The Unsung Heroes: Volunteer Search and Rescue Grapples with Funding Cuts and Standardization Challenges
Mike Sullivan, an auto parts salesman with an extraordinary dedication, embodies the spirit of volunteer search and rescue. After a year of tirelessly scouring Florida waterways, Sullivan’s persistence paid off in August 2024 when he discovered a submerged 1961 Chevrolet Impala in a canal near Plantation. This discovery ended the decades-long mystery surrounding the disappearance of Doris Wurst and her 3-year-old daughter Caren, a find that left Sullivan deeply moved.
Sullivan’s story underscores the critical role played by volunteer search-and-rescue groups across the nation. Often operating in unforgiving conditions, these dedicated individuals provide a lifeline for families desperately seeking missing loved ones. They employ a range of tools and techniques, from trained dogs and advanced drones to helicopters, to assist in rescues ranging from natural disaster victims to missing children.
However, the demanding nature of this vital service is compounded by mounting challenges. Volunteer search-and-rescue groups face increasing pressure as federal agencies, their traditional partners, grapple with budget cuts. This situation is exacerbated by a lack of standardization across states, leaving some teams well-equipped while others struggle with limited resources. The combination of these factors creates a safety net that is often stretched thin, underfunded, unappreciated, and largely unregulated.
Robert Koester, a search mission coordinator with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, highlights the disparities in capabilities among volunteer groups. "You’ve got teams with the latest technology, with standardized training, aggressive testing, continuing education, good, healthy budgets, and you’ve got people who just don’t have the resources to really do much of anything, so just a wide range of capabilities," Koester explains. This uneven playing field can have serious consequences for the effectiveness of search efforts.
Christopher Boyer, the executive director of the National Association of Search and Rescue, echoes Koester’s concerns, warning that the strain on volunteers will only intensify as federal agencies like the National Park Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration face substantial layoffs. These agencies provide crucial support to volunteer teams, and their reduced capacity places an even greater burden on these already stretched resources.
The funding shortfall is particularly acute for many volunteer groups. While some secure government resources, the majority rely on grants and donations. The Skamania County Sheriff’s Office search-and-rescue team experienced this firsthand when thieves stole thousands of dollars’ worth of equipment while they were engaged in a challenging three-day search for two lost hikers. They were forced to turn to GoFundMe to recover from the setback. The hikers, tragically, were found dead in a Washington state forest after they disappeared while searching for Sasquatch.
Boyer emphasizes the vital role volunteers play in supplementing law enforcement capabilities, calling them a "force multiplier." Their altruistic drive to help others provides a valuable service that law enforcement agencies would struggle to provide independently.
Koester, a self-proclaimed "search-and-rescue data geek," has dedicated himself to improving search effectiveness through data analysis. His extensive database, containing over 500,000 missing person searches dating back to the 1970s, has become the foundation for his book, "Lost Person Behavior: A search and rescue guide on where to look − for land, air and water." Koester’s research reveals that while the majority of searches end with the missing person being found safe, the chances of survival diminish rapidly after the first 12 hours.
Mark Speer, commander of Red Rock Search and Rescue in Nevada, underscores the dedication and expertise of his team, which comprises doctors, pilots, service members, and even a 78-year-old nuclear physicist. Despite their rigorous training and significant investment of time and resources, Speer says their biggest challenge is gaining recognition from the public and law enforcement for the value they bring.
The emotional toll of search-and-rescue work can be significant, as Speer experienced during the search for a distraught 17-year-old girl. The team’s efforts, alongside multiple local and federal law enforcement agencies, were ultimately unsuccessful, and the girl’s body was found in the desert.
For Keith Cormican, founder of the nonprofit Bruces Legacy, the motivation to continue this demanding work is deeply personal. Cormican’s brother drowned during a search-and-rescue operation in 1995. Since then, Cormican has dedicated himself to searching for drowning victims, often serving as a last resort for families who have exhausted all other options.
The lack of standardization in training, standards, and protections for search-and-rescue volunteers is a major concern. Boyer points to the wide variation in regulations across states, with some having robust state-level programs and others having virtually no oversight. This disparity can lead to inconsistencies in the quality of search efforts and put volunteers at risk.
Amy Albritton, Washington’s search-and-rescue program manager, acknowledges the challenges of having inconsistent requirements among the state’s 45 volunteer teams. While local control allows for tailored responses, it also creates a fragmented system without a clear path forward for training and development.
Boyer’s organization has been advocating for five basic changes in state laws to improve the standardization and support for volunteer search-and-rescue teams. These include things like disability in case of injury. However, he notes that securing legislative support for these measures can be difficult due to funding constraints and a lack of political will.
Recruitment and retention are also significant challenges for volunteer search-and-rescue teams. Billy Chrimes, the search-and-rescue coordinator in the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, has observed a decline in volunteer numbers since the economic downturn triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the significant contribution that volunteers make, estimated at $2.2 million annually, the state only invests about $500,000 in the program. His efforts to secure stipends for volunteers to alleviate the financial burden have been met with resistance from legislators.
The future of volunteer search and rescue hinges on addressing these challenges. Increased funding, improved standardization, and greater recognition of the critical role these individuals play are essential to ensuring that they can continue to provide a vital safety net for communities across the nation. Without these improvements, the consequences could be dire, as Chrimes warns: "If we don’t respond adequately, if we don’t have the right resources, if we don’t have the right training, if people don’t show up, the alternative is that we’re just letting people die."
