The Tulare County Sheriff's Department Search & Rescue Team is comprised of members of the Tulare County Sheriff's Department and local volunteer groups. The Department's team structure includes 2 Lieutenants, 4 Sergeants and 25 Deputies. In addition to their regularly assigned duties, all Department personnel assigned to the team are available for call-outs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
Each newly assigned team member is required to attend an 80-hour SAR Academy focusing on the skills and training necessary for new team members to safely and effectively operate as rescuers during SAR operations. Specialized and advanced training is held monthly during the course of the year. The team holds monthly mandatory training throughout the year in addition to performing operational SAR missions.
All personnel are trained to levels required by the Govenor's Office of Emergency Services. The Department fields a 25-man Ground Search Team, 6-man Technical Rescue Team and Swiftwater/Dive Team.
Tulare County has a long history of utilizing trained local volunteers to provide assistance in SAR operations.
There are several local volunteer SAR organizations who are sanctioned to work with the Tulare County Sheriff's Department. Sworn personnel and volunteers train together to form an effective and cohesive response resource with varied types and levels of skill sets.