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Santa Barbara County Search and Rescue
updated: Oct 23, 2010, 8:30 AM
The Santa Barbara County Search and Rescue Team is a volunteer branch of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department. This highly-trained team uses specialized equipment to handle a variety of emergencies, including high-angle rock rescues, car-over-the-side accidents, downed aircraft, and medical emergencies.
The team is highly proficient in search operations. Many lost hikers, mountain bikers, missing children and lost hunters owe their lives to the expert work of the Search & Rescue Team.
Team members are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. All team members carry pagers and the team is paged through the Santa Barbara County Emergency Dispatch System. In an emergency, team vehicles are able to start rolling within ten minutes.
SBCSAR is a California Type I search and rescue team and one of only nineteen teams in California that is fully certified as a Mountain Rescue Team. In order to qualify for MRA status, a team must pass proficiency tests in Snow and Ice, Rock, and Search Operations every three years. MRA teams are viewed as the best in the country and are often requested to support search and rescue personnel of other counties.
The Team is made up of men and women from all walks of life. All team members have wilderness and climbing experience and all are highly skilled in rescue techniques and search procedures. Members have all had training as Emergency Medical Technicians and many are Wilderness EMT's. Most are also certified Swiftwater Rescue Technicians.
SBCSAR's primary jurisdiction is the wilderness and urban areas of Santa Barbara County. In addition, as part of the Mountain Rescue Association, the team responds to emergencies in other counties, states and national parks.
As an active arm of the Sheriff's Department, the Team is called to assist on evidence searches, provides medical support for large community events, and is the primary entity to coordinate and carry out evacuations during major disasters such as wildland fires.
General Statistical Information:
Current Membership - Approximately 30 men and women located through out Santa Barbara County
Equipment - Vehicles - 14 SAR vehicles equipped to handle mountain SAR operations. Stationed in Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez and Santa Maria. Personnel equipped to operate 3 days in backcountry.
Training - Members meet three times a month to train: two Saturdays/Sundays and one evening meeting.
For further information about the team contact Nelson Trichler, Public Information Officer. Those interested in membership should review the team's requirements at www.sbcsar.org
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