About the Team

60 volunteers. One call away.

Organized under the Utah County Sheriff's Office Emergency Services division. Trained, equipped, and ready to respond when the backcountry turns dangerous.

The county is 2,144 square miles. We cover all of it.

Mountains, cliffs, caves, rivers, and lakes. Utah County's terrain draws hundreds of thousands of residents and visitors every year. Most come home safe. When they don't, the Sheriff's Office calls us.

Our team includes paramedics, nurses, doctors, EMTs, and experienced backcountry operators. More than half hold medical certifications. Everyone trains monthly. We handle technical rope rescue, swiftwater, open water dive, K9 search, cave rescue, singletrack response, and wilderness medicine.

Nobody on the team is paid. Members buy their own gear, drive their own vehicles, and leave work or bed when the call comes in.

Utah County SAR team in the field
SAR team performing a technical mountain rescue in heavy snow
Mountain rescue in snow Helicopter support during mountain operation Rescuer preparing gear in snow Technical rescue on steep terrain

Mountain Rescue

Utah County's cliffs and steep mountain slopes are some of the most extreme terrain in the state. We specialize in working safely in places most people can't reach. Technical rope systems, secure anchors, clear communication, and coordinated teamwork get trapped or injured hikers and climbers off the mountain and to waiting medical teams.

Mountain Rescue Experts
Team Member Name 12 years on the team
Team Member Name 8 years on the team
Your donations help fund
  • Static and dynamic rescue rope
  • Harnesses, anchors, and rigging hardware
  • Helmets and protective equipment
  • Litter and hauling systems
Donate
Search team working mountain terrain
Mountain search operation K9 unit on a search Ground team coordination Trail search operation

Search

When someone goes missing, we run organized search operations across desert, forest, and alpine terrain. The team uses systematic grid searches, expert tracking, lost-person behavior analysis, and air support to narrow the search area and find people fast.

Search Experts
Team Member Name 15 years on the team
Team Member Name 6 years on the team
Team Member Name 10 years on the team
Your donations help fund
  • GPS units and mapping equipment
  • Handheld radios and batteries
  • Night vision and thermal optics
  • Air support fuel costs
Donate
SAR K9 handler and search dog in the field
K9 handler and dog K9 working mountain terrain Handler and dog in the field K9 on trail

K9 Units

Several team members have trained search dogs that can cover ground and pick up trails that human teams alone cannot. Our K9 handlers and their dogs train year-round and deploy on searches where scent tracking can make the difference between hours and days.

K9 Experts
Team Member Name 9 years on the team
Your donations help fund
  • K9 training and certification
  • Veterinary care for working dogs
  • Handler equipment and packs
  • Scent training materials
Donate
Swiftwater rescue training
Swiftwater training River operations staging Water rescue equipment Swiftwater team gearing up

Swiftwater

Few emergencies put rescuers in more immediate danger than swiftwater scenarios. Our certified technicians understand hydraulic forces and how to work effectively in the most dangerous conditions our rivers produce. Spring runoff season is when these skills matter most.

Swiftwater Experts
Team Member Name 11 years on the team
Team Member Name 5 years on the team
Your donations help fund
  • Dry suits and rescue PFDs
  • Throw bags and tethering systems
  • Swiftwater rescue certification
  • Inflatable rescue craft
Donate
Open water rescue operations on Utah Lake
Utah Lake operations Water rescue training Lake operations Air support over water

Dive & Open Water

Utah Lake's 100,000 acres makes it a massive search area when boats capsize or people fail to return to shore. We deploy SCUBA divers, sonar, radar, and multiple watercraft. Real-time position mapping and historical weather data help narrow the search.

Dive & Open Water Experts
Team Member Name 14 years on the team
Team Member Name 7 years on the team
Your donations help fund
  • SCUBA tanks and regulators
  • Sonar and radar equipment
  • Boat and watercraft maintenance
  • Dive certification and training
Donate
SAR medical team in the backcountry
Backcountry medical response Medical response in winter Medical team in the field Patient care in backcountry

Emergency Medicine

Over half the team holds medical certifications. When a rescue takes hours in remote terrain, wilderness medicine training is what keeps patients stable and alive until they reach definitive care. The team includes paramedics, nurses, doctors, and EMTs.

Emergency Medicine Experts
Team Member Name 18 years on the team
Team Member Name 4 years on the team
Team Member Name 10 years on the team
Your donations help fund
  • Wilderness first aid kits and restocks
  • SAM splints and traction devices
  • Hemostatic gauze and chest seals
  • Wilderness medicine certification
Donate
SingleTrack motorcycle team on trail
SingleTrack on trail Trail access point Backcountry terrain Mountain trail response

SingleTrack

Hundreds of miles of steep, narrow trails wind through our mountains and deserts. Our motorcycle team of experienced riders covers ground far faster than foot teams, resolving searches quicker and accelerating treatment for medical emergencies when time is critical.

SingleTrack Experts
Team Member Name 13 years on the team
Team Member Name 3 years on the team
Your donations help fund
  • Motorcycle maintenance and tires
  • Fuel for training and callouts
  • Trail-ready medical packs
  • Communication equipment mounts
Donate
1974

Fifty years of showing up

Utah County Search & Rescue was founded in 1974 under the Utah County Sheriff's Office. Since then, the team has responded to over 23,000 rescue operations. The volunteers, the terrain, and the equipment have changed. The mission hasn't: when someone needs help in the backcountry, we go.

SAR team members gearing up

Get involved

We're always looking for capable people who want to put in the work. If you've got outdoor skills, medical training, or just a willingness to learn, the team wants to hear from you. Applications open every fall.

Join the Team Donate