Spokane7
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February 7, 2010 in Outdoors
Rescuers would be hard to find without help from volunteers
About 130 search and rescue volunteers from Idaho and Washington gathered at Priest Lake State Park last weekend to try shelter-building and other survival skills.
(Full-size photo)
Usually news reports mention them only in passing, something like this:
“The injured hunter was found this morning by a search and rescue team after being reported missing last night …”
Most people assume there’s a “search and rescue team” sitting in a fire station or sheriff’s office waiting for an emergency call.
Not so.
While sheriff’s offices have staff to lead searches, most of the on-the-ground and up-the-hills effort is handled by volunteers who have skills and desire to help people in distress. They might be snowmobilers, ATVers, skiers, hikers, mountain climbers, equestrians, kayakers, radio hobbyists, teenage Explorers …
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