2024 SEARCH AND RESCUE TRAINING ACADEMY
The Linn County Sheriff Sheriff’s Office is recruiting young men and women, ages 14 to 18, to join the Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Team and participate in the summer training program.
This will be the 30th Search and Rescue Training Academy in Linn County and will be held June 21 through July 1.
Those who are interested in becoming an integral part of the Sheriff’s Office search and rescue mission should have an interest in community service and a desire to be a part of a highly trained and professional life saving organization.
There is an application process that includes oral interviews, a background check and physical aptitude test. Applicants must attend one recruit meeting at the Sheriff’s office on April 8th or May 6th at 7pm, and a mandatory meeting on June 10th at 7pm to attend the academy. Additionally, recruits must complete an online first aid and CPR training course provided by the Linn County Sheriff’s Office by June 15th. Recruits must attend an in-person CPR/First Aid skills class on Saturday, June 15th. Successful applicants will be eligible to attend the Search and Rescue Training Academy. The training will include classes in wilderness survival, shelter building, search tactics, first aid/CPR, map and compass reading, rappelling, and many more topics.
For more information about the program contact Emergency Management Coordinator Ric Lentz at the Linn County Sheriff’s Office (541-812-2274).
RECRUIT MEETINGS (Must attend one of the first three meetings)
Monday, April 8 at 7:00 pm
Monday, May 6 at 7:00 pm
Monday, June 10 at 7:00 pm (Mandatory)
PHYSICAL APTITUDE TEST (Must attend at least one)
Depart the Sheriff’s Office promptly at 0800 hours. Return at approximately 1200 hours.
Equipment: Recruits will need to wear clothes for the weather and comfortable boots (bring a water bottle). Lunch is provided.
Saturday May 11th 8:00 am to 12:00 pm
Saturday May 18th 8:00 am to 12:00 pm
MANDATORY FIRST AID, BLOODBORNE PATHOGEN, AND BLS CPR COURSE-SKILLS DAY
The online portions must be completed prior to the Skills Day.
Skills Day- Saturday, June 15th 8:00 am- 5:00pm.
Linn County Sheriff’s Office, Albany
2024 SEARCH AND RESCUE TRAINING ACADEMY
After completing all required elements of the application process, recruits will be notified by one of the Search and Rescue Team Leaders if they have been selected to attend the SAR Training Academy. The dates of the Academy are not negotiable, and attendance is required.
Equipment: See the available equipment list provided with the application, request a list from a Team Leader at one of the recruit meetings or view it here.
Academy dates: June 21 through July 1, 2024
Join the LCSO SAR Team
Interested in volunteering?
- Review the eligibility requirements and make sure you qualify.
- Fill out our online application.
Successful applicants will be eligible to attend the Search and Rescue Training Academy held in June. Attendance and successful completion of the Academy is required for Post membership. If you successfully complete the Academy, you will be sworn in as an active member of the Linn County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Post.
The Search and Rescue Post Advisors, Lieutenant Ken Stewart or Emergency Management Coordinator Ric Lentz, can answer any questions you may have. Please call the Linn County Sheriff’s Office (541-812-2272) and leave a message for the Search and Rescue Post Advisor to call you, and one of them will return your call.
What is SAR?
First and foremost, a life-saving unit, Search and Rescue (SAR) has evolved into much more. It is the premier mentoring program in Linn County, serving countless teens in its more than 30 years of operation. The youth of SAR work shoulder to shoulder with the deputies of the Linn County Sheriff’s Office. In fact, many of the adult leaders of SAR are full time Linn County Sheriff’s Office deputies.
Since records have been kept, beginning in 1990, the young men and women of Linn County Sheriff’s SAR have dedicated over 100,000 man hours to the citizens of Linn County. Alumni of our program have gone into careers in law enforcement, computer programming, architecture, business, nuclear physics, and have become members of the armed forces.
Linn County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue is an all-volunteer program with staff supervision and leadership. We are extremely proud of the young people in our program. They are the future of our communities.