2022 Applicant Information Sessions
If you are interested in joining the Idaho Mountain Search and Rescue Unit, the first step is to attend one of our Applicant Information Sessions. This one-hour meeting (held three times per year) will explain what it takes to be a successful volunteer with IMSARU, and will answer any questions you have about the team. Attending an Information Session is required before applying for membership. Membership applications will be available at the end of the session.
The following Applicant Information Sessions are scheduled for 2022:
Thursday January 20th at 6:00pm
Thursday May 19th at 6:00pm
Thursday September 22nd at 6:00pm
Meetings are held in person at our compound: 2519 S Federal Way, Boise Idaho.
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In case you missed it, an NPR segment from earlier in the season was included in this evening's Marketplace national program. Thank you to Boise State Public Radio and journalist Madelyn Beck for helping get the word our regarding our mission.
The segment can be heard in the January 26th episode, beginning at 22:00. Links to other podcast sources for the episode are in the comments.
www.npr.org/podcasts/381444600/marketplace
www.npr.org
Every weekday, host Kai Ryssdal helps you make sense of the day's business and economic news — no econ degree or finance background required. "Marketplace" takes you beyond the numbers, bringing you context. Our team of reporters all over the world speak with CEOs, policymakers and regular people ...Link to the episode on Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-feds-gonna-do-what-the-feds-gonna-do/id201853034?i=1000549114304
Episode link on Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/3DdiZ6ZwHFhQPiTrqKH5Na?si=QyKzWRPCSrG5ga1gSx-OvA
Great work by the Haywood County Search & Rescue team to rescue this stranded hiker in winter weather. If you want to go out and explore the outdoors, please make sure you account for the weather and make a plan! So glad this hiker was found safe.
For those of you who had seen this article, we at IMSARU never charge subjects for rescues. Our unit is an all-volunteer service to the community.
www.washingtonpost.com
It took six members of Haywood County Search and Rescue’s mountain-rescue team to reach the stranded hiker, authorities said.This is incredible! I missed the IMSAR class last week since I've been working four days a week it's been harder to get down the mountain to the Boise area. I really appreciate all that you do, hoping I can make it soon
Thanks for all that you do!
In the early evening of January 7, IMSARU received a callout from Boise County Sheriff's Office to assist with a vehicle that was under the water in the Main Payette River alongside ID-55 north of Gardena. Witnesses said there may have been as many as three passengers in the vehicle when it went over the side of the road and plunged into the water dozens of feet below.
23 members of the unit responded to our compound. A team of members who are certified as Swiftwater Rescue Technicians mounted a hasty effort to get to the scene as quickly as possible to assist. On arriving we learned from Idaho State Police that the vehicle had been submerged for an extended period of time.
IMSARU's Operations Lead formed swiftwater and technical safety teams to begin the process of recovering the vehicle and its occupants. We had been joined by a dive team from Ada County Sheriff's Office and made a plan to provide the diver with the ability to lower into the river upstream of the vehicle and to tether him in place against the current, which is far too strong for a diver to swim against.
IMSARU teams rigged ropes across the river upstream for safety and anchoring and had downstream safety teams ready in case any rescue personnel needed to be pulled from the river. Using a specialized inflatable raft, the diver was placed into the water and maintained in place while he affixed the heavy winch rigging to the vehicle. In a high current and with large chunks of ice battering him below the water, the diver safely attached the vehicle to the tow rigging and with the aid of IMSARU safety teams was safely extracted from the water.
All rescue teams were removed from the area for safety. The vehicle, a full-size pickup truck, was then pulled to the road level by a specialized tow truck. At that time it was discovered that the truck had a lone occupant, the driver, who sadly did not survive the incident. We at IMSARU offer our deepest condolences to the subject’s family for their loss.
We wanted to thank the team from ACSO for their incredible collaboration in quickly putting together a plan and executing it impeccably. Also, we thank BCSO and ISP for their partnership in calling us to help in situations like this. It's an honor to serve our community as we do on an all-volunteer basis.
www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/nampa-man-killed-after-pickup-goes-off-highway-55-and-into-river-...
Love to see collaboration working as it should.
Thank you for your dedication and service!
Thank you IMSARU.
Thank you IMSARU! Your hard work and service to the surrounding communities is very appreciated!
GOOD JOB!
Great work gentlemen.
Thank you for the efforts by all responders.
Wow, you guys are awesome! 👏 Great job!
Wow. What an operation and sad ending. We could see where the truck went off on our way home from Cascade. Dangerious operation getting it and the occupant out of the river.
Thanks for all that you do!
Thank you for what you all do.
