Kent County SAR

05/18/2026

If you’ve ever wanted to do something that actually matters instead of just arguing on Facebook about potholes and weather sirens… this is your sign.
The Kent County Emergency Services Team is looking for people who want to serve their community through:
🚨 Search & Rescue
📡 Emergency Communications
🌪️ SKYWARN Weather Spotting
🩺 Medical Reserve Corps / Support Roles
🧭 Emergency Management Support
We work alongside emergency management and public safety partners during real incidents, disasters, severe weather, missing persons searches, community events, and more. This isn’t cosplay. It’s training, teamwork, professionalism, and occasionally standing in the rain wondering why Michigan exists.
No, you do NOT need to already know everything.
Yes, training is provided.
What we do need is people with:
✔ Good judgment
✔ A willingness to learn
✔ The ability to function without ego
✔ Time to actually participate
✔ A mindset of “how can I help?” instead of “how can I get attention?”
KCEST is a volunteer-run 501(c)(3) organization supporting Kent County and surrounding communities.
We need:
🔹 Radio/comms nerds
🔹 Outdoors/search people
🔹 Tech people
🔹 Medical people
🔹 Logistics and support folks
🔹 Calm humans who can think under stress
🔹 People willing to become part of a team bigger than themselves
You don’t need to be a firefighter, cop, or tactical beard influencer.
You just need to be dependable and willing to train.
Interested? Start here:
KCEST Join Page www.kcest.org/join

KCEST is the parent organization responsible for managing several programs, including Search and Rescue, RACES/Auxiliary/ARES Communications, Skywarn (Severe Weather Spotters), the Medical Reserve Corps, and CERT. These programs collaborate with the Office of Emergency Management in Kent County. KCE...

05/06/2026

Some dogs fetch balls.
Some chase squirrels.
And then there are the rare ones like Tucker dogs who quietly help carry the weight of humanity’s worst days.

Tucker was not just a Search and Rescue dog. He was an HRD K9 who helped bring answers home to families who were living in uncertainty, grief, and heartbreak. In moments when loved ones were desperately searching for closure, Tucker and Jessy answered the call. That kind of work takes a special dog, a special handler, and a bond built on absolute trust.

Tucker served with purpose, professionalism, and somehow still managed to be the “bestest boy” all at the same time. Whether it was training, deployments, or just hanging around the team, he left paw prints on all of us.

HRD work is difficult. It is emotionally heavy. But Tucker never hesitated. He showed up ready to work, ready to help, and ready for whatever mission came next. Through that work, he gave something priceless to families: answers, dignity, and the chance to begin healing.

To Jessy, thank you for sharing Tucker with this team and this community for so many years. Team Tucker represented everything good about Search and Rescue: dedication, service, loyalty, and heart.

Tonight hurts. There’s really no way around that. The K9 community is small, and these dogs are never “just dogs” to the people who work beside them. They are partners, teammates, and family members.

We hope Tucker is now running free somewhere with endless fields, unlimited bananas, and no more hard missions ahead of him.

Thank you for your service, Tucker.
You mattered.
You made a difference.
And you were one hell of a good boy.

04/03/2026

River Bank Run 2026 Communications Support Signup!

CALLING ALL HAMS!!!

The Main Event Which is on May 9th from 6AM - 1PM with varying end times. We will also have a RBR Pre-Meeting on Friday May 8th location to be determined from 6:30PM - 8:30PM.

For those who have never worked the River Bank Run. This is the PREMIER Communications event in Kent County. This event is one that you'll enjoy and come back every year for more! The RBR event is HUGE and keeps growing!

03/29/2026

🚨 UPDATE: Subject located near Middleville safe. Thank you to all those who shared the post, gave updates on sightings, and even went out themselves to look for him! 🚨

Please call if you see this missing person so he can be reunited with family. Units are currently out searching for him. Last known to be in the 84th / Snow Ave area on foot.

03/01/2026

It is with heavy hearts that we share the sudden loss of K9 Bojangles. We mourn not only the loss of an exceptional K9, but also the loss felt deeply by his handler Leah, her family, and everyone who had the privilege of working beside him.

Boji was a dedicated Search and Rescue partner whose service, drive, and loyalty made a lasting impact on our team and our mission. His talent, personality, and unwavering commitment made him a valued member of the Kent County Search and Rescue K-9 Unit and a trusted partner in the field.

Our thoughts are with Leah and her family during this incredibly difficult time. We also recognize the profound loss felt across our entire K-9 Unit and organization.

Boji’s watch may be over, but his service, his impact, and his legacy will never be forgotten.

Rest easy, Boji. Thank you for your service.

01/18/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1ABkFrJsvx/?mibextid=wwXIfr

🚨 LOCATED SAFE ‼️ Thank you all for looking out for her and sharing the post !

Please keep your eyes out for a vulnerable adult who walked away from her home. Call 911 or our non-emergency number immediately if you see her.

*Updated photo - she has white hair.

11/30/2025

Due to the amount of snow that fell overnight, Kent County Skywarn will host an additional winter storm net at 1pm today to get final event totals. All snowfall reports welcome!

📡 Radio
Amateur Radio: K8SN repeater (442.175 MHz, +5 MHz, 103.5 CTCSS)
GMRS: WRVE804 repeater (462.600 MHz, +5 MHz, 94.8 CTCSS)

🌐 Online
SpotterConnect.com/Events

https://www.facebook.com/share/1B2hb2cead/?mibextid=wwXIfr

KCEST Spotter Connect: Your official hub for severe weather reporting and communication in Kent County, Michigan. Track storms, submit reports, and stay connected with Skywarn.

09/10/2025

Thank you to Muskegon County CERT/MRC Team for hosting us! We had a blast helping our neighbors learn the basis of Search and Rescue.

09/06/2025

Thank you for the invite Alpine Firefighters Association! https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1B5TLzbmeY/

03/28/2025

We're about a month out from our SAROps class and still have some seats available. If you're interested in learning more about what it takes to do Search and Rescue, take a look!

This is a crash course in search and rescue operations for Kent County Search and Rescue members and invited guests. This class is designed for new Search and Rescue team members to get up to speed. The course begins with a 6 hour lecture on many aspects of search and rescue as practiced by professi...