If you want to volunteer service to your community, make new friends, expand your list of skills, and have fun doing all of this, joining a search and rescue unit may be a good route toward achieving these goals. The path we take may be a logging trail, a stream bed or across a snowfield, but the scenery is often breathtaking and the destinations are as diverse as the people who participate in Search and Rescue (SAR).
Summit to Sound currently has five groups, with additional groups forming and recruiting. Current groups are the ground pounders, dog handlers, ATVs, swiftwater, equine teams, and EMS.
- “Ground Pounders” hike across field and forest, stream bed and tidal flat, through briars, nettles and heather in an effort to find missing or lost persons. This is our primary focus, so all members of Summit to Sound are part of the Ground Pounders group.
- “K-9 handlers” use a trained dog as a partner in “ground-pounding” activities, and also go out in boats with their canine partners.
- “ATVs” ride the trails searching, providing containment, or transporting equipment and personnel to designated points.
- “Swiftwater” rescue swimmers and boats operators certified technicians experienced in flood, whitewater conditions and rescue operations.
- “Equine riders” ride their SAR trained horses while searching and performing other search & rescue activities.
- “EMS” responders are EMTs or other medically trained personnel. EMS responders take care of found subjects and help keep searchers healthy while on missions.
All groups welcome new members. Those who have no skills in these areas can be trained to become a vital asset to the search and rescue community.