FAQ
Marion County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue, Inc. is an all-volunteer non-profit corporation based in Salem, Oregon. Members assist the Marion County Sheriff’s Office in SEARCH AND RESCUE (SAR) activities. We are an all-volunteer non-profit 501c3 corporation, chartered in 2021. We provide search and rescue support for emergencies in Marion County and adjacent counties in the State of Oregon. We are often called out on a moment’s notice for lost person searches, evidentiary searches and disaster assistance when special team skills are in need/required.
Our volunteer organization supports the Marion County Sheriff’s Office by providing volunteers, training, and fundraising efforts to support search and rescue missions throughout Marion County, primarily in remote wilderness areas. On occasion, our team is requested by other counties, outside of Marion County to assist other SAR teams.
As of 2021, there is only one recognized search and rescue team supporting the Marion County Sheriff’s Office in Marion County. There were formerly six teams which have now consolodated into one highly trained group of volunteers with special skills, equipment that can be called to locate a person who may be missing or needs of the Sheriff’s Office.
The Marion County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue team is always looking for individuals who enjoy the outdoors and assisting others in need. The members of the MCSO SAR team donate their personal time for training and searches. You must be 21 years of age, have a valid driver’s license and insurance, pass a law enforcement background check, complete the Oregon State Sheriffs Association training course, and be able bodied and capable of working on trails and in the back country at 5,000 feet elevation. Volunteers ages 14+ and in high school are eligible to join Team18, the youth arm of the search and rescue team.
All members (except youth) must:
- Be a U.S. Citizen
- Be 21 years of age or older
- Have a valid driver’s license and insurance
- Pass an extensive law enforcement background check
- Have a clear criminal record
- Be cleared and approved by the Sheriff’s Office
- Complete training to be OSSA SAR Certified
- Complete First Aid and CPR Training
- Maintain 30 hours of continuing SAR training annually
- Assemble a 24-Hour pack with specific gear
- Participate in 30% (or more) missions in 12 months
Members currently pay no fee to be a member. Most of the expense in being a member is in your donated time, and personal gear. Some gear is provided by the team at no cost.
Trainings occur both in the field and at our regular business meetings. Our business meetings occur on the 3rd Tuesday of each month. We train in the field on the Saturday following our monthly business meeting.
The opportunities for training are many and so is the type of training for skills.
Basic training includes:
- First Aid, Adult and Infant CPR & AED Certification
- Wilderness First Aid
- Cold Weather Survival
- Crime Scene & Evidentiary Procedures
- Downed Aircraft Locating
- Hypothermia & Heat Stroke Care
- Incident Command & First Responder
- ICS 200, 400, 700
- Knots and Ropes for Evacuation
- Map & Compass, and GPS Use
- Overland Navigation
- Mental Illness Awareness & Care
- Vehicle Capability and Off-Road Operations
- Person Tracking/Clue Awareness
- Search Procedures and Patterns
- Wilderness Survival
There are also a great variety of Special Skills Trainings:
- Bone Identification
- Emergency Repairs
- Urban Searching
- Low Angle Rescue Rope & Rigging Work (<60 degree)
- How to fill out required documents and paperwork
- Proper Radio Etiquette
- Map Reading and Triangulation
Basic gear includes:
- 24-Hour Pack – This includes self-sustaining, as well as shelter and food for all conditions.
- First Aid Kit
- Map and Compass
- Standalone handheld GPS Unit – (a Smartphone is not enough)
- Sleeping Bag/Sleep System
- Personal items like boots, gloves, and all-weather gear.
Then there is the list of “Extra’s” which can be extensive. This includes (but is not limited to); Cookware, Signaling Devices, Winches, Rigging, Flashlights, Knives, Specialty Pack, Climbing Gear (Low Angle) and more… We’ll go over the list of essentials in detail in the Search and Rescue Academy.
We have a limited budget but do issue some items.
- (1) Search and Rescue field Shirt with official insignia
- (1) Search and Rescue field Jacket
- (1) ID Badge (after becoming a member and getting OSSA Certification)
- (1) Mobile Radio with Antenna (for vehicle support team)
- (1) Handheld Radio with Clamshell rechargeable Battery
- (1) Magnetic Sign for your vehicle – for Identification purposes
