Current Events

Back to back searches. Marin SAR had 2 searches for missing people back to back. Here is the Marin IJ article and MCSO mission summaries.

Stark Search. Guy Stark was a runner who became disoriented on Mt Tamalpais and required SAR assistance to find his way to saftey. Marin IJ article and MCSO SAR Unit mission summary

Ruiz Search. This search resolved a six week search that included efforts from numerous agencies and extensive family search efforts. Here are copies of recent articles from the ABC, Marin IJ and MCSO SAR Unit mission summary

MRA Mission in San Bernadino. Marin MRA members were called in to search for a missing 63 y.o. hiker at 7000 feet near Running Springs in Green Lake Valley in the San Bernardino Mountains. Snow was 3-5 feet with rugged terrain under clear skies. . Here is an articles from the The Press-Enterprise and MCSO SAR Unit mission summary

Oil Spill. Marin SAR aided in the technical recovery of bags of oil left on Rodeo beach. Here is an press release from Unified Command and MCSO SAR Unit mission summary

Yosemite Mutual Aid. Hoggard had been missing for two days after he did not return from a day hike when Marin SAR was called for mutual aid to Yosemite to aid in the mission. He was found after three days of searching in an extensive mission. Here is an article from the Fresno Bee and MCSO SAR Unit mission summary

Marin IJ Article. Our local paper, the Marin IJ, recently ran a cover story on our team "Marin Search & Rescue - When Emergencies Strike the All-Volunteer Team is There!" pdf of article.

Contra Costa County Mutual Aid for Missing Mom. Fourteen members responded for a large scale abduction search for Nina Reiser, a 31 y.o. female with two small children who disappeared under suspicious circumstances in the Oakland Hills September 3, 2006. Here is an article from The Mercury News and MCSO SAR's mission summary.

Contra Costa County Mutual Aid for Missing Toddler.Thirteen Marin SAR members responded to Bradford Island in the Delta for a missing 20 month old boy last seen by his mother the prior afternoon. Here is an article from the KTVU and MCSO SAR's mission summary.

MRA Conference 2006. Marin County Search & Rescue hosted the International Conference on Mountain Rescue June 15 - 18. It was an amazing weekend with gorgeous weather and packed days of learning for all. We have setup a separate website which has more information about the conference. The local paper, the Marin IJ ran an article about the conference. Link to Marin IJ Article

Headlands Search. Marin SAR responded to assist National Park Rangers and Park Police in the search for Jim Pfeiffer, a 60 y.o. male with Parkinson's disease who left for a hike with his dog and did not return. After a long, hard search by NPS, Marin SAR, USGC aviation, CARDA, Marin County and Muir Beach Fire Departments, Contra Costa SAR, Alameda SAR, Napa SAR, San Mateo SAR, Bay Area Mountain Rescue and the Sonoma County Sheriff's H-1, Pfeifer's body was located at 7:45 PM near the location of his dog, his cause of death was drowning. Here is an article from the Marin IJ. MCSO SAR's mission summary. Pictures of the search.

2006 International Mountain Rescue Association Conference Announcement. Marin SAR will hosting the 2006 conference. The conference website can be found by clicking here. Or, read the announcement (PDF) sent out by Marin SAR.

Mt. St. Helena aircraft accident recovery operation. Twenty two members responded early Saturday morning on a Type 1 Technical Rescue Team request to assist Napa County SAR with the recovery of two deceased victims, mid-slope on Mt. St. Helena (4100ft). Here is an article from the KFTY News Channel 50. MCSO SAR's mission summary (mission 05-07).

El Capitan Rescue. Marin SAR responded with 10 Mountain Rescue members on a rescue mission for several groups of climbers on El Capitan after an early season snow storm caught climbers unprepared. Here is an articles from the Marin IJ.
Here is the link to our photo album of the search.

Marin SAR participates on Mt. Gorgonio Mission. Only three weeks after Marin SAR sent 10 members to Mt. Baldy, another person gets lost in the same area prompting 3 Marin SAR members to respond on 1/21/04 to Redlands, CA to aide in the search for a missing hiker/climber. Here is an articles from the Press Telegram.
UPDATE: Body of missing hiker found, article from Press Telegram.

Marin SAR participates on Mt. Baldy Mission. Marin SAR sent 10 members to help on a Search for a missing climber in San Bernadino County the weekend of 1/3/04. For ease of viewing, two articles about the search have been copied and posted on this sight, they are from the LA Times and the Orange County Register.
Here is the link to our photo album of the search.

