Community Call Center
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 1885 Durango, CO 81302
Community Call Center
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 1885 Durango, CO 81302
La Plata County Search and Rescue (LPCSAR) is made up of dedicated volunteers with diverse skills, each bringing unique expertise to our lifesaving missions. Our teams specialize in a variety of critical disciplines, from technical rope rescues to K9 tracking, ensuring we are prepared for any situation.
Whether navigating treacherous terrain, deploying drones for aerial searches, or responding to medical emergencies in remote areas, every team within LPCSAR plays a vital role. Below, you’ll find descriptions of our specialized teams and how they work together to save lives.
If you have the heart of a rescuer and the drive to help others, we want you! Take the first step toward joining LPCSAR by visiting our application page to find our more.
Our Air Ops Observation Team leverages helicopters to conduct thorough aerial searches for missing individuals across La Plata County’s rugged and diverse terrain. This team is comprised of skilled observers trained to spot subtle clues from the air, such as tracks, clothing, or signs of distress. Working closely with pilots and ground teams, the Air Ops Observation Team ensures seamless coordination to maximize search efficiency. Equipped with advanced optics and communication tools, this team plays a critical role in covering large areas quickly and identifying inaccessible locations for ground teams to investigate. Their ability to provide a bird’s-eye view often becomes the pivotal factor in successful rescues.
At the present time we have a waiting list to join the LPCSAR K-9 team, and we will be happy to put your name on the list. In the interim, we hope that the following information will help get you started.
Our team trains three days a week which translates into approximately 750 hours a year in training. Our scheduled trainings are on Tuesday afternoon and evening, and all day Friday and Saturday.
Here are some websites to check out which may be helpful:
www.nationalsearchdogalliance.org
These sites will give you an idea of the time commitment, testing standards, and handler requirements. As you may know, it takes between 1,000 – 1,500 hours of training to field a dog/handler unit in a single discipline and longer if you cross train in multiple disciplines. This training generally takes 2 to 3 years to complete prior to the testing process. Our team uses standards developed by the National Search Dog Alliance.
In terms of reading material the following books are good starting points:
“Scent and the Scenting Dog” – Syrotuck
“Scent – Training to Track” – Pearsall
“Search and Rescue Dogs”-American Rescue Dog Assn
“Ready” – Bulanda
“Practical Scent Dog training” – Button
We recommend taking a comprehensive seminar. Our team uses High Country K-9 in Montana as a training consultant and evaluator. The website is www.highcountryk9.org There are also other groups around the country which offer seminars.
The Canine Team is a volunteer canine search and rescue team. The team is made up of dogs and handlers who assist in locating lost persons on wilderness search and rescue missions. The dogs are trained and handled by their owners. It generally requires over one thousand hours of consistent training for a dog/handler unit to become operational. This training process usually takes from two to three years. Handlers must also become skilled in navigation, scent theory, search strategy, and canine first aid.
The dog breeds most suitable for SAR work are the herding, working, and sporting breeds. SAR dogs must have the desire to work and the endurance to search for hours in mountainous terrain, often in extreme weather conditions. SAR dogs should be confident, obedient, agile, and outgoing.
Our Communications Team ensures every SAR operation is supported with reliable and effective communication systems. Team members are experts in two-way radio systems, GPS technology, and other critical tools. Whether assisting with logistics, mapping, or managing radio communications, they provide the backbone of operational safety and efficiency. The team works from home, relay stations, or Incident Command Posts to keep our searchers connected, informed, and coordinated.
Our Community Outreach Team drives engagement with the public by delivering presentations on outdoor safety and wilderness preparedness. They also manage our social media platforms, sharing updates and insights about our missions and activities. Beyond online outreach, they connect with the community at local events, providing safety education and fostering support for our mission. Their enthusiasm shines during events like the Snowdown Parade, where they showcase our work and build meaningful connections with the public.
The concept of a hasty team is an initial response team of two or more well trained, self-sufficient and highly mobile searchers and / or rescuers whose primary responsibility is to check those areas most likely to produce a subject first.
Optimum skills of a search hasty team include track and sign awareness, including clue and subject awareness.
Familiarity with local terrain and inherent dangers of the immediate areas are of advantage. Hasty Team members should be prepared to move relatively quickly and light, perhaps four to six hours in duration. In case of helicopter insertion, complete self-sufficiency in the outdoors for a period up to 24 hours is desirable – you might not make it out via helicopter as planned.
