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Search and Rescue Teams
- Communications
- Dog Team
- Four Wheel Drive Team
- Ground Search
- Mounted Team
- Mountain Rescue
- Off Road
- Tahoe Nordic Team
The Communications Team was formed in the early 1960s. They maintain and operate the Sheriff's Communications Truck, which communicates with Search and Rescue (SAR) personnel in the field as well as Sheriff's Dispatch and Allied Agencies. They maintain and operate an extensive system of Amateur Radio Repeaters which are used to supplement SAR frequencies and to coordinate search resources en-route to the search area.
Prospective members are invited to attend our Team meetings which are held the 3rd Monday of each month, except December at the SAR Building in Auburn.
For additional information, please email the Placer County Search and Rescue Team.
The Placer County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Dog Unit is on call 24 hours a day. The volunteers from this unit assist law enforcement agencies by providing their expertise in searching with specially trained dogs that can be used in a variety of searches. The dogs are trained to locate missing people in both urban and wilderness areas.
They are also used to locate homicide victims and crime scene evidence, such as weapons, bullets and other items associated with the victim or suspect. In addition the dogs are trained to locate drowning and avalanche victims. Search dogs and handlers work as a team to provide assistance in time of need.
For further information please email the Placer County Search and Rescue Team
The Four Wheel Drive team is organized as a part of Placer County’s Search and Rescue Department. Each of the team members is required to own and maintain their own vehicle with full off-road capabilities.
The team is organized under the leadership of a Team Leader, Assistant Team Leader, Secretary/Treasurer and Safety/Training Officer. All positions are elected from within and by members of the team.
The team meets on the second Wednesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. Email the Search and Rescue Team for further information.
The Ground Search Team conducts searches on foot, and it is often the first team called out for a search. In order to be search ready, members must complete over 100 hours of specialized training, including:
- First Aid
- CPR
- Map and Compass
- Man Tracking
- Rough Terrain Rescue
- Search and Rescue Fundamentals
- Wilderness Survival
In addition, some team members have additional medical training as Emergency Medical Technicians.
It is our goal to be a highly trained and dedicated volunteer group that utilizes nationally recognized standards of search and rescue to assist the Placer County Sheriff's Office in its efforts to save lives and property. We respond to calls for aid in a responsible, respectful, and timely manner so as to maximize our value to our community.
Additional Information
For more information about our team, including membership information and upcoming events, please visit the Placer Ground Search and rescue Camp website.
The Placer County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Mounted Unit is located at the base of the beautiful Sierra Nevada Mountains. We cover all types of riding terrain from flat, urban environments to breathtaking mountain trails and canyons. We are a volunteer group working for the Sheriff’s Office and therefore represent Placer County and the Sheriff’s Office. We are on-call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Although our home base is in Placer County, we often respond to other counties to assist with Search and Rescue efforts as needed.
Searching from horseback offers some unique experiences and a different “view” while searching. Working with our equine partners also means we have a second set of eyes, ears and a very keen nose (a horse’s nose is similar to a dog’s in sensitivity) to help us find what we are looking for.
Join Us
We are always looking for new riders who are interested in giving their time back to our community to help others in need. We meet on the fourth Wednesday of every month at 7 p.m. If you are interested in finding out more about us please email the Placer County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Office.
The Mountain Rescue Team was organized in December of 1997 and formally became an active team in March of 1998. This highly specialized team was formed in response to an ever growing public interest in "extreme" outdoor sports, coupled with the lack of such a team locally.
The Mountain Rescue Team (MRT) is a highly trained search and rescue unit that specializes in technical rescue in a wilderness environment, during any type of weather and terrain. The MRT responds to any type of Search and Rescue call-outs from the Sheriff's Office ranging from an urban environment in western county, to the high sierra in eastern county. All MRT members are trained to the Search and Rescue Technician level and are able to be tasked as ground searchers to supplement the need of the Ground Search team. Likewise, the Ground team provides an incredibly well trained support pool for MRT's needs.
For more information about our team, including membership information and upcoming events, please email the Placer County Sheriff's Office Mountain Rescue Team.
The Off-Road Motorcycle Team is an immediate response Team which provides hasty search capabilities for lost victims in any area or location in the County. Amongst other functions, this Team is capable of isolating a victim by way of establishing a perimeter to the search area in a hasty fashion, and the search effort then moves in for a successful find. The Team responds to emergency call-outs at any time of the day or night, on any day of the year, and under the harshest of weather conditions.
The Team is made up of hard working contractors, programmers, laborers, county employees, and other fields in the work force. Like everyone, caring for their own families and household matters must take priority. But donating their time to the Search and Rescue Organization takes a close second. They have logged in thousands of miles per year on trails and in the back country on searches and training exercises.
For further information please email the Placer County Search and Rescue Team.
The Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue Team was conceived in 1976 as a response to the death of a boy lost off the back side of Northstar-At-Tahoe ski area during a blizzard. There was, at the time, no organized backcountry ski team to help search for the boy. Desperate phone calls to some local Nordic skiers produced a search party that eventually located the youth, but only after it was too late.
This group of skiers, along with the boy's father (who today still remains one of the Nordic Team's most active members), learned there was an important void to be filled. Thus, the Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue Team was born. Based in the North Lake Tahoe/Truckee area, the Team has matured considerably after 20 years but the goals remain the same; Conducting fast, safe rescues and educating the public on winter safety.
Staff
The Nordic Team consists of a wide variety of individuals. The Team has EMTs, emergency room nurses, firefighters, professional ski patrollers, paramedics, and MDs as active members. The level of medical, mountain, and skiing skills among the members is very high. In addition to the search and rescues, about 100 people handle Team committees such as:
- Bookkeeping
- Dispatch
- Education
- Equipment upkeep
- Monthly newsletter
- Training
Meetings
General meetings are held the first Monday of each month, October through May, at the Granlibakken Ski Hut in Tahoe City at 7 p.m. New members are always encouraged to join this fun and diverse group.
Contact
For more information, contact Devin Heimstra 310-597-1168 or email Devin Heimstra