Wilderness emergencies seldom follow political boundaries and often involve private, state and federal lands. Search and rescue missions 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 assists search and rescue teams in neighboring counties and in Olympic National Park as well as other state and federal resources with missions and cooperative training exercises.
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 (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. Prospective volunteers vary throughout the year, but generally we have several people working toward full qualification as SAR workers.
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 10-12 qualified rescuers 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.
JSAR meets at 7:00 pm on the second Thursday of each month and typically has field training on the Saturday following the meeting. Anyone interested in membership, including students 14 years old or older with a parent or guardian, is encouraged to attend a meeting to learn more about our fun and professional group.
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.