Hasty Team members should be able to mobilize to respond (be behind the wheel) to the staging area within 15 minutes.
Our IT Team keeps LPCSAR connected and operational by managing web design, IT systems, and technical support. Whether creating solutions for mission coordination or maintaining digital resources, they ensure seamless technology integration. Although they rarely deploy in the field, their contributions are critical to the success of every mission. The IT Team works behind the scenes to ensure technology never becomes a barrier during search operations.
Our Medical Team equips LPCSAR with essential medical knowledge and skills to handle emergencies during missions. They focus on training members to assess and treat common injuries and trauma in challenging environments. This team also emphasizes proper documentation using our Patient Care Report (PCR) form, ensuring continuity of care. Their expertise and dedication enhance the safety and effectiveness of every rescue.
Our Moto Team consists of skilled riders using dirt bikes, ATVs, and side-by-sides to navigate rugged terrain during SAR missions. They bring extensive knowledge of local trails, physical endurance, and well-maintained equipment to every callout. Whether covering vast areas quickly or accessing hard-to-reach locations, this team provides critical mobility and support in challenging environments.
Our Operational Preparedness Team ensures LPCSAR is always ready to respond. They meticulously stock and maintain SAR vehicles, track equipment, and manage inventory before and after missions. This team’s dedication to readiness ensures our resources are always in peak condition, supporting the success of every mission.
Our Rescue Deployment Team (RDT) specializes in aerial rescues, coordinating with helicopter resources like Flight for Life and Montrose Helitak. Comprised of highly skilled members, the RDT excels in managing landing zones and executing technical extractions. Their expertise ensures seamless integration of air resources into SAR operations.
Our Resiliency Team focuses on the mental health and well-being of LPCSAR members. They provide resources, training, and support to ensure team members are prepared to face the physical and emotional demands of SAR missions. Their work fosters a culture of care, resilience, and long-term sustainability for our team.
Our Search Management Team (SMT) leads the organization and strategy behind SAR missions, working closely with Incident Commanders to provide investigative, logistical, and resource support. They analyze information, develop search strategies, and coordinate efforts to ensure efficient and effective operations. This team’s leadership is key to the success of every mission.
Our Snowmobile Team collaborates with the Winter Response Team to navigate challenging winter terrains during SAR missions. Equipped with specialized skills and well-maintained snowmobiles, they provide swift mobility in snowy landscapes. Their expertise ensures rapid responses to winter emergencies in even the most remote locations.
With high potential of whitewater related incidents happening on any of the many creeks and rivers in the area, the Swiftwater Rescue Team is prepared to respond. The team is made up of many formally trained individuals with solid experience in whitewater travel and swiftwater rescue. We train for likely scenarios that could happen in La Plata County and would potentially involve inflow access, stabilization, and transport issues. We focus on performing timely, efficient, and effective rescues of individuals or groups using the safest and most current rescue techniques.
The technical ropes team supports SAR when someone needs help in climbing situations. High-angle rescue techniques are important in safely accessing, treating, and extracting someone in steep-terrain environments. The rigging team members participate in numerous training opportunities throughout the year.
Our UAS Team harnesses the power of drones and cutting-edge detection software to locate missing individuals and enhance situational awareness during missions. Equipped with advanced thermal imaging and high-resolution cameras, the team provides real-time aerial support, capturing vital details that can be easily missed from the ground. The UAS Team plays a crucial role in improving search efficiency, especially in dense forests, rugged terrain, and other challenging environments. Beyond search operations, the team provides crucial scene awareness for Incident Command, helping to plan safe, effective rescues.
The San Juan Mountains have one of the most treacherous snow packs in the world, so the fact that we live, work, and play in the San Juans demands that as a search and rescue (SAR) organization we must be prepared. This means that we must be skilled, and knowledgeable about safe, efficient over the snow travel and winter rescue techniquesOne of the important components of our winter response capability is our “ski team”. This is a group of individuals who, in addition to all the ‘normal’ SAR skill sets, have avalanche training, are skilled backcountry skiers, and posses other winter rescue and evacuation skills. This team trains together during the winter and stands ready all winter and spring to go to the aid of lost or injured people in cold and snowy situations.