A SAR MEMBER IS TRANSPORTED BY HELICOPTER AND LOWERED TO AN REMOTE AREA. U nder any type of challenging,

wilderness conditions, the Mariposa Search and Rescue (SAR) team is ready and willing to rise to the occasion. Whether it be an elderly citizen with Alzheimer’s who wanders away, a young child left behind, or lost vacationing hikers this rescue team is equipped, well trained and ready to help get loved ones home safely.

Headed by Sergeant Chris Ramirez, the Mariposa County Search and Rescue (SAR) team is a volunteer division of the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office.

There are currently 40 volunteers on the SAR roster who participate in weekly training sessions held every Tuesday, every other Thursday and the third Saturday of the month. While the weekdays provide time for the team to work on their field training, Saturdays are reserved for full days of classroom instruction and hands-on drills. On top of those day there are overnight learning exercises to help train members in necessary SAR skills such as being able to build snow caves, or apply a splint to an injured person on the side of a cliff. Constant training is required to keep SAR team members highly qualified and prepared for any circumstance.

The individuals who serve do it willingly, on their own free time, aside from families and full-time jobs. The individual members of the team vary greatly. Some are high school students interested in later pursuing a career in emergency services or law enforcement. Other members include everything from retirees, a dental hygienist, and National Park Service employees and a long list of other occupations.

Oftentimes people join because of a hobby such as hiking, off-roading, rafting,

SAR MEMBERS

and horseback riding, which all tie into a part of the program.

SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAM MEMBERS WORK TO RECOVER A BOAT ON THE MERCED RIVER. THE RAFT WAS LODGED AGAINST A ROCK, BUT NO ONE WAS INJURED. Volunteer training begins with a six-week “academy” program headed by David Thorpe, who is a certified dive instructor, and navigation instructor for the program, mentoring the new SAR members. Thorpe is also responsible for scheduling most training sessions in SAR.

The academy is designed for the new members to get acquainted with the basic tactics and skill training involved with search and rescue procedures, such as orientation, navigation, technical rope rigging, low and high angle rescue, winter survival, pack layout and familiarizing themselves with the tools used in SAR. During the academy

A SAR MEMBER

new members are in class two nights a week, for three hours at a time, along with two weekend trips. Members must show their competency in putting into action the acquired knowledge in a field scenario at the end of the course, as well as thinking out of the box to most efficiently accomplish the task at hand.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DEPUTY TIM RUMFELT MARIPOSA COUNTY SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAM MEMBERS ARE SILHOUTTED IN THE SHADOWS AT VERNAL FALLS DURING A BODY RECOVERY Thorpe takes his hat off to all the members

who serve on the team noting that it takes “commitment, dedication and passion” to volunteer their time to make a difference for individuals they don’t necessarily know. “All of the members are critical, top notch in the community, and top notch in my book. The teamwork and the camaraderie is second to none, risking their lives to try to save others,” Thorpe said.

After the initial six weeks they then move on to more skilled, hands-on techniques and challenges testing newfound knowledge in responding to emergencies and working together as a unit.

Once volunteers complete their sixweek academy training they

have adapted unique skills that will spark a reaction any case of an emergency.

Search and Rescue has two divisions: basic search and rescue, as well as mounted horseback search and rescue, who help alongside the Sheriff’s Posse.

Each SAR member is fully versed in the different types of situations that occur at different seasons each year: February – April is what they call “swift water river season” and many of the emergencies they respond to during that time pertain to the Merced River. During the winter month’s volunteers are educated in

using snowshoes, and must be prepared for avalanche conditions.

Given the geography of Mariposa County, diverse terrain training must take place for them to be able to respond to the various emergencies in swift waters such as the Merced River, the back country, and off of cliffs and steep slopes. There are a few specialized parts to the organization specially trained in diving, and cliff rescue.

Members on the team must learn how to properly navigate with a map as well as a standard GPS system. In training they are given actual scenarios where they are supposed to think quickly and test their knowledge and

search tactics in

a grid search

TIM RUMFELT

on river rescue,

diving, medical

aid, body recovery and off road assistance.

River training proves to be one of the most strenuous activities. Each member is required to train in the water equipped with a wetsuit, life jacket and helmet in order to protect themselves as they save the lives of others. Cars drifting over the edge of the bank and crashing into the river often require SAR expertise. Having a trailer ready at all times full of this type of emergency equipment has saved lives.

Standard procedure for an emergency follows after a call to dispatch is placed. “Depending on the call, the volunteers are notified through department pagers that are issued to them. A paid coordinator runs the incident, usually myself, Detective Rumfelt or Sergeant Briese. Either way, it's a sworn deputy sheriff,” said Ramirez.

“Typically we will meet at the sheriff’s office, and get the necessary equipment and vehicles: maps, GPS, water, etc. for a search, the swift water trailer, kayaks, boats for a river call or ropes, pulleys, carabineers for an over-the-bank vehicle accident. We then proceed to the scene and go from there. The team is also used for fire evacuations, 4X4 searches, ATV's, body recoveries, and special events,” Ramirez states.

Just a few weeks ago the SAR team was able to test its skills. After being notified of a missing child the SAR team sent out a “CodeRed” alert to each resident in the geographic zone that surrounded the point where the child was last seen. By enabling that message, SAR was able to find the young boy, notifying the neighbors via home phone with the alert.

It is the satisfaction of saving lives that attracts the volunteer citizens. Shawnee Long says she is

part of the SAR, “Because I have an interest in law enforcement as a career.”

For Mike Moeller it was in the family. “My grandfather had made me interested, being the president of the 4x4 team (responsible for fourwheel drive vehicles, quads and rhinos), whom work alongside S.A.R.”

Ramirez recalls being involved in search and rescue in Mariposa since he was just 14- years-old. For him what began as a childhood interest developed, into a fulltime career. At age 18 he joined the mountain posse, working alongside the sheriff’s office. By age 21, he was working full-time, starting as a reserve deputy. Since then, he has worked in several divisions of law enforcement including dispatch, narcotics, jail and patrol.

SAR members are quick to note the educational and professional accomplishments of their ranks. Recently one of their members, James Reichhold, was accepted to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Another former member, Tim Sturm, now runs the SAR program in Calaveras County. Sheriff-elect Doug Binnewies was also a former member and coordinator.

Matt Scharper is another former member and coordinator from the Mariposa SAR team. Growing up in Mariposa, Scharper was a SAR volunteer and eventually was hired as a deputy and succeeded to run the team longer than anyone. He still serves as a mentor to many on the team, and has moved on to a deputy chief position with the state’s Emergency Management Agency, as well as being the state SAR coordinator.

Many counties rely on “mutual aid” from each other. Mariposa recently utilized that cooperation to great effect. Ramirez explained, “During the search for the lost kid in Midpines, we had people from Tuolumne, Madera, Tulare Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties. Most counties rely on it, and we all help each other out.”

Scharper helps enable this mutual aid by coordinating a quarterly get together in Sacramento each year.

Along with dedicated time and effort, the volunteers pay for the majority of equipment expenses. Although boating and waterways funding pays for the bulk of the swift water and dive team gear, there is a considerable amount to be covered by the department and out of the volunteers’ pockets.

Donations are accepted to help out with the expensive, durable equipment. A potential fund raiser is being planned to raise both money and awareness for this team of dedicated lifesavers.

SAR seeks volunteers of all ages. They must be at least 14- years-old and enrolled in high school. There is a selection process that includes an application, interview and a background check for all applicants.

Anyone interested in becoming a part of the team or donating can call the sheriff’s office at 966-3615.