GROUND SEARCH AND RESCUE

WHERE THE SEARCH BEGINS

If you love the outdoors and want to serve your community, the El Dorado Search and Rescue Ground Team is where you want to be.

Every El Dorado Search and Rescue volunteer has the opportunity to learn Ground Team search and rescue techniques when they go through EDSAR Academy training, regardless of which teams they would like to join.

As the eyes, ears, and boots on the ground, the Ground Team covers large areas while enabling a thorough and detailed examination of the search area.

Foundational skills and training together reinforce collaboration, coordination, and communication which is paramount for the systematic and methodical methods used to effectively locate, render aid, and safely extract lost, injured, or missing individuals.

El Dorado Search and Rescue Ground team packages and transports the patient in a rescue liter

Transporting packaged patient in a rescue litter through thick brush

El Dorado Search and Rescue Ground Team Member navigates El Dorado County's rugged terrain

El Dorado County's rugged terrain requires training, endurance, safety

Trained to navigate diverse and challenging terrains, from dense forests to rugged mountains, Ground Team Members must be practiced in capabilities that include:

In California, the SAR typing system is primarily governed by the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and is based on the FIRESCOPE resource typing system, which is widely used in wildland firefighting.

Typing is a system used to categorize and classify SAR teams and resources based on their capabilities and qualifications. This system helps ensure that the appropriate resources are deployed to incidents, improving efficiency and effectiveness in SAR operations.

EDSAR's search training progresses from Type 4 Urban Searchers to highly skilled Type 1 Searchers. Type 1 Searchers are extensively trained to handle complex and large-scale incidents, capable of 72-hour deployments in demanding environments. These environments may include rugged terrain, extreme weather (snow, ice, desert heat), altitudes exceeding 7000 feet, heavy ground cover, and steep, challenging inclines.

El Dorado Search and Rescue Ground Team navigates by compass over hazards in the dark

Navigating by maps in the dark while avoiding backcountry hazards

Image of two hands holding a red heart that has the logo for El Dorado County Search and Rescue with text at the bottom in red that says "CLICK TO DONATE"

EDSAR volunteers dedicate countless hours, often at their own expense, to train and respond to emergencies.

Your donation directly supports our Ground Team's ability to respond to emergencies and will help us maintain our rescue vehicles, cover insurance costs, and replenish essential supplies for remote operations. Together, we can ensure that our team is always prepared to continue their liveaving work to keep our community safe.