Inside Linn County Sheriff's Office Search & Rescue

About Linn County Search and Rescue

The Linn County Sheriff's Office Search & Rescue (SAR) team is a dedicated group operating primarily in the eastern part of Linn County, Oregon, a region known for its expansive and rugged wilderness. While most of the county's population is centered in Albany, a valley town on the west side, the eastern half features vast, challenging terrains that include portions of the Mount Jefferson and Mount Washington Wilderness Areas, as well as sections of the iconic Pacific Crest Trail. This region is home to cliffs, thick forests, and dramatic landscapes, making it a prime location for outdoor activities and a common area for search and rescue (SAR) missions.

One high-traffic area for the SAR team is Blue Pool, a beautiful but deceptively dangerous swimming hole on the McKenzie River Trail. Despite its allure as a crystal-clear pool, Blue Pool has hidden hazards beneath its surface, including sharp rock outcroppings that have led to numerous serious injuries and even fatalities over the years. The appeal of cliff-jumping draws people in, but the risks are high, with incidents of broken backs and pelvises. As much as the Linn County team tries to keep people safe, places like Blue Pool highlight the constant demand for SAR resources due to its popularity and inherent dangers.

Operating in this wilderness is particularly challenging because much of the area is designated federal Wilderness, limiting the use of motorized equipment. In life-threatening situations, the SAR team can request helicopter assistance, but they face additional approval steps due to federal restrictions. The Pacific Northwest’s dense, often rainforest-like forests make search operations especially difficult, with terrain so thick that visibility is low and movement is slow. Searchers navigate a mix of dense pine forests, blackberry thickets, and rough trails, adding complexity and intensity to each mission.

Search and Rescue Missions

In Linn County, SAR missions are a coordinated effort led primarily by the Sheriff’s Office, particularly through their Mountain Patrol Division. When someone is reported missing, it’s often Mountain Patrol officers who first respond, as they’re frequently patrolling and familiar with remote, high-traffic recreation areas. They locate a last known point, such as a vehicle or campsite, and then alert the SAR command team—typically the SAR Coordinator or Assistant Coordinator—who mobilizes resources based on the situation.

Callout Process

The team’s response process is well-organized to address various emergencies, from locating lost hikers to performing complex rescues. Dispatch initiates the call for a SAR operation, which goes out as a page to the SAR Incident Command Group. From there, team members mark their availability, and the command team quickly assigns responsibilities and resources. With recent advancements, SAR now uses Hasty vehicles, which allow a smaller, faster response team—often including a medical specialist and the technical rope rescue expert—to reach the site while larger support vehicles, known as the “crummy” bus, follow with equipment for more extensive operations.

Team Communication

Once on the move, communication plays a critical role, though coverage can be challenging in Linn County’s rugged terrain. East of Cascadia on Highway 20, cell service and radio channels are limited, so teams rely on specific SAR interop channels. Incident Commanders often stay in range with cell and radio access to coordinate resources effectively. When rescue teams arrive on site, they relay updates and requests to ensure the incoming teams have what they need, whether that includes medical supplies, air support, or additional personnel.

Navigating Remote Terrain

Linn County SAR is well-equipped to handle rescues in remote areas, thanks to their innovative use of technology and adaptable team. For operations in challenging, isolated terrain where traditional communication is often unreliable, they recently deployed lightweight, portable Starlink units. These devices allow the team to create Wi-Fi hotspots, enabling real-time map updates, communication, and coordination in places previously off the grid. Their setup has transformed their ability to communicate effectively in areas where they typically struggled to maintain a connection, enhancing safety and efficiency in their search and rescue efforts.

Weather-Related Incidents

Linn County SAR responds to weather-related incidents with their dedicated team of volunteers ready to adapt to challenging conditions. For example, during wildfire season, SAR assists in trail evacuations, posts warnings to keep hikers out of fire-affected areas, and ensures trails are safe from hazards. Since many of these incidents happen on large, federally managed lands where resources are stretched, SAR often steps in to provide crucial support. In winter, they respond to storms by setting up an Emergency Operations Center (EOC), from which they may conduct wellness checks, ensuring vulnerable residents have power, medications, and essentials. This community-focused approach includes youth volunteers who are trained, supervised, and prepared to handle diverse scenarios in the field or the EOC. This combination of skilled youth and experienced adults enables Linn County SAR to support a wide range of needs, from fires to winter emergencies, across the expansive region.

Linn County SAR Youth Program

The Linn County SAR Youth Program has become a cornerstone of local SAR efforts, celebrating its 30th training academy this past summer. Founded by veterans who implemented a paramilitary-style structure, the program was designed to rigorously prepare teenagers between 14 and 18 years old for the physical and mental demands of SAR missions. This "boot camp" approach ensures that these young recruits are ready for the challenges of wilderness rescue. From the start, they are trained to handle both physical endurance and technical skills to navigate missions successfully without hesitation or fatigue.

The training provided is extensive and hands-on. Many youth recruits advance in their capabilities over the years, with some earning Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) or Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certifications, and others even moving on to serve as volunteer firefighters. Each youth member learns to use critical rescue equipment, communicate effectively over radios, and manage medical scenarios like spinal immobilization. Far from being passive participants, these young team members are deeply capable, forming the backbone of Linn County's SAR operations. They handle essential tasks alongside adult SAR technicians, who serve as team leads and mentors during missions.

