Utah County Sheriff Search & Rescue

When someone gets lost or hurt in the backcountry, we go get them.

60 volunteers trained in mountain rescue, swiftwater, dive, K9 tracking, and emergency medicine. On call around the clock, every day of the year. Funded entirely by donations.

Support the Team
23,404
Rescues since 1974
60
Active Volunteers
2,144
Square Miles Covered
$0
Salary per Member

Volunteers with real rescue experience

Utah County covers 2,144 square miles of mountains, cliffs, caves, rivers, and lakes. It's one of the most geographically diverse counties in the country. When that terrain turns dangerous, the Sheriff's Office calls us.

Our team includes paramedics, nurses, doctors, EMTs, and seasoned backcountry operators. More than half the team holds medical certifications. Everyone trains monthly. We handle technical rope rescue, swift water, open water dive, K9 search, cave rescue, and backcountry emergency medicine.

We're not paid. We buy our own gear, drive our own vehicles, and leave work or bed when the call comes in.

More about the team
Utah County SAR team performing a mountain rescue in winter conditions

What We Do

SAR team performing a technical mountain rescue in heavy snow
Sheriff helicopter supporting a mountain operation
Rescuer gearing up in winter conditions

Technical rope systems on steep, exposed terrain. Cliff rescues, stranded climbers, injured hikers in places a helicopter can't reach.

See all team capabilities
Swiftwater rescue training in river conditions
Water operations in Utah County
SAR team responding on trail

Certified swiftwater technicians trained to work in the most dangerous conditions our rivers produce, especially during spring runoff.

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Dive and open water rescue operations on Utah Lake
Water rescue operations
Lakeside operations staging area

SCUBA, sonar, radar, and multiple watercraft covering Utah Lake's 100,000 acres and surrounding bodies of water.

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SAR K9 handler and search dog in the field
Search team working mountain terrain
Field team during a search mission

Trained search dogs and handlers who can cover ground and pick up trails that ground teams alone cannot.

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SAR medical team treating a patient in the backcountry
Technical rescue with medical response
Team gearing up for a rescue operation

Over half the team holds medical certifications. Wilderness medicine training keeps patients alive during rescues that can take hours.

See all team capabilities

From the Field

All stories
SAR team performing a technical rescue on steep mountain terrain
Rescue

April 12, 2026

Injured Climber Rescued from Timpanogos After 6-Hour Operation

A multi-agency effort involving Utah County SAR, DPS Aero Bureau, and Lone Peak Fire extracted a climber with a lower leg fracture from a ledge system at 9,800 feet. The team reached the patient by technical rope access after helicopter extraction was ruled out due to wind.

Read more
SAR team on a mountain search operation
In the News

March 24, 2026

Search and Rescue Crews Brace for Busy Season

Record warmth is pushing hikers onto trails earlier than usual. Teams across the Wasatch Front are preparing for what could be a longer, more active season.

Read more
SAR team members during training
Team

February 8, 2026

Spring Training Season Kicks Off
Swiftwater rescue training
Safety

January 15, 2026

Spring Runoff: What You Need to Know Before You Go
Dive team operations on Utah Lake
Rescue

December 3, 2025

Dive Team Recovers Missing Boater on Utah Lake

If you need search and rescue

Call 911. County dispatch will contact us directly. Do not try to call the SAR team yourself. Stay where you are if it's safe to do so, conserve your phone battery, and keep your phone on.

For Emergencies Call 911