What are the responsibilities and job description for the Search and Rescue Volunteer position at COLUMBIA COUNTY?
Position Title: Search and Rescue Volunteer
Department or Program Overview: The Columbia County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) is responsible for Search and Rescue throughout Columbia County. The CCSO Search and Rescue Team consists of Search and Rescue Volunteers to carry out duties including searching for individuals who are lost or missing in outdoor, urban, rural, or wilderness areas. Our team of highly trained and motivated volunteers brings special skills, equipment, and their personal time to assist the Sheriff in providing exceptional Search and Rescue services. CCSO has specialty teams including K9, Mechanized, Drone, and Mounted SAR.
Meeting Schedule and Location: General meetings are the first month of each quarter, members are required to attend 2-3 general meetings a year. Each month we have two trainings. One is held on the first Saturday of the month and the second is on the third Tuesday of the month.
General Statement of Duties:
- Locating, accessing, stabilizing, transporting, educating, and saving lives in all weather conditions and over all types of terrain.
- Attend ongoing meetings, in-service training and education workshops.
- Two (2) trainings a quarter are required.
- Thirty (30) hours of training a year is required for all members.
- Five (5) hours a year dedicated to community events are required.
- Must attend the SAR academy from January to May and successfully graduate in order to be a member.
Qualifications:
- High School Diploma or G.E.D., must be a minimum of eighteen (18) years of age, a United States citizen.
- Possess a valid Oregon Driver's License or State identification card.
- Must complete oral interviews.
- Must successfully pass a background examination.
- Must have transportation.
- Must present a professional appearance and friendly manner.
- Must be dependable and punctual.
- Must be courteous and personable when dealing with the public.
- Must be self-directed and detail oriented.
- Must respect and maintain confidentiality.
- State Certification. All members are required to attain the Oregon State Sheriff's Association (OSSA) basic SAR certification and CCSO will train you internally to meet this requirement, which can take up to a year to complete.
Position Reports To: Columbia County Sheriff
Expectations: Be reliable, act responsibly and with integrity, be accountable for your actions, carry out duties according to the position description, be committed to Columbia County and your tour of service, undertake training as required, ask for support when needed, be courteous to the public, staff, other volunteers and value and support other team members.
Additional Training and Available Equipment: Volunteer Orientation training will be provided. We have a required equipment list which will be discussed through orientation. We have some vehicles, but not enough for all members. We have limited number of radios and GPS units to loan out. We provide some equipment, but most is purchased by the member. Volunteers pay for their own equipment and fuel.
Benefits to Volunteering for this position: Columbia County understands volunteering allows citizens to give back to their community in meaningful ways and is a critical resource to the county. Search and Rescue (SAR) members are volunteers committed to assisting the Sheriff in his responsibility to provide search and rescue capabilities and responses to emergency situations and missing persons.