RIP. Outstanding work gents. As always, stay safe. Plan the dive, dive the plan✊🏻💯🙏🏻
Idaho Mountain Search and Rescue Unit (IMSARU) is an all-volunteer, not-for-profit organization that does not charge for its services. IMSARU relies primarily on donations to finance its operations. We would like to gratefully acknowledge our donors from the fourth quarter of 2021, which include:
Alisa Rettschlag
Arthur Carlson
Ken Swickard
Leslie Ann Tengelsen in the name of Madonna Lengerich
Matthew Ward
Richard Incelli
Rodney Zwainz
Sean Tierney
Capitol Gypsies
Forever Idaho Southwest Fund of the Idaho Community Foundation
Treasure Valley Givers
Donors via Facebook
Donors via the Benevity Giving Platform
Donors via Amazon Smile
Donors via Fred Meyer Rewards
Donors via Idaho Gives
Anonymous donors
We at IMSARU wanted to wish Charlotte Gunn a very happy birthday! Charlotte again turned 29 and holding yesterday, January 1.
Please join us in wishing Charlotte all the best!Earlier this evening IMSARU had its annual award ceremony. Among those was a new and very special award, called the Charlotte Gunn Women in SAR Award, given to Charlotte herself.
Charlotte has selflessly served IMSARU and all of the State of Idaho as a member of the unit for more than 46 years. She first joined the unit back in 1973, and has served in many different capacities actively, including being the unit's very first EMT.
Please join all of us at IMSARU in thanking Charlotte for her service, leaving a comment below.
Happy Birthday Charlotte!
Happy Birthday Charlotte.
Happy Birthday Charlotte, you are a mentor to many!
Congratulations Charlotte!
A very happy birthday Charlotte I remember you and George helping me get involved years ago and working in the corn booth with you. Blessings on your special day
Happy Birthday Charlotte!
Happy birthday Charlotte!
Congrats Charlotte and happy birthday from Lee and I!
Thank you Charlotte. Happy birthday and big hugs to you!
Congrats!
Hi Charlotte, have a happy birthday!
We could not have had any better mentors than you and George!
Happy birthday Charlotte!
Happy birthday Charlotte you're amazing! Wishing you the best day. Congratulations 👏🎉
Happy Birthday Charlotte!
Happy Birthday Charlotte. I hope you had a great day!
On Wednesday, December 22, at approximately 7:00 PM, IMSARU was called by Boise local EMS to assist Idaho State Police and Ada County Sheriff's Office with a rollover crash on Bogus Basin road.
Sadly, a 71-year-old Treasure Valley resident lost his life after losing control of his vehicle on Bogus Basin Road, traveling off of the roadway and rolling several hundred feet down into a drainage below, rolling several times.
Members of the IMSARU technical rescue team were deployed to assist law enforcement and investigative resources from the Ada County Coroner's office. The subject was successfully recovered from the snow-covered scene and placed in the proper care.
The name of the subject has not yet been released to the public, but we wanted to express to the family our deepest condolences for their loss at what is supposed to be a time of joy and celebration. We are also grateful for the opportunity to apply our skills in assisting law enforcement authorities in situations such as these.
Prayers to the family 😪😪
Oh My Iam so sorry
IMSARU was fortunate to be able to assist with an NPR story discussing the impacts of pandemic life on backcountry use and impacts to SAR. Thanks to NPR and the Mountain West News Bureau for the support.
Some backcountry rescue groups see increase in calls
www.boisestatepublicradio.org
More and more people headed into the backcountry this year – and many rescue groups have seen an increase in calls. That puts pressure on volunteers who help respond to emergencies.Ongoing avalanche danger in central Idaho. Backcountry lovers, please check conditions and be mindful of where you are, which direction slopes are facing, incline of slopes, and other conditions that may contribute to avalanche as you sled and ski.
And, as always, carry avalanche safety gear, including beacons, probes, and shovels, and have emergency communications capability.
Yesterday evening IMSARU received a call for assistance from Boise County Sheriff's Office to conduct a search for a missing nordic skier outside the boundaries of Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area. In less than an hour, 17 members had responded to conduct the mission, including backcountry ski and UTV teams, all with winter avalanche safety and other personal gear to conduct a prolonged search as needed.
We're glad to report after being missing for approximately nine hours, the subject was found safe.
We thank our partners in Boise County for the opportunity to assist on a night with exceedingly poor weather conditions. A good result going into the holidays to be sure!
Great job!
Well done 🇺🇸
Glad there was a favorable outcome. Impressed so many volunteers responded to the call. Where there any lessons learned either on the part of the skier in question (“the subject” to use your term) and/or Bogus Basin?
