Marin County Search and Rescue

This weekend Marin County Search and Rescue (SAR) members trained on US&R (Urban Search and Rescue) operations. With this assistance of Marin County Fire Departments US&R Team, Task Force 1, team members trained on a variety of skills including shoring, breaching, chainsaw operations, and moving large pieces of material with cribbing and pry bars. In the event of a large natural disaster such as an earthquake, team members can assist with operations to rescue victims from light wood frame structures.

Keeping in touch with past members! Are you a former member of the Marin Search and Rescue Team? If you are, we now have an alumni newsletter that goes out several times a year to keep you informed in what's going on with the team. We recognize that even members from decades ago still have an investment in the program and we want to stay in touch. Please email [email protected] if you'd like to be added to our newsletter.

Early evening of August 9th, San Rafael Police Department requested Marin SAR for a search of a missing elderly dementia walk away in Terra Linda. 57 Marin Search and Rescue team members responded to the scene. Alongside SRPD, team members began searching the neighborhood as well as surrounding open space. Approximately 45 minutes into the search, a search team was flagged down by a citizen who reported seeing someone matching the missing persons description near their apartment. The search team continued into the area and located the missing person alive and well. San Rafael Fire responded to evaluate the subject. These searches rely on strong teamwork. In this case cooperation between San Rafael Police, Marin Sheriff, Marin SAR, the community and San Rafael Fire to brought a positive outcome!

Earlier this week Marin SAR supported the Pt Reyes National Seashore Rangers for National Lighthouse Day. In celebration of this event, the historic lighthouse was re lit. Marin SAR assisted Pt Reyes NPS rangers in case anyone needed evacuation up the 313 steps. We were honored to be a part of this event!

Marin SAR assisted Humboldt with remote search planning and had 20 members almost at the scene when Jake was safely located. We were relieved at the outcome. California's mutual aid system coordinated by CALOES has been active almost every day in the North State responding to SAR missions.

"At lunch, there was one chicken sandwich left over from the Honeydew Store. The Incident Commander asked if anyone wanted the extra sandwich to refuel after the grueling search conditions. One SAR volunteer simply replied, "That one's for Jake." 👉 Read more on Redheaded Blackbelt.

Over the past week, 65 Marin Search and Rescue team members joined numerous other California and Oregon SAR teams, CHP, CAL OES, California National Gaurd and the Civil Air Patrol to support the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s office in the search for a missing backpacker in the Klamath National Forest. Marin SAR members were deployed via helicopter and UTV into the backcountry to search. Teams camped in the field overnight and searched multiple days.

Recently two Marin Search and Rescue team members participated in a joint e bike training with Contra Costa County SAR. After a discussion about Marin SARs e-bike program including our equipment and training, Marin SAR members participated in a mock search alongside Contra Costa E bike teams. Joint trainings such as this help ensure an effective unified responses to SAR incidents in the Bay Area and across California.

On Monday evening, Marin SAR completed a simulated fire evacuation drill of the Atherton area of Novato. Training started with a review of fire safety operations, how evacuations are carried out, and the use of CALTopo during a disaster. We then split into three divisions where we simulated evacuations utilizing CALTopo to status properties over a wide area. This included a simulated evacuation of Deer Island Openspace of hikers. Teams also participated in an exercise where they simulated evacuating elderly residents out of their homes with the cooperation of local homeowners in area. This type of training is very important for SAR members to participate in disaster operations, and work with multiple agencies. Thank you to Novato Fire for the use of their facility!

It has been a busy several days for Marin SAR. On Wednesday, Marin SAR was requested to assist Mendocino County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue with a search for a missing autistic nonverbal 10 year old in the area of Fort Bragg. Marin SAR deployed alongside teams from Mendocino, Lake, Sonoma, Humboldt, Napa, Santa Clara, BAMRU, and CALSAR. On Thursday morning, SAR team members located the missing 10 year old alive and well in an abandoned remote cabin, almost a mile away from his home. On Friday we responded to assist San Francisco PD with a search for a missing elderly dementia subject. Marin SAR worked closely with San Francisco and UCSF Police along with SAR teams from San Mateo, BAMRU and CALSAR to search the open space near Mount Sutro. The missing subject was located alive and well by UCSF Police several hours into the search.

Missing person searches are complex incidents requiring collaboration between multiple search and rescue teams, law enforcement, and fire agencies. We are fortunate to have a great working relationship with teams across the state, allowing all of us to work together towards positive outcomes.

Yesterday, several Marin SAR members completed UTV training in the Marin Municipal Watershed. Team members learned how to safely operate our UTV in different terrain. Our UTV allows us to transport searchers and equipment into areas normal vehicles can’t travel.

When the team was wrapping up the training they were requested by Marin Water District Rangers and Marin County Fire to assist with a trail rescue on the Cataract Trail. Marin SAR members arrived on scene and provided initial patient care with rangers until fire units arrived. Team members then assisted county fire with the litter carryout.