Stephens County Search and Rescue Team

05/25/2026

Today, we ask our community to simply remember.

Remember the men and women who answered their nation’s call and never made it home. Remember those who could laugh and fight at the same time. Remember those who gave up not only the life they were living, but the life they would have lived. The families they would have raised, the years they never got to see, and the chance to one day grow old surrounded by those they loved.

Remember the Gold Star families whose lives were forever changed. Families who still feel the absence at the dinner table, during holidays, and in the quiet moments that never seem to get easier.

Memorial Day is not about sales or celebration. It is about sacrifice. It is about remembering the human cost of freedom and honoring those who gave everything for people they would never meet.

So today, slow down. Say their names. Visit the memorials. Fly the flag with purpose.

And when you do, pray. Pray for the families carrying loss. Pray for those still battling the war within. Pray that we never become so distracted as a nation that we forget the price paid for the freedoms we enjoy.

From all of us at Stephens County Search and Rescue, we honor and remember the fallen, and those who were left behind that directly carries those burdens.

May we never forget.

05/22/2026

Congratulations to Our First SCSAR Recruit Class
Class 2026-001

Today, we proudly recognize and congratulate the graduates of Stephens County Search and Rescue Recruit Class 2026-001. These dedicated volunteers committed themselves to 13 weeks of demanding training, long hours, and unwavering determination in pursuit of one goal: serving others in their time of need.

The class began with 18 recruits, and after months of rigorous instruction and hands-on training, 9 recruits successfully completed the program. Their accomplishment speaks volumes about their perseverance, discipline, and commitment to the mission of search and rescue.

Under the guidance of outstanding SCSAR Officers, Instructors, and Trainers, these recruits were challenged in numerous critical areas of emergency response. Training included lost person behavior, basic search techniques, waterborne surface rescue, basic rope rescue, land navigation, K9 operations, and the Incident Command System. Beyond these core subjects, they also trained extensively in many additional areas essential to modern search and rescue operations.

This class was not simply about learning skills. It was about building teamwork, leadership, resilience, and a servant’s heart. Every graduate standing today earned their place through hard work, sacrifice, and dedication to the community they now stand ready to protect.

By completing this course, these volunteers now become part of a proud tradition and team that has served this community since August 20, 1957. They now carry forward the SCSAR motto:

“Bringing Home the Lost.”

We are proud of each and every one of you and look forward to watching you continue to grow within SCSAR.

Congratulations, Class 2026-001. Your journey is just beginning.

05/04/2026

Check out this co-authored article dealing with the utilization and benefits of quality trained K9s for water operations.

A big congratulations to K9 Handler Donna Frady and our Training Officer Benjamin Stanfield.

Certified K9 SAR teams enhance search efficiency, reduce search areas, and improve outcomes in missing person and water recovery ops.

03/16/2026

Stephens County Search and Rescue
Boating Safety awareness.

Safe boating starts with knowing the waterway. Buoys and markers are not decorations. They are safety warnings that identify hazards, controlled areas, diver activity, and safe navigation routes. Ignoring them places you, your passengers, and others at risk.

Every operator should understand basic navigation markers and the boating rules of the road. Know what the markers mean. Slow down in controlled areas. Stay clear of diver flags. Never pass between a buoy and the shoreline when it is marked as restricted. When encountering other vessels, follow proper right of way signals and communicate clearly.

Most boating incidents are preventable. A few moments of awareness and respect for the markers on the water can prevent injuries, collisions, and loss of life.

Boat responsibly. Know the markers. Follow the rules of the water.

Stephens County Search and Rescue
Serving our community through training, readiness, and response.

02/08/2026

SCSAR Completed a 3 day course in Wilderness Search & Rescue focusing on "Lost Person's Behavior" and Search management protocols. We had a total of 29 personnel to include Instructor Cadre lead by Bob Bolz and Allen Padget. Their team of skilled, experienced proctors did a marvelous job of training and evaluating our team.

We also want to give a big thank you to GA DNR for use of their station on Lake Russell WMA.

There is so much that goes into doing this work and lots of walking.

From all leadership, we have our hats off to all our volunteers who gave up their weekend and time with family to come out, train, and be better serve our community.

Our motto remains.....

