Community Call Center
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 1885 Durango, CO 81302
Community Call Center
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 1885 Durango, CO 81302
At La Plata County Search and Rescue (LPCSAR), our initiatives provide the critical funding necessary to sustain and expand our life-saving operations. Every year, we respond to calls for lost, injured, or stranded individuals in Durango, CO, La Plata County, and the surrounding areas. Whether searching through dense forests, scaling rugged cliffs, or tracking lost hikers in remote alpine terrain, our volunteers rely on community-backed initiatives to remain prepared for any emergency.
Through fundraising initiatives, we secure advanced equipment, specialized training, and essential resources. Without this support, our team wouldn’t have the tools or knowledge needed to respond effectively. Your contribution directly strengthens our mission and ensures we can continue helping those in distress.
We organize various initiatives throughout the year to enhance our search and rescue capabilities. These initiatives empower our volunteers with the resources they need to locate, rescue, and aid those in distress. With outdoor recreation in Durango, CO, increasing every year, the demand for SAR services is growing. Your contributions ensure that we remain ready when the next call for help comes.
RADIOS for RESCUE has been a successful fundraising initiative to help LPCSAR teams acquire sophisticated 800 MHz radios so they can readily communicate with each other on the front lines and coordinate resources needed from support partners. With a cost per radio of $3500, RADIOS for RESCUE supports equipment acquisition costs and a reasonable replacement strategy. WE THANK THE COMMUNITY FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!
LPCSAR operates under the authority of the La Plata County Sheriff’s Department but remains entirely volunteer-based. Our team receives no direct taxpayer funding and instead relies on donations, grants, and fundraising efforts. Without these initiatives, we wouldn’t have the ability to:
Replace worn-out gear that keeps our team safe.
Provide cutting-edge training for our swiftwater, high-angle, UAS (drone), and K9 teams.
Support search efforts spanning rugged canyons, alpine terrain, and dense forests.
Improve mission coordination through advanced mapping and tracking software.
When someone goes missing in La Plata County, our team is ready to respond 24/7, in any conditions. This wouldn’t be possible without community support.
There are multiple ways to support LPCSAR initiatives and help our team continue saving lives:
Regardless of the method, your support plays an active role in saving lives.
Every contribution to our initiatives directly impacts LPCSAR’s ability to perform rescues. Here are just a few examples of how your donations make a difference:
Recently, our team used donation-funded GPS devices to locate an injured hiker on a remote trail in La Plata County. Without high-accuracy mapping tools, locating individuals in rugged terrain would take far longer.
Through community-backed funding, all of our members have received first aid training like Wilderness First Aid (WFA) training. This training proved vital when treating an injured backcountry participant before transport to emergency care.
Thanks to generous donors, LPCSAR now utilizes UAS drones equipped with thermal imaging. These tools helped locate a missing camper in Durango, CO, on a cold winter night, significantly reducing the search time.
These real-world impacts show that every donation, big or small, directly contributes to life-saving rescues.
LPCSAR is more than just a search and rescue team—we are a lifeline for those in distress. Whether you contribute financially, volunteer, or help spread awareness, you are part of our mission to protect and serve La Plata County.
