Kent County SAR

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Kent County SAR The mission of the Kent County Ground Search and Rescue team is to safely locate, assist, stabilize,

10/03/2026

📻 Operation Echo starts today at 9:00 AM!

The Kent County Emergency Services Team (KCEST) is participating in a Simulated Emergency Test (SET), practicing the communications skills that keep our community connected during emergencies.

Amateur Radio
📡 U1 • K8SN: 442.175 MHz
+5 MHz offset • 103.5 Hz tone

📡 Linked to V14 • WX8GRN: 145.270 MHz
−0.600 MHz offset • 94.8 Hz tone

GMRS
📡 G3 • WRVE804: 462.600 MHz
+5 MHz offset • 94.8 Hz tone

MeshCore
💬

Tune in and listen to net control for exercise instructions.

This is an exercise. Simulated emergency traffic is part of today’s training.

We are glad to be of service, no matter where and no matter when.
08/09/2026

We are glad to be of service, no matter where and no matter when.

Thank you to everyone who came out and saw us at National Night Out hosted by Kent County Sheriff's Office at South Chri...
08/04/2026

Thank you to everyone who came out and saw us at National Night Out hosted by Kent County Sheriff's Office at South Christian High School!

If you’ve ever wanted to do something that actually matters instead of just arguing on Facebook about potholes and weath...
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!

Address

Kent County Sheriffs Department Emergency Management Division Search And Rescue Team 701 Ball Avenue NE
Grand Rapids, MI
49503

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