SCVSAR has published its annual newsletter – available here: 2024 Annual Newsletter

On Sunday night, September 29th, Everett Mountain Rescue (EMR) responded to a call for a hiker who suffered severe injuries after falling off trail, sliding down a wet, slippery slope, and landing on hard rock in a cold pool of water. Fortunately, other hikers nearby heard cries for help and were able to pull the hiker from the water and call for emergency assistance. EMR quickly responded alongside other SCVSAR units to the scene. The subject sustained multiple serious injuries and was also suffering from hypothermia due to prolonged exposure from the cold water and dropping temperatures. Our teams immediately provided medical care to stabilize, administer first aid, and warm the subject. Given the steep terrain, teams secured the subject in a litter and implemented a rigging system to safely lift the subject back up to the trail. From there, the subject was transported back to the trailhead to receive further medical care. This mission is a testament to the importance of ongoing training, teamwork, and preparation. We are incredibly grateful to all the volunteers who responded, the medical teams that took over the subject care once back at the trailhead, and the hikers who played a role in this […]

“That Others May Live.” It’s a powerful statement spelled out across our logo and shoulder patch. But it’s more than that. It’s what we do. It’s what drives us as we regularly “go in harm’s way” to find and assist those in need. We are a 100% volunteer organization of over 400 members, all of whom stand ready to drop everything, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, to trek into the wilderness or urban settings. Our missions are often dangerous, but people desperately need our help, and we respond. Even as I write this, we have team members deep in the backcountry, likely traversing some of the season’s first snow cover to help a stranded hiker caught by the first bad weather of the season. Try as we might, we can’t do what we do without your help. With your donation and support, you join us as “we go together into harm’s way so that others may live.” Your financial gifts help bring our teams home safely by ensuring they are well trained and properly equipped to do what is necessary to bring our loved ones home. As volunteers, we assure you that none […]

Where the Rope Ends is a documentary film about Nichole Doane’s life and her lifesaving/lifechanging rescue by SCVSAR. Since 2017, Nichole and Film Director Baylee Sinner have spent many hundreds of hours making this film, with the end goal to support not only SCVSAR, but Search and Rescue organizations nationwide. More than 30 SAR events were held across the country and into Canada, raising tens of thousands of dollars and attracting numerous new volunteers. 100% of the proceeds went directly to the SAR teams that participated. Film festivals attended thus far include the following: • Atlanta Documentary Film Festival • WorldFest-Houston (Silver Remi Award Winner) • Sun Valley Film Festival • Utah Film Festival (nominated Best Documentary) • No Man’s Land Film Festival • Spokane International Film Festival (Spiffy Award for Best Northwest Feature) • Poppy Jasper International Film Festival (Best Documentary Feature Film) • Las Vegas International Film Festival (nominated Best Documentary) • Los Angeles Documentary Film Festival (Winner of Best Feature Film) Where the Rope Ends has been approved for a National PBS broadcast: it could air for up to three years on 356 stations across the country, reaching millions of viewers. Visit the film’s website and find […]

On August 17th, 2024, Snohomish County Volunteer Search and Rescue, Inc. hosted its annual Volunteer Recognition and Awards Picnic at our headquarters, Taylor’s Landing, a cherished tradition that brings together our steadfast volunteers, their families, and associated members of the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office. This year’s event was particularly special because it honored the hard work and unwavering dedication of our volunteers, both past and present. The picnic provided a warm atmosphere, filled with camaraderie and appreciation. Families gathered to celebrate their loved ones’ contributions, and special guests joined in to recognize the vital role these volunteers play in our community. As part of the celebration, SCVSAR presented their annual Tibke Award to this year’s recipient, but rather than an individual, the award this year went to the hard-working SAR Food Truck crew. These devoted members feed everyone on rescue and recovery missions that can sometimes extend for multiple days. The Tibke Award is SCVSAR’s highest award, established in memory of Terry Tibke, a dedicated volunteer of SCVSAR and is an annual award that honors exceptional contributions to SCVSAR. From injured hikers, to dementia walkaways, to rescue/ recovery missions, the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office would not be able to operate […]

On a cool March afternoon, our dedicated Search and Rescue volunteers sprang into action to search for an elderly man with dementia who had gone missing during a walk. Living with family, he had stepped out but did not return, raising immediate concerns due to his cognitive impairment and age. Recognizing the urgency of the situation, the family called 911 and we mobilized our volunteers to begin the search. The search effort was comprehensive and multifaceted. K9 teams, drones, and ground searchers were deployed, along with volunteers scouring the area in vehicles. Teams went door to door, checking with neighbors about whether they had seen the man, while flyers were posted online to broaden our reach. A drone was sent up to survey the landscape from above, and K9 units began searching outward from his last known location. As the search progressed, a keen-eyed K9 handler noticed a subtle change in the dog’s behavior near the edge of a steep, wooded slope. This observation prompted the team to investigate further, leading them down the slope where, nestled in the bushes, they discovered the missing man. His condition could have been dire had it not been for the handler’s astute awareness […]

The 2023 SCVSAR fundraising letter is now available here.

The SCVSAR Fall 2023 newsletter is now available here

Press release from the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office: On June 17 around 9:30 p.m., our on-call Search and Rescue (SAR) coordinator was paged for a mission in the area of Three Fingers. It was reported that three distressed hikers were stuck in thick fog and rain, about two miles from the lookout. There was a significant amount of snow on the ground, and the hikers were not equipped for overnight sheltering. Cell service was sporadic but available enough for our SAR coordinator to call and talk to the reporting party. The three hikers were siblings in their 20’s who traveled here from out of state. They were wet and very cold. They described almost sliding down a heavily snowed area with a steep slope and stated they could not make it back due to the conditions. They had sleeping bags with them, but no shelter to protect them. Due to the damaged bridge and washout on FS-41, SAR ground teams had to use E-bikes and quads through the first 8 miles just to reach the trailhead. The ground teams then had to hike up 7 miles to reach the three siblings who needed help. It took the first hasty team […]

On the first weekend in October, that one that felt more like summer than summer, SCVSAR had the opportunity to host several out-of-county teams for a weekend of training.  Oftentimes, search and rescue teams do not get the chance to practice working together or sharing resources unless it is during a mass emergency that requires this level of participation. What an advantage to have spent three days in an enriched learning environment with the ability to focus on this collaborative goal. New skill sets were developed, enhanced understanding of team capabilities could be acknowledged, questions were presented so that problems could be solved, and some epic storytelling by the fire also took place. We hope to build on this type of training for an annual event, as we learned far more than we imagined. The first weekend in October also kicked-off the premier of Where The Rope Ends, a documentary film about Nichole Doane’s life and her lifesaving rescue by SCVSAR. Where The Rope Endsis now officially launched and will be viewed at upcoming film festivals and, most importantly, at local SAR organizations as a community fundraising event. SCVSAR will be sharing the documentary with our community in the Spring of 2024 […]