Marin County has become the sixteenth fully qualified Mountain Rescue Team in the state.. Marin County has become the sixteenth fully qualified Mountain Rescue Team in the state. Out of California's fifty-eight counties, nineteen of them are members of the Mountain Rescue Association as well as OES, 1SRG, Joshua Tree NP, Sequoia-King Canyon NP and Yosemite NP for a total of twenty-four Associate-status and Full-status MRA Teams.

MRA testers gave us two solid days worth of technical rescue and search problems with a few twists that kept us on our toes. We responded to every incident with cleaver organization and positive attitudes that allowed us to achieve everything in a safe and timely manner. From the first hour Sat morning to the last on Sun evening, we were seamless.

The Marin MRA team is just a facet of a larger picture which include the USAR team and the Mt. Tam Inter-agency which make up the Marin County Sheriff's Search and Rescue Team. The circle that makes up our SAR team is even greater then that. We are a strong organization today because of the Sheriff's Dept, Mounted Posse, Air Patrol, and all the other agencies in Marin.

Marin SAR joins the Mt. Tam Interagency Rescue Team. Mt. Tam averages 30 rescues a year, from carryouts of injured hikers to vehicles-over-the-side. Marin SAR will be joining Marin County Fire Department, State Parks, National Park Service and Water District rangers who make up the Interagency as a valuable asset that can assist in their ever growing needs. Bradley Haas has been appointed to lead the Marin responders and be the liaison between the team and the Interagency A dedicated SAR vehicle equipped for technical rescue will be stationed in Mill Valley to assist in the quick response time needed on the mountain.

Marin SAR celebrates its 25th anniversary this October. In 1966 Marin Search and Rescue was an Explorer Post oriented toward ecology and outdoor education. In 1976 the team was sponsored by the Red Cross and performed first aid and humanitarian operations. Then in 1978, sponsorship of the team was changed to the Marin County Sheriff's Department and the unit began to respond to its first search and rescue missions.

On Saturday, October 25, all past and present members are invited to join in the celebrations of our 25th anniversary. We estimate that there are over 600 volunteers that have served with the unit over the years and we are looking for all to attend.

Marin SAR on NPR's California Report. During our annual Yosemite training, reporter Betsy Riley spent a few days with us recording our training and interviewing the team. It was a great report that focused on the youth aspect of the team. To listen to the report, click on the following link.

Marin SAR has international guests join them on their annual Yosemite training. The team was joined by the Director of the Tlachichuca chapter of the Mexican Red Cross's Mountain Rescue team, Dr. Gerardo Reyes and his 14 year old Daughter Carolina. Their visit brought fresh eyes and new perspectives along with a lot of stories and ideas to look at for both teams. Dr. Reyes spent time after each evolution explaining their methods and techniques of conducting similar rescues but at high altitudes. An astonishment of his was all the equipment and resources that Marin SAR has and what we and the state are willing commit to an operation. Being that his team only response with the most 4-6 people to conduct a high altitude rescue mission that includes bringing down the subject dead or alive from 18,000'. When he sees all our vehicles and equipment, multiple teams that will respond for a single person, his only comment is "too much."

Caroline, Dr. Reyes's daughter spent several hours on an actual search in the Marin Headlands with her home-stay sponsor, Lauren Rand. They looked for a missing man whose car was found by the park ranger. The search lasted several hours the first day and was about to go into a second search period when it was determined the man abandoned his car and walked to San Francisco. Regardless, she worked the search and saw first hand how Marin SAR works in the field.

Marin SAR and Tlachichuca Mountain Rescue are working on becoming sister teams and plan on exchanges every other year with each other.

Marin SAR participates in High Altitude Snow/Ice Training. In an effort to gain skills in from the best, Marin SAR sent 16 members to Pico de Orizaba on a 9 day trip to learn more about High Altitude SAR from the Tlachichuca Mountain Rescue team. Through two intense days of training on the mountain the team learned about, glacial travel, high altitude SAR considerations, snow and ice rescue procedures, and much more. At the end of the mountain training several Marin SAR members were able to summit Pico de Orizaba, the third highest peak in North America.

In the following days Marin SAR took the lead in teaching several Mountain Rescue teams basic search technique and search management followed by a table top exercise. The exchange proved to be very beneficial to both teams, and was lots of fun for all involved.Click here to view photos