2021 CCSO Year In Review - Flipbook - Page 30
CC SO 2021 Ye ar in R e v ie w
•
Search & Rescue
Working Together
So Others May Live
In 2020, the Sheriff’s Office
formed its own volunteer
search-and-rescue team.
In 2021, Clackamas
County Search & Rescue
(CSAR) grew in size
and skillset — and worked
with our partners on a
variety of high-profile
SAR operations.
2021
Rescue Stats
86
100%
13,122
Missions
with CSAR
Percentage of CSAR
missions resulting in
subject rescue/recovery
Total hours spent by CSAR team members and
Sheriff’s Office SAR Coordinators on missions,
training, PR, meetings and equipment maintenance
30
I
n 2020, the Sheriff’s Office launched Clackamas County
Search & Rescue (CSAR) — a single, unified search-andrescue program with Sheriff’s Office SAR Coordinators and
local search volunteers working together under a single banner.
In 2021, CSAR built on its new foundation — working
together as a team on dozens of missions while continuing to
build and define processes and operations during its first full
year of operation. Here are a few of CSAR’s notable
2021 missions.
Ice-Storm Assist
Muddy Fork Hiker Rescue
Feb. 13-21, 2021
June 7, 2021
A historic ice storm hit the Willamette Valley
over the Valentine’s Day weekend, leaving
thousands without electricity and roads
blocked for several days. CSAR volunteers
mobilized to establish gas-powered electric
generator stations throughout the county
where people could come and charge
their critical medical devices. Next, team
members drove generators to the homes of
medically vulnerable residents, returning to
refuel them as needed. Finally, teams delivered food, water and blankets to dozens
of residents who remained out of power for
over a week.
A 2020 Labor Day weekend windstorm
left massive damage to trails throughout
the Mt. Hood National Forest; as a result,
CSAR deployed throughout 2021 to rescue
people lost or stuck deep in the wilderness
due to the loss of familiar landmarks. On
June 7, CSAR deployed to the Muddy
Fork Sandy River section of the Timberline
Trail to find seven missing young adults.
There had been a rescue there just a few
weeks earlier. Several teams deployed on
various possible trails. After several hours,
four of the missing people were located
uninjured. They were able to narrow the
search for their friends, and soon all seven
were accounted for. CSAR used a wheeled
litter to evacuate one injured hiker while the
other hikers were safely escorted back to
the trailhead.
