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Vehicles have been handed down from fire districts. Repeater systems, antennas and masts were donated or built by volunteers. Everything — maintenance, repairs, upgrades — is handled by the members themselves.
“It has to look professional because it has to work,” Siebert said. “Keeping it safe and reliable is expensive.”
Current needs include replacing aging All Terrain Vehicles, maintaining their rescue fleet and adding Starlink internet service — about $60 a month — to improve mapping and communication in remote areas.
Who they are
The organization has about three dozen volunteers, with a core group of 12 who respond regularly.
During a mission, they fill roles in areas such as ground search, radio operation, mapping and logistics, food and rest support and safety and coordination.
The team trains monthly in survival skills, fire building, navigation using maps and compasses and GPS and radio communications. Specialized sessions cover ATV, snowmobile and boat operations.
They also conducted 11 training missions which included Wilderness First Aid, GPS, radio, boating operations, navigation and others, Blakeslee said.
Basic requirements for volunteers are simple: volunteers must be over 18, pass a background check and commit to training.
“People say, ‘I’ve got bad knees or a bad back,’” Siebert said. “That doesn’t disqualify you. We need people on radios, in command, helping feed the team. There’s a place for everyone.”
Working together
Search & Rescue activates under the Pend Oreille County Sheriff’s Office and works in partnership with Emergency Management, directed by JoAnn Boggs.
“When we’re deployed, I serve as the Incident Commander and team lead,” Captain Siebert said. “If we need additional ground teams or specialized support, Emergency Management brings in the partner agencies. It’s always a team effort.”
That coordination does prove essential during any disaster or Search and Rescue operation. Local knowledge and dependable communication often make the difference when larger systems falter.
Honoring legacy and quiet service
The history of Search & Rescue is also the history of those who carried it forward.
After Esteves passed, Siebert stepped forward to help sustain both SAR and the county’s evolving radio network.
The upcoming dedication of the Gus Bus will carry that legacy forward: a mobile command vehicle outfitted for radio, mapping and coordination.
Inside the bay, volunteers talk easily about long nights, heavy miles and the humor that keeps them going. Their work has reached beyond county borders; during one major event their communications team supported, 52 state and federal commendations were issued.
“For me, it’s about the community,” he said. “We’re here just in case. If nothing happens, that’s a good day.”
How to support
Residents can help by: * donating toward equipment and maintenance * inviting SAR to community events * joining as volunteers — in the field or support roles * learning how to prepare safely when outdoors “We live in a place people come to explore,” Siebert said. “We want them — and our own neighbors — to get home safe. That’s why we’re here.”
Pend Oreille County Search & Rescue meets monthly.
For dates and times, follow the Pend Oreille County Sheriff’s Search & Rescue Facebook page. Meetings are open to the public.
DON GRONNING CONTRIBUTED TO THIS REPORT.
