When people hear the words “Land Search and Rescue,” they often picture helicopters, rugged terrain, and tense moments in the backcountry. But for me, a volunteer responder of Wakatipu Land Search and Rescue for over 12 years, it’s also about long nights, deep community ties, training sessions in all seasonal conditions, and balancing that with being a mother of two, in full-time employment, and running a family business on the side.
This past month has been a whirlwind—intense, rewarding, exhausting, and unforgettable.
The Planning Never Stops
I kicked off the month in a committee meeting, discussing our future as a group. We’re working towards something big: our own base building in Queenstown. A permanent place where we can store gear, train, coordinate responses, and call home. It’s a dream that’s slowly taking shape, but like everything in Land Search and Rescue, it requires time, dedication, and funding.
The administrative side of search and rescue often goes unseen. Between operations, we’re constantly planning, coordinating, and preparing. Our quarterly committee meetings aren’t just about logistics—they’re about building the foundation that makes life-saving work possible.
Learning Never Ends
The following weekend, I was in Christchurch for a national course on debrief facilitation. Learning how to properly support teams after high-stress incidents is just as important as knowing how to use a map and compass. These skills are critical—searches can be emotionally taxing, and how we process them matters.
“Training with Land Search and Rescue has been fantastic. The focus on teamwork, communication, and practical skills ensures that we’re ready for any situation. It’s challenging but immensely fulfilling to know that we’re being trained to help save lives,” shares one of our newer training participants.
Constant education is essential. In 2023-24 alone, our volunteer responders dedicated 97,411 hours to training nationwide. Every technique, every protocol, every piece of equipment needs regular practice because when someone’s life is on the line, there’s no room for uncertainty.
Training in All Conditions
Back home, we ran two evening training sessions. With Queenstown’s winter fast approaching, hypothermia was top of mind. Knowing how to treat someone in the field can mean the difference between life and death.
These training sessions happen regardless of weather. Rain, snow, wind—we train in it all because emergencies don’t wait for perfect conditions. Our volunteer responders need to be prepared for New Zealand’s notoriously unpredictable weather patterns that can change dramatically within minutes.
Prevention: The Work That Saves Lives Before They’re Lost
We also stepped into the role of educators, running sessions for the local Brownies at our base and the Clued Up Kids programme at the Queenstown Events Centre. Over 300 children learned how to stay safe in the outdoors. These are the proactive moments—where we hope to prevent the callouts before they happen.
This prevention work is crucial. As our safety experts emphasise, “No view or experience is worth risking your life. Develop the wisdom to turn back when conditions deteriorate—this is the mark of an experienced outdoorsperson, not a failure.”
In 2023-24, our volunteer responders contributed 4,052 hours specifically to prevention activities across New Zealand. Every child we teach about outdoor safety, every adult we educate about proper preparation, represents a potential rescue we never have to undertake.
When the Call Comes
But the calls still come.
One of the biggest deployments this month was a multi-day search in Milford Sound. I supported our field teams and Alpine Cliff Rescue team from the coordination side—tasking, logistics, communications. It was six days and nights where I was troubled with thoughts and dreams relating to the missing party. These operations aren’t just physically demanding—they sit with you, long after the gear is packed away.
“When I started volunteering with Land Search and Rescue five years ago, I wasn’t prepared for how much equipment I’d need. But when you’re out there in the middle of nowhere looking for someone who’s lost or injured, you quickly understand why every piece of gear matters. Sometimes it’s the difference between a successful rescue and a tragedy,” reflects a fellow volunteer responder.
The emotional toll extends beyond the immediate search. The weight of responsibility, the concern for missing persons and their families, the physical exhaustion—it all accumulates. Yet we carry on because we know our work makes the difference between someone coming home or not.
The Relentless Pace
Just last night, we were called to an alpine track in Glenorchy for a person suffering from hypothermia. Tonight, we’re running a SARex (Search and Rescue Exercise)—our version of a live simulation, preparing ourselves for when the call comes in.
This weekend, I’ll be brushing up on helicopter safety. Every element of what we do—from rope work to radio comms—needs constant practice. We train every fortnight, both the field and incident management team. We meet quarterly as a committee. And we’re always learning, because lives depend on us being ready.
The statistics tell the story of our commitment: in 2023-24, Land Search and Rescue responded to 495 operations, helping 600 people across New Zealand. Behind each number is a volunteer responder who dropped everything to help a stranger in need.
Our Extended Whānau
Our group has 50 active volunteer responders, including two search dogs and a dedicated Alpine Cliff Rescue team. We’re tight-knit. After the bigger searches, we check in on each other. These are not just teammates—they’re my extended whānau.
