Many people needing search and rescue services meet the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s SAR Team on a truly awful day in their lives.  A family member is missing, a vehicle has gone into river, or a hiker is injured in a remote area.  Perhaps an unmanned boat is found drifting or a trip into the snow turned into a disaster.

The Team serves at the discretion and direction of the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office under the leadership of a Sheriff deputy assigned as Search and Rescue Coordinator. Search and rescue incidents begin with a “911” call to the Sheriff’s Office and many cases are handled solely by a deputy.   But, searches and rescues are considered emergency incidents and if circumstances require it, the Sheriff’s Office calls in the SAR Team to provide additional skilled resources and equipment.  SAR volunteers get the notification via phone and text message, and Team members leave what they are doing on a moment’s notice to respond to the call.  Many times, this summons occurs in the middle of the night or in stormy weather.  Family is left behind and there is no way of knowing how long SAR members will be gone since missions often are in remote areas with no communication home.

During missions, the Team operates under the command of a Sheriff’s deputy. But, the volunteers are required to exercise specialized skills, including ‘over the edge’ rope rescue, man tracking, handling search dogs, off-road motorized travel,  transporting injured subjects over rugged terrain via litter, setting up temporary radio communication nets, establishing a command post or managing complex large-scale operations .

The SAR Team primarily operates in Siskiyou County but can be called to assist with searches throughout California and Southern Oregon.  The Team also provides evidence searches at the request of the Sheriff.  They are available to provide disaster support for the Office of Emergency Services in the event of an earthquake, fire, flood or other widespread emergency.

SCSO Search and Rescue Team is on call and operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year in almost any conditions.  Missions have included the following:

• Searches for ‘walk away’ persons with dementia or Alzheimer’s, or missing/runaway youth
• Missing or injured wilderness hikers, climbers, hunters, woodcutters and mushroom pickers
• Missing or injured snowboarders, skiers or snowmobile riders
• Search and recovery in an avalanche or drowning
• Locating missing persons after an abandoned vehicle is reported
• Locating downed aircraft for rescue and/or recovery
• Searching for evidence in criminal cases
• Helping evacuate residents during wildfires or flooding.