"BRINGING HOME THE LOST"

01/23/2026

*******Public Safety Announcement******

During a power outage, never run generators, grills, camp stoves, propane heaters, or gas appliances inside your home, garage, basement, or near windows or doors. These devices produce carbon monoxide (CO), a colorless, odorless gas that can kill you in minutes.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), carbon monoxide poisoning is one of the leading causes of accidental poisoning deaths in the United States. Opening windows or doors does not make indoor generator or heater use safe.

Generators must be used outdoors only, at least 20 feet away from buildings, with exhaust directed away from the structure. Install and maintain battery-powered carbon monoxide detectors in your home.

If you experience headache, dizziness, nausea, confusion, or unusual fatigue, get outside immediately and call 911.
Power outages are temporary. Carbon monoxide poisoning is permanent.

Source: CDC – Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention
https://www.cdc.gov/carbonmonoxide

12/25/2025

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!!!

12/08/2025

We are so happy to have placed 2nd for our very first tree festival. There were so many great trees this year. Thank you to everyone who supported and the amazing folks who contributed to everyone's trees.

12/07/2025

Remembering today, and don't let our greatest generation be lost and forgotten..the 2,404 service members and civilians who were killed during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

The infographic provides a timeline of key events on the morning of December 7, 1941, related to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
At 3:42 AM (Hawaiian time) the minesweeper USS Condor sights what may be a submarine periscope near the entrance to Pearl Harbor.
At 6:10 AM the first wave of planes, numbering nearly 200, takes off from aircraft carriers of the Imperial Japanese Navy’s Pearl Harbor Strike Force, which is positioned some 275 miles (440 km) north of Oahu.
At 6:45 AM the destroyer USS Ward fires on a Japanese submarine. These are the first shots fired by the United States in World War II.

At 6:53 AM the captain of the Ward radios the headquarters of the Fourteenth Naval District, responsible for defending the Hawaiian Islands, “We have attacked, fired upon, and dropped depth charges upon submarine operating in defensive sea area” near Pearl Harbor. The district commandant, assuming this to be an isolated incident the Ward and a relief destroyer can handle, takes no action. The commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet decides to await confirmation before acting.

At 7:02 AM a U.S. Army radar operator on Oahu spots a large formation of unidentified aircraft heading toward the island.
At 7:20 AM an army lieutenant disregards this radar report, believing that it indicates a flight of U.S. planes, possibly B-17 bombers scheduled to arrive that day several hours later.
At 7:40 AM the first wave of Japanese aircraft reaches Oahu.
At 7:49 AM the first wave’s commander orders the attack on Pearl Harbor to proceed.
At 7:55 AM the coordinated attack on Pearl Harbor begins.
At 8:10 AM the battleship USS Arizona explodes.
At 8:17 AM the destroyer USS Helm fires on and sinks a Japanese submarine at the entrance to the harbor.
At 8:54 AM the second wave of Japanese planes, numbering nearly 170, begins its attack.
At 9:30 AM the destroyer USS Shaw explodes in dry dock.
At 10:00 AM the Japanese planes head back to their carriers, which will ultimately return to Japan.

The infographic provides a chart showing a block of red aircraft icons, each representing a single torpedo plane, high-level bomber, dive bomber, or fighter in the Japanese attacking force. According to the chart, a total of 353 planes were involved in the attack. Of those, 29 planes, shaded dark red on the chart, failed to return to their carriers after the attack.
The chart also notes that the Japanese navy’s Pearl Harbor Strike Force consisted of some 67 ships (6 of them aircraft carriers). Most of them were positioned more than 200 miles north of Oahu during the attack. Finally, the chart notes that only one Japanese ship that participated in the attack survived till the end of World War II.

12/05/2025

Located this year at the Historic Court House in Downtown Toccoa Ga, please come out and show your support to the trees and help us raise money for good causes.

Voting takes place tonight from 5pm to 9pm.

Toccoa, GA's annual Christmas Fest features a popular Festival of Trees where local groups (like Fire Depts & non-profits) decorate trees in the Historic Courthouse, with the community voting for their favorites via donations ($1/vote) to support causes, often with a grand prize for the winning non-profit, creating a fun way for local Public Safety and businesses to engage the community during the holidays.