MISSOULA, Mont. – Missoula County Search and Rescue (SAR) is a volunteer-based nonprofit that works alongside the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office. SAR consists of a 35-person volunteer team that stems from across Missoula County. The crew has seen a wide variety of calls this summer and wants to make sure the public is safe and informed.
SAR recommends that the first call that people make if in a rescue situation, is to 9-1-1. They also recommend calling as early as people can, because it’s easier for responders to work when it is light out. If people are recreating at night, SAR advises that folks carry a flashlight.
Chief of Missoula County Search and Rescue, Cindy Super, spoke on what it’s like being a volunteer for the community.
“We really enjoy each other. We enjoy the work. We enjoy the opportunity to serve the community. Sometimes we’ll get involved in a long mission, and people will say, ‘Oh, you guys should be paid for this or have that.’ And it’s like ‘I don’t know.’ I like that it’s all volunteer. People have a lot of passion, and they bring a lot of their own skills,” said Super.
SAR is pretty much covered 24 hours throughout the day via three coordinators that split shifts according to Super.
Since it is volunteer work that SAR does, Super mentioned that responders sometimes must leave missions to go to another job or to drop off kids at school.
However, that’s the balance that SAR volunteers must maintain while on the job.
