Jefferson County contains over a thousand square miles of mountainous terrain, including portions of Olympic National Forest and Olympic National Park. Search and rescue incidents in Jefferson County (outside of Olympic National Park) are directed by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, utilizing Jefferson Search and Rescue (JSAR) and other resources. JSAR also assists with search and rescue operations in neighboring counties and in Olympic National Park.
JSAR was founded in 1976. During incidents members contribute their specialized skills in emergency medical care, wilderness travel, technical rope rescue and search techniques. Any day or night, every day of the year, in any weather.
JSAR’s volunteer cadre generally hovers around forty personnel. The team includes many WA state licensed EMTs and a few seasoned healthcare providers (RN, PA and MD). Members share a passion for the Olympic Peninsula and most spend their free time and/or professional lives exploring mountains, cliffs, rivers and forests.
Like any volunteer organization, the number of personnel available to respond to calls varies in response to other personal responsibilities. We are generally able to field 8-10 qualified team members in the first hours of a mission within eastern Jefferson County — less during the work day or further away, more on weekends or for calls with above-average duration or severity.
Meetings are held at our headquarters hosted by Discovery Bay Volunteer Fire and Rescue adjacent to their station 5-1 at 12 Bentley Place in Discovery Bay. Please see Membership for more information.
