Borstar Overview

Border Patrol Search, Trauma, and Rescue (BORSTAR) Teams are highly specialized units capable of responding to emergency search and rescue situations anywhere in the United States. These teams are made up of Border Patrol Agents who volunteer to go beyond their regular duties and undergo a highly specialized regimen consisting of training in physical fitness and training in various other disciplines, including medical skills, technical rescue, navigation, communication, swiftwater rescue, and air operations.

BORSTAR's primary mission is to respond to incidents involving distressed agents and migrants along the border. These rescued individuals are predominantly undocumented aliens but also include agents and border residents. Search and rescue operations are conducted throughout the year in varying climates and topographies. BORSTAR agents have aided in rescue operations lasting up to 5 days. These rescues vary in difficulty from simply locating victims and providing them with water to complex rescues requiring agents to rappel into remote canyons to assist victims and extract them by helicopter.

BORSTAR agents first complete a 5-week Basic BORSTAR Academy. Then they are assigned a specialty and continue training to become specialists in the various disciplines. New BORSTAR agents have 1 year to complete their advanced training.

Because of the rugged terrain and the remote areas in which BORSTAR agents operate, they are frequently the only medical or rescue responders available. Their training and knowledge not only require them to locate distressed individuals but also enable them to provide medical assistance to stabilize patients and transport them to areas accessible by advanced life support units.

In 1998, the Border Patrol launched the Border Safety Initiative (BSI). The BSI is a comprehensive and aggressive binational strategy designed to reduce injuries and prevent fatalities while making the border region safer for migrants, agents, and border residents. Included in that effort is the U.S. Border Patrol's BORSTAR initiative.

Other Sites:

BorderPatrolAcademy.com | BorderPatrolJob.com | BorderPatrolCheckpoint.com | Bortac.com

ExplorerProgram.com | IllegalImmigrationNews.com | CBP.gov | ICE.gov

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