Local SAR Organizations
Cowlitz County Search and Rescue
Cowlitz County Search and Rescue (CCSAR) works in partnership with the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) and the citizens of its community and state to provide assistance to persons in distress and in urgent situations. We search for people in trouble in a wide variety of terrains from mountainous areas, to river banks, to urban locales. We search in the heat of summer and on snowy winter nights. We educate children, hikers and backcountry enthusiasts in safe activities, so they will avoid danger that result in the need for rescue.
Mountain Wave Search and Rescue
Mountain Wave is a 501(c)(3) Oregon Corporation founded in 1992. We are all volunteer and 100% donation supported. Mt. Wave’s mission at that time was primarily communications and technology support. With over 150 members currently, Mountain Wave has evolved into an Emergency Services Agency that provides many services to our served agencies.
Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office SAR
As a Search and Rescue organization, we are called to perform several different types of searches, including: Trail, open-grid, closed-grid, urban and evidence searches. Trail, grid, or urban searches for missing persons may occur at any time of day, any day of the year, in any weather condition. These often require a quick response by our 100% volunteer team of trained, well equipped searchers. Evidence searches involve a thorough examination of an area currently under investigation by law enforcement. MCSOSAR is known throughout the pacific northwest as being a capable and effective evidence searching team, often responsible for recovering critical pieces of evidence.
North Oregon Search and Rescue
North Oregon Regional Search and Rescue (NORSAR) is a team of OSSA-certified volunteers and canines skilled in multidisciplinary search and rescue techniques whose purpose is to aid Federal, State, County and Local agencies in searching for, rescuing or recovering any person who is lost, injured, or killed while out of doors. NORSAR utilizes an ICS-compatible organization structure with membership consisting of community members and volunteers. NORSAR maintains membership under the Mount Hood SAR Council. NORSAR is a volunteer resource to Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue and is activated only by the Sheriff’s office.
Pacific Crest Search Dogs
Pacific Crest Search Dogs is a non-profit, federally tax-exempt corporation organized to provide trained volunteer personnel and canine/handler teams for search and rescue missions requested by any official agency or any family in need of it’s expertise. In addition, it exists to provide educational programs to the public regarding search and rescue. Pacific Crest Search Dogs does not charge for its search and rescue services.
Pacific Northwest Search and Rescue
Our specialty is ground search operations. We focus our training on the development and maintenance of outdoor navigation, searching, patient evacuation and survival skills. We also have a certified mountain bike team and a rope support team to augment our ground searches when appropriate. All field operation team members will meet PNWSAR and Oregon State Sheriff’s Association basic search and rescue certification standards. We also train to develop skills that will be utilized in command post and base camp functions during a SAR incident.
Search Dogs Northwest
Search Dogs Northwest is a professional all-volunteer canine search and rescue team. We specializes in providing certified area search canines and search technicians for wilderness, urban, and disaster response to Clark, Skamania, and outlying counties within Washington State. Search Dogs Northwest is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation and is funded entirely by generous grants and donations.
Skamania County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue
Skamania County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue is a volunteer-based organization. Our dedicated volunteer members work jointly with public and private agencies to respond to community needs of search and rescue in Skamania County, Washington, and surrounding areas. In order to accomplish these goals our commitment to professionalism, availability, and selfless volunteerism is paramount.
Silver Star Search and Rescue
Silver Star Search & Rescue is a non-profit organization based out of Washougal, Washington. Our headquarters is centrally located between the wilderness areas of the Columbia Gorge and the backcountry surrounding Mt. St. Helens. We have been providing search & rescue services for Clark, Skamania, and Cowlitz Counties for 48 years. Our volunteer members are on-call 24 hours a day, and we have no paid staff. We respond to wilderness and urban emergencies and perform search & rescue missions as requested by the Department of Emergency Management. Silver Star Search & Rescue also provides education in Wilderness Survival, First-Aid, and CPR to our members and guests on a regular basis. When requested, we have provided safety patrols and first-aid stations at local community events.
Volcano Rescue Team
The Volcano Rescue Team (VRT) was formed in 1986 under the auspices of North Country EMS. This organization provides a resource to handle mountain-related incidents with the opening of Mt. St. Helen’s to climbing. The team still operates under the NCEMS umbrella, but is totally volunteer and is self-supporting.