“Volunteering with Land Search and Rescue is not just about being ready to help; it’s about being part of a family. We rely on each other in tough situations, and that bond is what makes us strong. I can’t imagine not being part of this incredible organisation,” explains one of our long-term volunteer responders.
This sense of community is essential. When you’re rappelling down a cliff face or searching through dense bush in deteriorating weather, you need absolute trust in your teammates. These relationships often extend far beyond search and rescue activities—we celebrate milestones together, support each other through challenges, and maintain connections that last decades.
The Hidden Costs
But make no mistake: this takes a toll. The emotional weight, the financial burden, the time. Over the years, I’ve spent more than $10,000 on gear—packs, boots, warm layers, headlamps, cookers. While funding has improved and we are now supplied with some basics, I still shoulder a significant cost to remain ready and equipped. Right now, I’m waterproofing my boots, swapping gear for winter, and saving for new gloves, socks, and gaiters.
“Having spent many hours in New Zealand’s backcountry, I’ve seen firsthand how vital Land Search and Rescue is. I donate regularly because I know every dollar helps these volunteers stay prepared and equipped to respond whenever they’re needed,” shares one of our regular supporters.
The Moments That Matter
Why do I do it?
To bring people home.
To be there when someone needs us most.
Because while some are returned to their families, others are not—and some are never found at all—every effort, every hour, every step still matters.
“My family member was rescued after getting lost on a tramp, and I can’t thank Land Search and Rescue enough. Donating is my way of showing gratitude and helping them continue their lifesaving work. Their commitment to helping others is remarkable,” reflects a grateful family member.
These moments of connection—when someone is reunited with their loved ones, when a family gets closure, when a community rallies together—remind us why we commit so much of ourselves to this work.
The Ripple Effect
Every successful operation creates ripples far beyond the immediate rescue. Families remain whole. Future memories become possible. Communities strengthen their bonds. Children grow up knowing that help is available when they venture into New Zealand’s magnificent outdoors.
“Volunteering with Land Search and Rescue has been the most fulfilling experience of my life. Every time we bring someone back to their family, it reminds me why I do this. It’s challenging work, but knowing that I’m making a difference is incredibly rewarding,” shares another volunteer responder.
Our work touches lives in ways we may never fully understand. The tramper we found hypothermic goes on to safely complete other adventures. The child we educated about outdoor safety becomes a responsible adult who teaches others. The family member we located with dementia gets to spend precious additional time with loved ones.
A Call for Support
As I write this, I’m preparing for another callout, another training session, another opportunity to serve my community. But this work cannot continue without support. The $10,000 I’ve invested in gear over the years is money many volunteer responders cannot spare. The time away from family and work is a sacrifice that affects entire households.
“I chose to donate because the volunteers at Land Search and Rescue are true heroes. They save lives and make our communities safer, often at great personal sacrifice. Supporting them is the least I can do to show my appreciation for their hard work,” explains one of our regular supporters.
Your support—whether through regular donations, one-time contributions, or simply spreading awareness of our work—helps bridge the gap between what volunteer responders can contribute and what’s actually needed to keep our communities safe.
The Promise We Make
Every month brings new challenges, new learning opportunities, new chances to serve. Some months are quieter, filled mainly with training and prevention work. Others, like this one, remind us dramatically why our preparation matters.
Land Search and Rescue volunteer responders make a promise to our communities: we will be ready when you need us. We will train in all conditions, maintain our equipment, develop our skills, and respond when called—regardless of the weather, the terrain, or the hour.
But we cannot keep this promise alone. We need a community that understands the depth of commitment required, that supports the volunteers who dedicate so much of themselves to helping others, and that values the work we do not just in the dramatic moments of rescue, but in the countless hours of preparation that make those rescues possible.
As we move forward—toward our new base building, toward improved training programs, toward better equipment for our volunteers—we carry with us the knowledge that every effort matters. Every training session, every committee meeting, every prevention program, every callout response contributes to a network of safety that protects everyone who ventures into New Zealand’s outdoors.
This month in my boots as a Land Search and Rescue volunteer has been demanding, emotional, and transformative. Next month will bring new challenges, new opportunities to serve, and new reminders of why this work matters so deeply.
Because when someone is lost, injured, or missing in New Zealand, we are here.
Everywhere for everyone.
Ready to bring them home.
A month in the life of Candice Tovey, Wakatipu Land Search and Rescue
Land Search and Rescue New Zealand is a nationwide volunteer organisation providing search and rescue assistance to the lost, missing, and injured throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. To support our volunteer responders with essential equipment and training, visit our donation page or learn more about our life-saving work.
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