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Join
the Team
So
you're interested in joining?...Great! Here are some frequently
asked questions which may be of help:
Are
there membership requirements?
You must be at least 21 years old and in good standing with the
community. Because of the nature of Search and Rescue (SAR), each
prospective member must pass a background check that is conducted by
the Sheriff's Department. Good physical condition and the desire to
learn and help others are also required. Familiarity with the back
country is a strong asset as well as prior Search and Rescue
experience.
 Does it
matter where I live?
There are eight SAR teams in the county of Ventura. Three are
Mountain Rescue teams, which are based in Fillmore, Ojai and Thousand
Oaks. Due to the geographical area of responsibilities, Upper Ojai
members usually live in Ojai, Santa Paula and Ventura. Fillmore team
members usually live in Fillmore, Santa Paula, Camarillo, or Piru and East Valley members live
in Moorpark, Thousand Oaks, Camarillo and Simi Valley. The Teams
comprised of Admin, Canine, Medical, Dive and Posse
live throughout Ventura County.
Do SAR
members get paid?
Search and Rescue members are strictly volunteer. Most members get
permission from their employers to respond to Search and Rescue call
outs. The satisfaction of finding and returning someone to their loved
ones or rescuing someone in distress provides tremendous satisfaction
for team members.
 How much time
does SAR take?
Search and Rescue is definitely time consuming. Each team meets
once a month for team meetings and trains one weekend a month.
Time spent for searches and or rescues (varies
between teams) averages 3-5 full days a month. This can be greatly increased if a team is called to
assist another team. This increases their time commitments.
Families
are also affected and need to be as dedicated to the purpose as the
member.
Does SAR cost
members anything?
Members are responsible for providing all their personal gear.
Personal gear usually consists of team cold weather gear, team
uniform, boots and other miscellaneous items. The Sheriff's Department
supplies the basic rescue equipment required to function safely and
foul weather gear. Teams purchase additional equipment for the team
and members with donations from the public.
 I'm still
interested, What do I do now?
If you would like to dedicate the time to become a volunteer member of the
Ventura County Sheriffs' Search and Rescue Team, you may download the
application from the link below. Fill it out and send it to the
address at the bottom of this page. The application will be forwarded to the team you've shown interest in.
Teams have a
limit on the number of members, but they usually accept a few new
members each year. Following an acceptable background check you will
be notified of the additional steps needed and the probationary
requirements.
For more
information, call (805) 947-8198.
Application
SAR Application
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