Umatilla County
Search and Rescue Foundation
Join the UMASAR Unit
Do you have a passion for helping others? Are you committed? Can you work in adverse situations? If you answered yes than consider volunteering with the Umatilla County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue Unit.
Basic Requirements
Our volunteers must have no significant criminal histories. They must be willing to accumulate a minimum of 30 hours on missions, training and unit activities annually. It is understood that volunteers have lives outside of the unit, and it is unrealistic to expect volunteers to make every event or incident. However, volunteers are expected to prioritize SAR activities highly and do their best to respond to mission call outs.
Training, Certification and Missions
UMASAR volunteers are expected to work toward certification as Field Searchers Type II under Oregon State Sheriff's Association standards. Type II Searchers can operate in most terrain encountered in Umatilla County and can remain unsupported in the field for up to 24 hours. Certification involves attending and passing core competency training modules. We try to make all the core competency training available annually. In addition, each spring a two weekend SAR academy is held in eastern Oregon which provides most of the required training.
The unit normally experiences between 12 and 30 search missions annually. Most are only one operational period incidents, meaning they are resolved in less than 24 hours. Every once in a while a search mission lasts for several operational periods. Occasionally the unit receives requests for assistance from other counties.
UMASAR Meeting Schedule
The unit meets every second Wednesday of the month at the Sheriff's Office usually between 6:30 and 9 :00 PM. Training and drills are conducted at these meetings. In addition, full day Saturday training opportunities are usually provided each month, often in a field setting. Members are expected to make as many of these sessions as they can.
Application Process
UMASAR applicants must submit a completed application to the unit sergeant. The application must be printed and signed. Instructions are on the application itself. Once the application is received a background is run. Applicants meeting the background requirements are contacted by the sergeant and an informal oral interview is scheduled with the UMASAR Advisory Board. This gives the Advisory Board an opportunity to know the applicant better and gives the applicant the opportunity to ask questions of the board. The applicant's application is then voted on by the Board and approved by the Sheriff.
Still interested? Then we want you!
You may download an application below. Still have questions? Call the UMASAR Sergeant at (541) 966-3611.