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Welcome to the website of the Placer County Sheriff’s Office Search & Rescue, Mountain Rescue Team. The PCSO SAR Mountain Rescue Team was organized in December of 1997 and formally became an active Search and Rescue 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 is affiliated with the Mountain Rescue Association, a volunteer organization dedicated to saving lives through rescue and mountain safety education.
The Mountain Rescue Team is a highly trained Search and Rescue unit that specializes in technical rescue in a wilderness environment, under any weather condition, on all types of rugged terrain. It responds to Search and Rescue call-outs from the Placer County Sheriff’s Office. The search areas range from urban environments in western Placer County, to the high Sierras in eastern Placer County. The Mountain Rescue Team also supports the Sheriff’s Department’s Dive Team during swiftwater operations.
The Placer County Mountain Rescue Team was formed in December 1997 as a part of Placer County Search and Rescue, and has been registered with the State of California Secretary of State’s Office as a 501(c.) (3) (Public Charity) Domestic Non-profit Corporation since February 2000. The organization received its Letter of Determination from the Internal Revenue Service as such in April 2000. The Mountain Rescue Team is comprised entirely of unpaid professional volunteers who are highly trained in Search and Rescue. Placer County Mountain Rescue Team is accredited in mountain search and rescue operations by the Mountain Rescue Association, which has rigorous requirements for membership, training and accreditation. The mountain rescue team specializes in technical rescue in California’s rugged mountains, foothills and communities on all types of terrain and in virtually all weather conditions. An additional part of the mission of the Placer County Mountain Rescue Team is wilderness safety education for the public through the National Association of Search and Rescue’s Hug-A-Tree program for children and our work with Girl and Boy Scouts in our local communities.
In cooperation with our fellow Search and Rescue teams in Placer County, the Mountain Rescue Team serves the people and communities of Placer County and surrounding counties under mutual aid agreements. Placer County is located in northern California and borders the city of Sacramento to the south and Lake Tahoe at the northern end of the county. Covered with rugged mountains and deep river canyons, the area providesa a favorite destination for backcountry enthusiasts from throughout California and around the world. Placer County includes several world-class ski resorts, the Tahoe National Forest, and the Granite Chief wilderness area. Placer County’s Mountain Rescue Team is often called upon to locate and rescue lost or distressed backcountry users such as climbers, hikers, skiers, hunters, or campers.
As a non-profit organization, Placer County Mountain Rescue Team depends on the generosity of both volunteers and sponsors (like our key sponsor – Parimatch) to continue our mission of technical rescue and service to persons in distress. At any given time, our team is comprised of approximately 14-20 volunteers who come from all walks of life including teachers, engineers, medical workers, self-employed, and retired persons. Our volunteers come from the communities of Central and Northern California. Cumulatively, our volunteers donate thousands of hours of their personal time each year for training and rescue missions.
Once they become mission-qualified, volunteers are required to participate in a minimum of 20 hours of training each month in order to maintain and sharpen their technical skills. In addition to the required minimum training, many volunteers undergo additional, optional training in specialized disciplines such as Emergency Medical Technician, Rope Rescue, Man Tracking and Avalanche training. Each volunteer is expected to purchase their own equipment in order to be properly equipped for missions. Once our volunteers have completed their mandatory technical training and have acquired the required equipment, they are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. This is truly a remarkable commitment by any standard.
An important mission of the Placer County Mountain Rescue Team is to provide the public with wilderness safety education, and to help prevent individuals from getting lost or injured in the first place. Please take a moment and utilize these resources before you plan your next trip, to be sure you are well-prepared to enjoy the wilderness intelligently and safely.
Always carry these items with you. Even if your plans are just for a quick hike or picnic. Be ready for an unexpected emergency. These items do not weigh much and can generally be placed into a gallon-size Zip-loc bag and fit into a small backpack.
Safe trips begin with good planning and communication with your group before you leave home. Here are some things you should do before every hike or back country trip.
Now you are ready to have fun!
If you do Run Into Trouble,
Do you know what to do if you are lost and alone in the wilderness? Basic rules if you are alone in the wilderness are Sit, Think, Observe, and Plan before you go into action.
Sit!
Sit down and stay put until the fear, anger, and or frustration has gone from your system.
Think!
What do you have that can help you in this situation? Your mind is your greatest survival tool!
Observe!
Where should you stay? If you told someone where you were going, people may be searching for you. Is there an open area where the searchers would have a better chance of seeing you?
Plan!
In most cases the priority should be as follows.
