2022 has been a “returning to normal” for Search & Rescue, with more in-person
meetings and training occurring, rather than remotely as was the “norm” for 2020
and 2021. Motivated volunteers have always been the lifeblood of our organization,
and we are always looking for a few good men and women to join us. We also do not
charge for rescues, but we do rely on donations to meet our financial obligations.

Volunteering with SCVSAR has been our family’s response to this amazing organization,
following the rescue of our son and his friends off Three Fingers Mountain back in

2008. What would be your response if your life were saved, or the life of a loved one?

SCVSAR volunteers attend monthly meetings with their “home” Unit: Alderwood,
Everett Mountain Rescue Unit (EMRU), Explorer (ages 14-18), Marysville, Operations
Support Unit (OSU), or Snohomish. Anyone with any skills at all, and with the right heart
and attitude, can meaningfully support this wonderful organization. We need field
qualified personnel to go on missions; one of our most common missions is a “pack
out” of an injured hiker from any one of our very popular trails. We need motivated
field qualified personnel to be trained for special operations units and teams, such as
EMRU (technical & snow mountain rescue), the Swiftwater Rescue Team (SRT), the K-9,
4 x 4 and Tracking Teams, and the Helicopter Rescue Team (HRT). We even have an
Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) team, operating state of the art drones to assist in
rescues and recoveries.

There are plenty of opportunities for support roles in Search & Rescue. The Operations
Support Unit (OSU) supplies the support personnel for the Command Vehicle
(documentation, mapping, communications & planning), and for the Food Truck. If you
are interested in volunteering, please go to www.scvsar.org/volunteer.
While not everyone can put in the time to become a Search & Rescue Volunteer,
many people who love the outdoors can financially support the people who will drop
everything that they are doing to help others in need. Someday, the mission could very
well be for you or for someone that you love. Please consider making a tax-deductible
donation to Snohomish Count Volunteer Search & Rescue (www.scvsar.org/donate), a
501c3 organization, this year, and consider donating to SCVSAR every year. Know that
your dollars are going to a great cause; know that your funds would be carefully and
thoughtfully allocated to where they are most needed; and know that you’re making a
tremendous difference. Thank you very much.

Heidi McKeon
Snohomish County Volunteer Search and Rescue President