The El Dorado County Sheriff’s OES oversees the volunteer based Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) in the county. Specific teams are located in Pollock Pines and Georgetown with other trained members throughout the county. They volunteer to assist with disaster incidents, evacuations, road closures, logistical support, and animal care when needed. The CERT volunteers also assist in a variety of community events in their neighborhoods throughout the year advocating personal preparedness in emergencies.
The CERT volunteers complete a background investigation, an academy, and maintain their status through monthly meetings and trainings. There are approximately 24 active CERT volunteers in the county.
CERT
The El Dorado County Search and Rescue (SAR) program consists entirely of volunteer citizens. The SAR program currently has approximately 150 members who provide care for those that have lost their way in and around El Dorado County. The SAR program is currently made up of seven different teams; Ground Search, Technical Rope Rescue, Swift Water, Mounted, Canine, OHV (4-wheel drive), and Management. The volunteers truly are dedicated professionals who answer the call any time of day, in any conditions.
In 2019 the SAR program welcomed members of the Sheriff’s Explorer post to train alongside them. Explorers were deployed on three searches. Several Explorers continued with the SAR training becoming SAR team members and participating in the SAR Academy training.
In 2019, the seven teams handled a total of 84 searches and rescues within our county on both the Western Slope and the South Lake Tahoe Basin; many searches lasting two or three days. SAR teams were also called to assist outside agencies in 10 searches in other counties including Sacramento, Amador, Douglas, Fresno, and Humboldt. To provide this level of service, team members train for hundreds of hours at dozens of trainings throughout the
year to provide the most up to date search theories and technologies to bring those that are lost home.
The SAR program ran two each of the SAR Academy Basic, SAR Academy Intermediate and Land Navigation Field Test this year. Additionally they provided an Unexpected Night Out (UNO) hike, Type II Qualification hike, and 5-5-5 (5 miles & 5k feet in 5 hours) hike for further certifications. Between the Western Slope and South Lake Tahoe, individual teams held over 60 trainings throughout the year to maintain proficiency.
Search and Rescue
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