As the program grows, Linn County SAR is also expanding adult volunteer involvement and developing specialized skills within the team. New additions include a medical team with EMTs, paramedics, and nurses, as well as a rope rescue unit to address the increasing need for technical rescues in difficult terrain. With climate-related disasters on the rise, including wildfires, landslides, and severe weather, SAR teams across Oregon, including Linn County, are stepping up to assist in disaster response and relief efforts. This broader community support highlights the program's commitment to adapting and preparing not only for search and rescue but also for the wider challenges facing the region.

The Linn County SAR Youth Program represents an invaluable mix of skill development, community service, and leadership training, producing young volunteers who are both highly skilled and dedicated to serving their community. It’s a unique program where young people contribute meaningfully to the safety of Linn County while gaining lifelong skills and a deep connection to their local wilderness and community.

Linn County SAR and D4H

Linn County SAR became users of D4H in 2023, the team uses both D4H Incident Management and Team Manager to streamline and enhance their operations, making it easier to track incidents, attendance, and training activities. The dashboard provides a clear overview of recent events, such as missions and exercises, which team leads can approve and log. This helps ensure that all team members' participation is accurately recorded, and certifications are up to date. By organizing data in one accessible place, D4H enhances the team’s ability to monitor readiness, track resources, and stay on top of ongoing and past missions. D4H has become essential for their efficiency, letting them focus more on rescue work and less on paperwork.

Qualifications

Linn County SAR uses D4H’s Qualifications tracker to record each volunteer’s certifications and ensure compliance with Oregon’s search and rescue standards. They are currently transitioning from an older system, migrating essential certifications and documents into D4H for a more organized, centralized approach. The D4H platform allows the team to log certifications for each member, including specialized skills like ATV training, vehicle orientation, and the Oregon State Sheriff’s Association (OSSA) task books. This system makes it easier to track qualifications and ensure that volunteers meet state and organizational requirements, such as passing fitness tests or maintaining CPR certification.

One of the most appreciated aspects of D4H is the ability to upload digital copies of certificates directly to each volunteer’s profile. Volunteers often need access to their certificates for various reasons, and with D4H, they can easily retrieve them whenever needed. This self-service feature has streamlined the process, reducing the need for administrative follow-up. Looking forward, D4H plans to implement a new feature where volunteers can submit updated certifications directly through the app for review, making qualification management and approval even more efficient. This upcoming feature will allow volunteers to upload certificates instantly from their devices, helping the team stay current and minimizing the need for manual uploads and follow-ups.

Custom Reports

Linn County SAR relies on D4H’s Custom Reports to efficiently manage and share volunteer activity data, especially for insurance purposes. By exporting attendance and activity records into PDF or spreadsheet formats, they provide their insurance company with a clear monthly log of hours volunteered. This record-keeping ensures that if a volunteer is injured, there's documented proof of their service for that period. The Custom Reports feature has greatly simplified this process, replacing a previously manual system of tracking hours on a master spreadsheet. Having attendance data seamlessly linked to these reports has been a major time-saver, making record-keeping easier and more accurate.

"The custom reports has saved me a lot of time, I used to have to use spreadsheets to try and keep track of everything, the attendance feature has been a game changer for us."

Ric Lentz Emergency Manager/SAR Coordinator

Operations Center

Linn County SAR is gradually integrating D4H’s Operations Center into their emergency response efforts, finding it especially helpful during recent fire and winter storm incidents. Though still adapting the system to best fit their needs, Operations Center has already proven invaluable in organizing incident data and streamlining processes. One of the key features they rely on is the customizable forms, which can be tailored to specific operations and exported as PDFs for easy sharing across the team. This capability has been a game-changer, especially during large-scale incidents where clear, organized documentation is essential.

Using the Operations Center, Linn County SAR creates detailed Incident Action Plans (IAPs) that help coordinate efforts with other local jurisdictions and agencies. By exporting these IAPs with cover pages and tables of contents, they provide a professional, organized package that everyone involved in the response can follow. This approach not only improves communication and coordination among different groups but also allows each team member to access and understand their role in real-time, enhancing the overall effectiveness of the response. The flexibility of the Operations Center’s tools is allowing Linn County SAR to develop a system that suits both routine and high-stakes situations.

Linn County SAR has found D4H Forms to be a key tool in simplifying and streamlining their operations, particularly when working with volunteer groups. Not everyone is familiar with the technical language of Incident Command (IC), so the ability to customize forms to a more user-friendly, plain English format has been incredibly effective. For example, during a recent winter storm response, SAR volunteers used D4H forms to record welfare checks, making it easier to track tasks and improve communication. They’ve also integrated other forms, like FEMA reports and weather updates, ensuring they have all necessary information in one place.

The customization of D4H forms, especially with tools like the ICS 209, has been a significant benefit for Linn County SAR. With the ability to export these forms and share them as links, the team can provide up-to-date incident reports to partners and stakeholders throughout the day. This feature has saved valuable time and improved transparency, allowing key personnel to access the latest information without waiting for constant email updates. By sharing forms in this way, Linn County SAR ensures that everyone stays on the same page, even during large-scale operations.

"A hugely important feature that we really like in Operations Center is the incident status summary, we love that it is customizable."

Ric Lentz Emergency Manager/SAR Coordinator

‍

Watch the full interview on Youtube: Watch Now

Listen to the full interview on Spotify: Listen Now

‍