From our weekly issue dated August 18, 2010
During the past few weeks, people throughout Josephine County have been receiving fund-raising letters from the Search And Rescue (SAR) division of the sheriff“s office.
Jim McNutt serves as chairman of the Friends of Search And Rescue, a non-profit organization that raises money for the organization. He also is chairman of the SAR Mountain Rescue Unit Committee.
McNutt said that approximately 200 people responded to the letter in the first couple of days after they were sent. Donations have been as small as $5 and $1. But McNutt said that every last little bit helps.
“It takes a lot of money to run this organization. Nobody in the organization gets any money,“ McNutt said. “There“s only one paid person, on the sheriff“s payroll, and that“s the emergency services coordinator. Everybody else is a volunteer.“
SAR is not funded through the sheriff“s office or tax dollars, McNutt said.
“We are only supported from donations,“ he said.
McNutt said that there are around 125 SAR volunteers, divided into several specialty units. They are mountain rescue, dive team, K-9 search, ATV, mounted SAR, communications, and snow rescue.
Volunteers must attend training sessions that meet Oregon State Sheriffs Association standards, and an annual 40-hour academy offered for basic ground searchers. They must also maintain first aid and CPR credentials and 30 hours of continuing education per year.
SAR“s role in the community is especially important, given that much of the county consists of federally owned forestland. As such, McNutt said, SAR volunteers are prepared to comb the wilderness for deer hunters, mushroom pickers, Alzheimer“s patients, children and anyone else who happens to get lost.
“We go looking for everybody,“ McNutt said.
As part of their duties, volunteers are on standby for call-outs 24 hours a day, seven days per week.
Donations made to SAR go toward funding equipment, training and supplies, McNutt said. They cover everything from utility bills at the facility housing the equipment to new tires, repairs and servicing SAR vehicles, and batteries for radio and Global Positioning Satellite units.
“We want to be able to train at the highest level, and that takes money,“ McNutt said. “We don“t get the chance to spend money on training until the bills are paid.“
Josephine County SAR still is looking for volunteers. For more information, phone 541-474-5300 or visit jocosarblog.typepad.com.
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