With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
Volunteer Search-And-Rescue Workers Undergo Extensive Training
Mt. Baldy, Angeles National Forest.
(
Al Herrmann/Flickr Creative Commons
)
Listen
0:42
Volunteer Search-And-Rescue Workers Undergo Extensive Training
Search-and-rescue teams from around the state tried to find a hiker who went missing near Mt. Baldy on Dec. 8. The search was suspended after a volunteer died.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department suspended the search for a hiker who went missing near Mt. Baldy on Dec. 8 after rescue volunteer Timothy Staples died Saturday.
More than 100 people were involved in the search for Sreenivas "Sree" Mokkapati.
“No one ever really feels good about it, suspending a search,” volunteer Jeff Lehman said. He added the length of time a person is missing, bad weather or a lack of new information can all contribute to scaling back a search.
Lehman has been a San Bernardino County search-and0rescue volunteer for more than two decades, although he sometimes prefers the term "unpaid professional."
Sponsored message
“People often think it’s just a bunch of people that are just wandering around in the wilderness calling people’s names,” Lehman said. “They don’t understand the technical nature of search and rescue.”
County sheriff’s offices coordinate search-and-rescue groups . Volunteers complete a 60-hour basic search and rescue course and participate in monthly trainings.
Several local search and rescue groups, including West Valley Search and Rescue where Staples volunteered, are accredited through a national organization, the Mountain Rescue Association .
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