Wow! 9 hours out, they are fortunate to be okay! Thanks so much for all you do. Outcomes aren't always so great. It's a terrible thing, to be missing once snow can make you disappear.
Thanks for all that you do, and the time spent!
Thank you for all you do
🙏🏻
Dangerous conditions in the Sawtooths. Be aware of avalanche risk before that “first storm of the season” fever takes over!
Our tech team was "chillin" and "hanging out" at the Black Cliffs this past weekend. Some of our new team members are testing for their Rescue Basic certification!
Thanks for all that you do!
I think I have see this before.😀
Thanks to all of you, for all of this. It's a huge amount of work!
2021 has been an incredible year for the K9 team at IMSARU!
We are proud to announce that four additional K9 handler and dog teams have been newly certified within our unit. We also want to recognize the multiple advanced K9 certifications and recertifications accomplished to maintain operational status. Specifically:
* K9 Raven (with handler Maya) and K9 Tako (with handler Jen) both certified as a wilderness cadaver team
* K9 Stella Blue (with handler Brian) certified as a wilderness live find team
* K9 Terabyte (with handler Tom) certified as a trailing team
In addition, these K9s and handlers put in the hard work to advance their expertise and added new certifications and maintained their existing certifications this year:
* K9 Brewster (with handler Christi) certified as a land human remains detection (HRD) team and re-certified as a wilderness live find team with cadaver awareness
* K9 Kikka (with handler Arnoldo) certified as an advanced cadaver team
* K9 Schatzi (with handler Lisa) certified as a cadaver team and re-certified as a wilderness live find team with cadaver awareness
* K9 Oskar (with handler Ann) certified as a shoreline water team and re-certified as an advanced cadaver team and as a land HRD team
* K9 Kato (with handler Jen) re-certified as a wilderness live find team
IMSARU K9s are certified with nationally-recognized organizations such as the National Search Dog Alliance and Tri-State K9. These certifications are required for deployment on searches, and reflect the years of hard work and dedication handlers put into training themselves and their K9 partners.
Special thanks also go to our amazing flankers and training subjects that spend endless hours hiding for our dogs and helping the teams achieve these incredible milestones in service of Idaho and the entire Mountain West.
AWESOME!!!
Congratulations to everyone, so proud of you all! <3
Way to go!!! These are amazing teams! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Thank you for what you do.
Way to go Idaho Mountain!!
Are they ready to travel with us??????
So much hard work from fantastic handlers & K9s. IMSARU currently has 10 certified search dogs!!
Once again, it's Giving Tuesday! We sincerely hope that as you consider your causes today you'll remember IMSARU in your plans.
IMSARU is an all-volunteer agency providing world-class search and rescue operations in Idaho for over 60 years. We rely on donations and support from the Idaho community for our annual operating budget.
Thank you so much in advance for your support today!
We at IMSARU hope everyone had a safe and rewarding Thanksgiving holiday!
Among the many things we're thankful for this season is the generous support we receive from donors, foundations, and other philanthropies. IMSARU is an all-volunteer organization, and these gifts are critical to supporting our mission by providing our operating budget.
In particular we would like to acknowledge a significant grant from the Forever Idaho Southwest Fund in the Idaho Community Foundation. We're so grateful to the Foundation for their support.
Thank you to all and here's to welcoming winter outdoors in Idaho!
Agreed. Thank you Idaho Community Foundation! 🧡
Bravo Zulu to our partners and friends with Boise County Sheriff's Office and East Boise County Ambulance District. Amazing work!
good job in a bad situation...
Great job, and Thanks for your service!
thank you you guys worked so hard in this cold terrible day
It's been gearing back up for our team here at IMSARU!
On October 10, we received a call for mutual aid from Elmore County Search and Rescue Team. A 67-year-old hunter had been reported missing in the Trinity Ridge area of the Boise National Forest. 14 members of our unit responded to the callout.
Fortunately, the hunter was found safe and in good health. Thank you to the Elmore County SAR team for the opportunity to assist!
Thankyou for all that you do!
IMSARU would like to say
thank you to all veterans on this Veterans Day. We're grateful
for your service!
Thankyou!
Thank you!
Wise tips indeed from our friends at Boise County Sheriff's Office!As things get colder we would like everyone to re-familiarize themselves with winter driving. Here are a few tips we hope you follow.
Boise County Sheriff's Office
Amen!
We at IMSARU agree with this advice below.
