Santa Clarita’s Search And Rescue (SAR) Team wants you. 

 

[view:node_ad=5]They’re on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days out of the year. 

 

Their salary? Well, it ranges.  Sworn rescuers get $1 a year and volunteers receive nothing.  But they’re efforts are, by no means, futile.

 

The Search and Rescue Team of Santa Clarita is a volunteer based organization that works under the Santa Clarita Sheriffs Department.  While they most often respond to emergencies, they also help in a variety of situations, always upon the sheriffs department’s request.   

 

Some of their assignments include:

 

• Helping injured or stranded hikers (cliffhangers)

 

• Assisting cars over the side of the highway

 

• Rescuing persons stranded by swiftwater

 

• Search management and Investigative Tracking

 

• Finding lost skiers – Avalanche recovery

 

• Evidence search

 

• Finding lost children and elderly persons

 

• Finding lost persons with mental disorders

 

 • Searching downed aircraft

 

Ken Wiseman, CEO of Advantage Media Services (AMS), has been a volunteer for the Search and Rescue Team in Santa Clarita just over 2 years.  And while that may seem like a long time, Wiseman says he’s among the newest volunteers on the team.  “We have some people here that have been volunteering for over 10 years.  The average person here has volunteered between 7-10 years.”  

 

Back when Wiseman was researching volunteer options at the Search and Rescue Team, he learned that there were two main ways to help.  After training, volunteers have the option of either becoming a reserve deputy or a “high risk” volunteer.  Those who choose to become a reserve deputy will become a trained and certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), and will being certified with the Mountain Rescue Association (MRA).  The other option, the one which Wiseman chose, is to be a “high risk” civilian volunteer, EMT trained and MRA certified. 

 

“I have a full time job and I was just looking to do something to give back to the community, and the Search and Rescue Team is just that.  I attend the monthly meetings and the training sessions and it’s a great way to serve,” says Wiseman. 

 

If you are interested in learning more about the Team or joining this elite group of volunteers, please contact Deputy Artie Thompson at 661-799-5161, or attend an information meeting every 3rd Thursday of the month at the SCV Sheriff’s Station at 7:00 pm. 

 

Or, you can help the team by also making a donation by mail to:  The Santa Clarita Valley Search and Rescue Team, c/o Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station, 23740 Magic Mountain Pkwy. Valencia, CA 91355

 

For more information, click here.