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WarmFuzzies

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So I'm not sure if there is a link to a thread about this that's available, but I'm wondering what interesting job or volunteer opportunties are open to me. I've had my EMT-B cert for over a year now, 1 year exp on an ambulance, 6 mos as a trauma tech in the ER. I was wondering about things like search and rescue, etc. any ideas are welcome, but if there's anything specific to the LA area that'd be even better.

thanks!
 
My territory!!!

In California all Search and Rescue is organized through the county Sheriffs, so anyone interested in SAR in California, contact your local sheriff (or check out their website). I believe that the primary team in LA is the Montrose SAR Team. http://montrosesar.org/ Go to the Links page for other teams in that area that might interest you. However, the Montrose folks are excellent! Our team has had some great experience with them:

http://www.mymotherlode.com/news/local/news_detail.php?ID=32460

http://www.mymotherlode.com/news/local/news_detail.php?ID=32462 (the small RN wearing the gloves and the guy in green in the background are both Montrose)

On of the Mine Prescue Pctures is in my pictures also.
 
Flight-LP said:
Not completely accurate.........

www.cap.gov

Search and rescue opportunities nationwide.
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No, I am still right. California State Law states that the County Sheriff is responsible for only 3 things: A Jail and the security that goes with this, a corner service, and SAR. How each sheriff chooses to provide those things are up to them. Some Sheriffs Offices have their own SAR teams that they manage, while some areas have teams that are not part of the Sheriff's Office, but act under their dirrection. SAR is a Law issue! When CAP is called in to help on a call, they do so at the bidding of the local Sheriff and act under their dirrection. No matter what county you go to in CA, the Sheriff is control of SAR and can request whatever resources they need through CalEMA or thriough Mutual Aid Contracts. the links I provided are not for Sheriff's Teams, but private teams that work under the the LA County SO because they are in charge. Our team, for instance is dirrectly managed by the SO, so we are all sworn Sheriff's Officials. If we need outside assistance from other agencies (CAP, Forest Service, CalEMA, National Guard, CARDA, other SAR Teams, etc...) we will request that help, but we are still ion charge because SAR is the resposibility of and organizedthrough each counties Sheriff.
 
Mountain Res-Q said:
No, I am still right. California State Law states that the County Sheriff is responsible for only 3 things: A Jail and the security that goes with this, a corner service, and SAR.
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It's a bogus point. The sheriff may call for the assistance of CAP, but he does not "organize" the CAP, and has nothing to do with the operation of CAP. The point that LP was making is that one need not talk to their local sheriff's office in order to find any and all SAR opportunities. And he is correct.
 
AJ Hidell said:
It's a bogus point. The sheriff may call for the assistance of CAP, but he does not "organize" the CAP, and has nothing to do with the operation of CAP. The point that LP was making is that one need not talk to their local sheriff's office in order to find any and all SAR opportunities. And he is correct.
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I never said "organize CAP". I said "organizes SAR" (as in Search and Rescue Operation/Mission). As long as CAP or any other SAR agency is operating in that particular county, they act under the dirrection of that County Sheriff. It's not a matter of personal interpretation, it is STATE LAW. But no, you are right that in order to join SAR you so not need to go through your local Sheriff, but since many County Sheriff's mainatain there own team, what I was saying is that it might be helpful talk to them, since most don't realize that SAR is a Law Enforcement resposibility in most places. But those individual private organizations (such as CAP or Montrose or Sierra Madra) must be mobilized under the dirrection of the Law Enforcement Agency having jurisdiction over that area (in CA that is the SO).

P.S. The one exception to the Sheriff having complete oversight over all SAR Operations in their county (in CA) are 3 National Parks in CA, who (being Federal) actually run their own SAR in teh National Park without any involvemtn from the Sheriff(s) of the counties they exist in. i.e. half of Yosemite is technically in my county, but we (a Sheriff's SAR Team) don't respond into the park (even if it is our county) unless a Mutual Aid Request is made and then we respond and act under their dirrection, just as they would if coming to assist us.
 
Most CAP missions traverse multiple counties, as well as state lines. They are not controlled by any sheriff. Specific, local operations may occasionally be under a sheriff's direction, but that would not usually be the case for the CAP.
 
AJ Hidell said:
Most CAP missions traverse multiple counties, as well as state lines. They are not controlled by any sheriff. Specific, local operations may occasionally be under a sheriff's direction, but that would not usually be the case for the CAP.
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CAP is a federally organized group. In order to be utalized in a mission (at least in California) the agency having jurisdiction over the SAR (the county Sheriff the mission originated from) must make an official request through the State for additional resources. That county still maintains operational authority and dirrects the search efforst of ALL resources in the field. I never said that the organization is controlled by a Sheriff, but that when used in a SAR they do not have operational command over the operation; that stays with county sheriff of origin. I have been involved in many missions like this where we needed outside help from numerous County, State, Federal, and Private agencies, but we (as duly appointed agencts of the county Sheriff) maintained logistical command. This is an ICS issue. We "control" (dirrect the actions of) all resources being used on a mission. Consider another "Big News Story" SAR mission from 2 years ago: the Mt. Hood SAR for those 3 missing climbers. Dozens of agencies particiapated in that operation. But did they all do whatever they wanted? No, the County SherifF (seen prominently in the news) was the Agency in Charge. How actiuve they actually were in the planning and operations is unknown to me, but legally the resposibility to provide SAR lied with them, not CAP or the Military or the Private SAR groups.
 
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Three lost hikers on a known mountain is a lot different situation than three people missing in a plane somewhere between Sacremento and Boise, Idaho. Again, which county sheriff would be directing interstate SAR operations like that?
 
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AJ Hidell said:
Three lost hikers on a known mountain is a lot different situation than three people missing in a plane somewhere between Sacremento and Boise, Idaho. Again, which county sheriff would be directing interstate SAR operations like that?
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According to the National SAR Plan all SAR in the continintal US is organized under the overall dirrection of the Air Force for exactly the type of operatio you ask about. In a case like this the Air Force Cneter (don;t remember it's official title) in Virginia would be notified of the transponder signal loss. they would organize the operations and every agency involved would follow their dirrection, including CAp and all county Sheriff's. However, your example this operation originated at the National Level as it crossed State Lines. Every day in the U.S SAR Mission ahppen. How many involve downed planes somewhere in the US? Most are more confined to a county ans operates under local authority. The Air Force is not gonna swoop in and save teh day everytime a hiker goes missing. Scenerio like mine happens far more often than yours. I've been involved in hundreds of SARs that were county in origin (even if we needed State or Federal Aid) and can think of only one where we were contacted by the Feds to assist and act under their dirrection.

As I said before, SAR is organized on the local level through County Law Enforcement, which is what this threads original question originated from. He wanted to know how to get involved in something volunteer like SAR in Los Angeles County. That was where my abbreviated answer came from.
 
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