facilities are located near the town of Big Sandy in northeast Texas.
What makes ALERT’s service unique?
1.) It is provided in support of governmental leaders. ALERT recognizes that those in positions of government have a wider perspective of the true needs of those they are responsible for, and that relief efforts will be more effective when carried out in the context of that perspective. ALERT desires to support leaders in meeting those needs, and as such, will respond to disasters only at the official request of a public official.
2.) The combination of skills in which ALERT men are trained is unparalleled in variety and enables them to provide a response tailor-made to the need at hand. Skills include:
- Land search and rescue
- Underwater search and recovery
- High-angle rescue
- Emergency medicine
- Chain saw operation
- Mechanics
- Counseling
- Crime scene evidence searches
- Swift-water rescue
- Hazardous material cleanup
- Ham radio communications
- Structural fire fighting
- Aerial search
- Construction
- Collapsed structure rescue
3.) The positive character and personal integrity of ALERT Responders builds morale and brings encouragement to those in distressing circumstances.
What types of service has ALERT performed?
ALERT men have served in more than 20 states and in other countries in the aftermath of hurricanes, tornados, floods, mud slides, and even a bombing. They have conducted wilderness searches for lost people and downed aircraft, evidence searches for crime scenes, underwater recoveries of drowning victims, and aerial searches over both land and water. From assisting mayors with city-improvement projects to providing leadership for children’s camps, ALERT’s community involvement has benefited the lives of countless individuals.
In what other areas are ALERT Responders trained?
A significant portion of ALERT training is conducted through apprenticeship opportunities. The wide variety of skills collectively acquired by ALERT men through these opportunities allows them to contribute in unique ways to the particular needs arising from a crisis. Apprenticeship opportunities include:
- Auto Mechanics
- Construction
- Aviation Maintenance
- Flight
- Emergency Medicine (up to the Paramedic level)
- Leadership Training
- Technical Rescue
- Aquatics
What type of support can ALERT provide?
1.) Disaster relief—in the wake of tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, mud slides, forest fires, snow storms, etc., ALERT can assist with cleanup efforts such as:
- Tree removal
- Recovery of personal property
- Emergency medicine
- Demolition of condemned buildings
- Building repairs
- Ham radio communications
- Technical Rescue
- Removal of mud and debris
2.) Search and rescue operations—lost person searches including wilderness, underwater, and aerial searches. ALERT men are trained in grid search techniques, land navigation, wilderness survival, and technical rescue in high-angle, collapsed structure, confined-space, and swift-water environments. Underwater operations include crime scene investigation, underwater videography, surveying and mapping, heavy underwater lifting, and recovery of weapons, aircraft, bodies, vehicles/snowmobiles, etc.
3.) Community service—traffic control, children’s programs, event cleanup, event logistical support, construction, ham radio communications.
4.) Humanitarian aid—improvement of living conditions, relocation assistance, food and medicine distribution, and shelter construction.
How much support can ALERT provide?
ALERT disaster deployments are typically one to two weeks in duration, depending on the need, and involve anywhere from 10 to 40 or more men. International deployments for disaster relief and/or humanitarian aid may extend for a period of several months.
How can I request ALERT’s services?
Government leaders may contact the ALERT Operations Department at 903.636.2000 ext. 2110, with details of the need. A written confirmation of the request may be faxed to 903.636.2013.
If I request ALERT to serve in my area, what arrangements do I need to make?
Provide a “chain of command” structure that will allow ALERT to achieve your objectives in meeting the needs you perceive to be a priority. Food and housing can usually be arranged in conjunction with the ministry of local churches who also wish to serve their community. Contingency funds if available to offset the cost of transportation is greatly appreciated though not required for ALERT to serve your needs.
