On September 10, 2018 the Summit County Sheriff’s Office was honored to learn the Department of Local Affairs (DOLA), with recommendations from program staff and the Search and Rescue Advisory Council, was awarded with $12,435.00.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: September 19, 2018
Contact: Erin Opsahl
(970) 423-8901
Erin.Opsahl@SummitCountyCO.Gov
SEARCH AND RESCUE END-OF-YEAR AWARD RECEIVED BY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
SUMMIT COUNTY, CO – On September 10, 2018 the Summit County Sheriff’s Office was honored to learn the Department of Local Affairs (DOLA), with recommendations from program staff and the Search and Rescue Advisory Council, was awarded with $12,435.00 to support search and rescue activity in Summit County.
The Sheriff’s Office submitted a grant application for the end-of-year funding from the Search and Rescue Program Fund. The year-end funding award to the Sheriff’s Office will provide for equipment the Summit County Rescue Group will utilize and without the grant may not have been obtained.
“The Sheriff’s Office annually receives a budget for the Summit County Rescue Group and is proud to have increased the budgeted by 9% in 2018.” Sheriff FitzSimons said, “This was the first increase to the rescue group budget since 2009.”
“We’re very fortunate to have such a strong working relationship between the Summit County Sheriff’s Office and the Summit County Rescue Group and am proud of support we are able to provide to the Group,” Sheriff Jaime FitzSimons said. “Together, we provide a highly skilled and equipped backcountry rescue capability to Summit County’s residents and visitors which is so important when anyone becomes injured in the backcountry.”
As another sign of support, in December 2017, Summit County announced the grand reopening of the Summit County Rescue Barn that had underwent numerous upgrades. The $60,000 winterization of the Rescue Barn, located on the Summit County Commons campus in Frisco has allowed for faster deployment of search-and-rescue teams, as well as improve training conditions for volunteers. The facility houses vehicles and equipment used by Summit County Rescue Group on upwards of 70 local search-and-rescue missions per year. Prior to the improvements, the metal-walled building was not insulated or heated.
Summit County Rescue Group volunteers train extensively to hone skills such as high-angle alpine rescue and swift water rescue. In June 2018, the organization underwent a recertification administered by the Mountain Rescue Association (MRA). ###