People coming in all have a direct calling to help rescue people and help people in need," said public relations director Troy Bouffard, when describing those who choose to be a part of Chazak Rescue, a nonprofit international rescue and relief organization. "(We get) a mix of people who are ready for action and really enjoy trying new things and being challenged in body, soul and spirit."

Chazak, pronounced "khaw-zawk," is a Hebrew word that denotes strength and courage. The goal of the Gap-based organization, which formed in 2021, is to "develop, train and mobilize specialized teams to bring leadership, humanitarian aid and hope to high-risk crisis areas."

Since its formation, cadet teams have visited Greece, where they worked in a refugee camp, and Uganda, where they spent time interacting with children from a mission home, playing soccer with them and taking part in a birthday celebration.

"The trip to Africa was to establish an operating base," Bouffard explained. "We were not rescuing people there; we were there to establish connections with locals so that we would be well-received in the future."

The first operational deployment by Chazak Rescue guardians, which is what cadets are called when they have graduated from the program, was to Ukraine in December of 2023. While there, the team helped distribute aid, including food, water and firewood, to villagers near the front lines and helped a local church restore its partially destroyed building.

Bouffard noted that cadets go through a rigorous training process, which includes in-classroom training and scenario training in outdoor locations. Team members earn a variety of certifications, including Swiftwater and Flood Rescue Technician, Prehospital Trauma Life Support for First Responders, Confined Space Rescue Operator and Advanced Search and Rescue (SAR) with SARTECH certification.

The first year of basic training includes seven weeks in a wilderness location with limited interaction with friends and family. "We train in-classroom and do scenario training at Camp Andrews, south of Lancaster city," Bouffard pointed out. "There are 100 total people involved in Chazak, and they are scattered across the United Sates helping us out - third-party instructors and trainers - the best of the best in search and rescue."

Part of the training takes place in the Sawtooth Mountain Range in Idaho. "We send (cadets) there in the middle of summer in their second year of training and they do high-altitude scenarios like rock climbing and cliff rescue, and they learn to live out of their backpacks in survival mode," said Bouffard, noting that these types of experiences prepare cadets for missions in hard-to-reach places that can only be accessed by hiking through rugged terrain or via helicopter.

Bouffard noted that some people compare Chazak Rescue to joining the military, since some of the physical training is based on the same regimen utilized by the Marine Corps. "On the whole humanitarian aid spectrum, we are close (to the military), but we won't resist with deadly force," he said, noting that cadets and guardians are not armed. "Our goal is to rescue and give people medical aid."

He added that because the Chazak teams are highly specialized, they can provide assistance immediately upon arrival to natural disasters or other emergencies without a need for training or extensive orientation. "When we do show up, we have a really good set of tools in our toolbox," said Bouffard. "It allows us to know exactly what we need to do. It brings leaders to a humanitarian crisis rather than volunteers."

For more information about Chazak or to apply for the program, visit http://www.chazakrescue.org. Those with questions may email info@chazakrescue.org.