Search and Rescue
The El Dorado County Sheriff's Office provides a wide range of rescue services to the residents and visitors of El Dorado County.
The mission of the S.A.R. Unit is to:
| |
|
Provide emergency services to citizens who are lost, stranded or injured. |
| |
|
Provide services necessary to rescue such persons and provide them appropriate medical care. |
|
|
Handle all search and rescue operations in a professional manner. |
Our mission of saving lives is accomplished through the support of trained volunteers and Deputy Sheriff's. Although department personnel coordinate the Unit, without the use of volunteers, an effective rescue team would not be possible.
All volunteer personnel are required to pass a variety of tests to become a team member. Such tests include FIRST AID, CPR, MAP AND COMPASS READING. Specialized Units require proficiency in CLIFF RESCUE/ROCK CLIMBING, SWIFT WATER RESCUE, HIGH ALTITUDE SCUBA DIVING and NORDIC SKIING. Along with having special skills, the SAR volunteers are required to participate in monthly training and are always subject to call-outs, often in times of darkness or during extreme weather conditions. The Tahoe Office has approximately 50 volunteers serving the Basin.
Examples of typical rescue missions handled by the Unit are:
- Search for lost/injured skiers both at resorts and back country.
- Respond to plane crashes in wilderness or in lakes and/or ponds.
- Injured hikers on several peaks and in Desolation Valley.
- Stranded climbers on Lovers Leap.
- River rescues in local streams/rivers.
- Diving accidents in Lake Tahoe or other
lakes.
SAR Teams comprise of:
- Mounted Unit
- Air Team
- High Angle - Swift Water Team
- Foot Trackers
- K-9's
- 4X4 Team
- Nordic Winter Rescue
- Search Management
Teams meet on the 2nd Thursday of the month at 6:30 PM. Call (530) 621-5655 for information on Team meetings and application procedures.
Visit also the ESARC Website
|