If you have cell limited service, trying to communicate by voice is not the best solution. Sending a text message with the same info (or a map pin) to friends and/or family is far better as it conserves battery life, which degrades more quickly in cold weather.
One of the specialized tools that we have in our toolbox is the ability to send YOU a text message that allows us to track your current location using your cell phone. If you wind down your battery too fast then that's one less tool we have available to communicate with you.
In all cases, the general guidelines of backcountry safety always make a difference:
1) Let people know where you're going, how you're getting there, and when you expect to arrive. This makes it easier for authorities to trace your expected route if you don't arrive as expected. This is perhaps the most important and often overlooked step. Then, try to stay on that route as best you can so you're easier to locate as authorities come looking.
2) Carry supplies when you travel in the event you get stranded. Warm clothing, extra food and water, first aid supplies, flashlight/headlamp and spare batteries, and the ability to make fire if you need to. Double check your spare tire is in good condition and ensure you have the tools with you and knowledge of how to change a tire if you need to.
3) Consider how you would communicate along your route of you ran into trouble. Idaho has relatively little cell phone coverage, even along well-traveled state highways. Bring a spare charger for your phone that doesn't require your car, and research other communication options in an emergency, such as ham radio or satellite communication devices such as a SPOT or a Garmin InReach.
Be safe, Idaho friends! Get out there any enjoy all of what our beautiful state has to offer!Recently a Facebook post has gone viral telling people to "update their voice mail" if their battery is going low. This is not the best advice, and will likely not work. We would like to ask that you not follow this advice, clarify why this is bad advice, and suggest better options.
Edit: Unfortunately, we have turned off comments and are going through and deleting comments that do not meet our clearly posted page guidelines to keep comments respectful and kind. We welcome and encourage commenting and sharing ideas and experiences, as well as respectful discussion. Since many comments have moved over into personal attacks and name-calling, we are shutting it down.
STAY WITH YOUR VEHICLE, STAY NEAR A ROAD OR TRAIL. If you have any battery life, send a text message. It only takes a fraction of a second of data reception to get that message out. This has a much better chance to make it through than updating your voice mail.
Why is the circulated post/meme poor advice?
1. Anything using voice on your phone uses up far more battery than texts/SMS. Do not use voice if your battery is running low.
2. A detailed SMS message uses a fraction of the data that a voice message uses, and can transmit using a much weaker signal than a voice call requires. If you have a weak signal, SMS will transmit when voice will not.
3. If you don’t have a signal, you can’t change your VM. Don’t waste your battery attempting this
What should you do instead?
If you have a signal and plenty battery-power, call 911. Be sure to have your location with GPS coordinates ready.
But this scenario deals with low battery power and poor signal...
1. Turn off WiFi and Bluetooth and put your phone in airplane mode (or turn off cellular) to conserve power.
2. Compose an SMS message to all your trusted contacts. Text only - no images or attachments. Write where you are (as best as you can, bonus points for GPS coordinates!), your condition, and any info needed to locate you. It is FAR easier for a hasty team to locate a vehicle on a road/trail than to locate a person that has gone off into the brush. You can also text 911, but be aware that text 911 is NOT functional in all areas of the country.
3. When you are happy with your detailed SMS message, turn off airplane mode (or turn your cellular back on), send, and cross your fingers that your tiny SMS data-packet gets out to us! Outgoing texts will retry for a while if low/no signal, then cancel. Check to make sure your text went out. Moving a little to avoid hills and trees may help.
4. STAY WITH YOUR VEHICLE, STAY NEAR A ROAD OR TRAIL.
5. If that doesn’t work, our team will be sending in Thing 1 (pictured) and Thing 2 to get you. (Assuming you told someone where you were going and when you'd be back. You did remember to tell someone your plans, right?)
Skamania County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue
Patricia Williams looks like Idaho search and rescue shared the Skamania post 😀
There are very good small solar chargers available. Just keep them charged and it may come in handy.
I think it was just meant to be attempted as a back-up plan.
Good idea
This past weekend, our Tech Team used this month's training as an excuse to do some clean up in the desert. All said and done we got five reps in on the highline, and pulled two pickup loads of garbage out of a local cave!
Well done IMSRU!
Right on!
IMSARU Tech Team rocks!
Higby cave?
Looks like Kuna Cave
I'm with Jake that's it's Higgbe cave South of Gowen field
HIgby cave? Been there.
Well done team!
Looks like Eureka cave out toward Mountain Home
Thanks for picking up the trash, but in reality, that should have never happened, as the people who did this, should be made to pick it up!
It does look similar to Higby, but that's not Higby.
Looks like Bear Trap cave. North of Minidoka.