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Summit County Utah Sheriff Search and Rescue Teams | Meet Our SAR Experts
- Underwater Recovery ROV
- Technical Rescue
- Winter Search and Rescue
- Summer Search and Rescue
- Urban Search and Rescue
- Commendations
- Feedback
Underwater Recovery ROV
The Summit County ROV team is made up of members from within the Search and Rescue general membership. The team is setup to search and recover under water with the aid of the Remotely Operated Vehicle or ROV. The ROV was acquired through grant money and manufactured by Deep Ocean Engineering. We are setup to dive to depths of up to 500 feet; however it is capable of going to depths of up to 2,000 feet deep. Victims are located through the use of sector scan and closed circuit cameras on the ROV. Because the ROV is unique to our area, Summit County Search and Rescue makes the ROV team available to other agencies in Utah and its bordering areas, but we have to be requested through dispatch. Being part of the ROV team often means long days of hard, tedious work, but it can also be a very rewarding experience.
Technical Rescue Team
The Summit County Climb Team is a specialized team within the general membership of Search and Rescue. The team is responsible for the more technical aspects of rescues. We train in climbing and rope skills necessary for high angle rescue. We also train for swift water rescue and ice rescue. We also train for the remote possibility of urban rescue requiring technical rope skills. In addition we do some training for cave and mine rescue due to the number of mines and caves within our county. We work closely with outside agencies and resources in the event additional resources are required within our county or outside our county. Climbing can be a very safe activity when certain systems and standards are adhered to. Often times the need for outside rescue assistance from SAR comes from those not using the proper equipment, training and standards for such activities.
Winter Search And Rescue
Summit County's abundance of public and private open lands provides a wide variety of winter recreation opportunities. Skiing, backcountry skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, hunting and fishing are just a few of the activities for which Summit County provides the perfect winter playground. Unfortunately, the same terrain and conditions which create excellent winter recreating opportunities can be very unforgiving. Avalanches, missing skiers and snowmobilers, assisting local EMS as well as those stranded by the conditions are some of the more common calls that the Search & Rescue receives during the winter season. The Search & Rescue is very active in the winter months and a winter response presents challenges that don't exist during a summer search. The Search & Rescue is equipped with snowmobiles, rescue toboggans, a snowcat as well as ice rescue equipment. Our greatest asset is the skilled men and women who unselfishly volunteer their time, talents and equipment to respond to calls for service. The Search & Rescue is assisted during winter searches by other county sheriff search and rescue organizations as well as private organizations.
Please check current conditions use common sense and let someone know of your plans before starting your winter fun.
Summer Search And Rescue
The Summit County Sheriff Search and Rescue is among the busiest in the state. During the summer season, it is not uncommon for the Search & Rescue to have multiple calls for service at the same time and have had as many as three major searches being conducted at the same time. The majority of summer searches are for overdue or lost persons. It can be very easy to become lost in the mountains of Summit County whether you're an adult or child. Please contact the Summit County Sheriff's Office immediately if you believe someone is missing so we can begin the response. The Search & Rescue is equipped with four wheel drive vehicles, ATVs, water/swift water rescue equipment, specialized water recovery equipment and watercraft. Our members who search on foot are our greatest resource. The Search & Rescue is assisted during summer searches by the Department of Public Safety Aero Bureau, other search and rescue organizations, as well as private organizations such as search dog and equine groups. Weather conditions change rapidly in Summit County.
Please be mindful of your surroundings, use common sense and let someone know of your plans while enjoying summer in Summit County.
Urban Search & Rescue
Information Coming Soon!
Commendation
Although every call that the Search & Rescue responds to impacts the safety and welfare of the victim, there are certain calls where without the Search & Rescue's involvement the victim likely would have perished. The Summit County Sheriff recognizes the members involved in a lifesaving situation with the Summit County Sheriff's Office Life Saving Commendation. The commendation is "Awarded for an act performed in the line of duty, which through disregard of personal safety or prompt and alert action, results in saving a life." Two searches in 2011 resulted in the awarding of Life Saving Commendations. The first was a search for a man who had become lost on the Wasatch National Forest. The man spent one night out, was wet and did not have a fire. When he was located by searchers who had hiked approximately five miles in, he was immobile and likely would not have survived another night. The second search for which the commendation was awarded occurred in a forested area of Summit County. A man was snowmobiling alone when his snowmobile became stuck and the man lost. He was able to make cell phone contact and advise an acquaintance that he was lost and stuck. Despite the severe winter storm that was battering the area; the Search & Rescue responded and was able to locate the man. When located, the man had walked away from his snowmobile, was hypothermic and likely would not have survived until morning.
The following individuals were awarded the Life Saving Commendation for their efforts in locating both victims.
- Donald Lafay - Jared Rakasits - Gary Siddoway - Lance Livingston - Cindy Lafay - Shaun Rice - David Sutherland - Rocky Lewis - Shelly Schwab - Kevan Todd - Brent Black - Nathan Clark - Kory Vernon - Nate Miller
Public Feedback
- July 14, 2012: Card from Rescue
- July 25, 2012: Letter from Rescue
- March 2, 2013: Thank You Letter from Rescue
- May 8, 2013: Thank You Letter from Search and Recovery
- July 20, 2013: Thank You Letter from Search and Rescue
- August 14, 2013: Thank You Letter from Search and Rescue