April 2017

On a mild Saturday afternoon in May of 2016, a group of teens embarked on a day-hike to Blanca Lake, in the remote Cascade Mountains.  As they hiked up the steep trail they had no way of knowing that one of them would soon be lost and in peril. They had no way of knowing that their plans would dramatically alter the Mother’s Day plans of Search and Rescue volunteers from across seven counties. They had no way of knowing how many strangers would sacrifice their time to search hazardous mountain terrain for someone they had never met. As the teens worked their way up the arduous trail, they encountered snow above 3000 feet, making the trail slippery and hard to follow.  Soon, one member of the group, an 18 year old female, decided she did not want to continue.  She informed her friends that she would hike back down alone and meet them at the trailhead. Late in the afternoon, when the group returned to the trail head their friend was not there.  After waiting some time and trying to find her they called 911 at 9PM that night.  Local Sheriff Deputies responded and were unable to reach her […]

Randy Fay, Snohomish County Volunteer Search and Rescue President As we kind of “slop” our way into this year’s Spring season our personnel are emerging from a winter of extensive training in all disciplines, refurbishing equipment, pre-planning for the upcoming remote area rescue season and conducting our recently held Safety Summit.  We recognize that maintaining a strong vigilance related to safety can be a perishable skill so annually we stand down the organization to conduct a day of safety-themed classes and equipment inspection.  Our highest priority as an organization is to focus on the things that will ensure the safety of our members and those we serve. As our eyes turn to the approaching increase in our mission workload I want to encourage you to conduct your own family safety summit as you prepare to return to enjoying your outdoor sports and recreation.  Please haul out your equipment, check it over, think through the risks you may be exposed to this season and plan accordingly. As we look back on 50 years of service to the community, we also look forward to serving for years to come!  Stay tuned as we roll out some celebratory events this year! Thank you for your […]

On August 19, 1958 then Sheriff Bob Twitchell signed a letter authorizing the setup of a land, air and sea rescue unit as part of the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office. An article in the Everett Herald said: “A 14-man team is trained and officially designated and ready to tackle this county’s search and rescue missions. The team is called the Snohomish County Search and Rescue Unit…The men who comprise the unit—the county’s first organization set up solely for search and rescue – went through a stiff 28-week training course, one that honed and broadened skills needed for their job. Now they are a compact unit ready to move quickly to any trouble spot in the area.” And from those beginnings, in the midst of a record heatwave, on August 22, 1967 a new nonprofit was born. Snohomish County Volunteer Search and Rescue, Inc. was formed as an independent organization, but still working closely with the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office. So, now 50 years later it is time to celebrate! In the years since 1967 we have continued to grow from that original team of 14 men to nearly 300 men and women volunteers who respond to search and rescue missions […]