Contra Costa Search and Rescue Team

09/25/2026

Type 3 Academy is well underway! 🧭

Our trainees have already:

✅ Passed pack checks and their Type 3 Field Qualification Hike

✅ Learned radio communications and navigation

✅ Toured a mock Command Post

✅ Completed Basic First Aid

✅ Learned search tactics and clue awareness

✅ Gotten familiar with Sheriff's Office vehicles

Next up: a field exercise, then graduation! 🎓

09/24/2026

Proud to lend a hand to our SAR neighbors down south!

This weekend, two of our team members, Matt and Manuel, traveled all the way to San Bernardino to serve as evaluators for the San Bernardino Mountain Rescue Unit's accreditation testing.

Accreditation is a big deal in the mountain rescue world. Teams are put through demanding, realistic scenarios to show they have the skills, equipment, and teamwork needed to respond safely in rugged terrain. Evaluators play a key role in that process, watching closely, offering feedback, and helping make sure every team is ready when someone needs them most.

Congratulations to the San Bernardino team on all their hard work, and thank you to Matt and Manuel for representing Contra Costa SAR so well!

09/02/2026

Tonight, CoCoSAR welcomed 49 students to our newest Type 3 Academy Class!

Over the course of September, they’ll complete 47.5 hours of training in basic search tactics, communications, navigation, clue awareness, first aid/CPR, and other core skills — to prepare our volunteers to respond when it matters most.

We’re grateful for their commitment and excited to see this next group of responders grow. If you see our recruits out there training, give them a wave of support!

08/26/2026

🐾 Happy National Dog Day 🐾

Today we’re celebrating dogs everywhere — the loyal companions curled up on the couch, the goofballs at the dog park, and the hardworking partners out in the field with Search and Rescue teams.

Every dog brings something special to the people who love them. For our K9 SAR units, that means wilderness air scent, trailing, and land human remains detection — skills built through months of training and a deep bond with their handlers. In the field, these dogs help find people who might otherwise be impossible to locate in time.

So here’s to all dogs — the pets, the working dogs, and every dog in between. Thank you for everything you give us. 🐕

08/24/2026

Update 8/25/26 1600:
Search Concluded: 5 CoCoSAR members assisted today in the multi-agency search for missing hiker Ian Roberts. Our thoughts are with Ian’s family during this difficult time. Grateful to have supported Placer County Sheriff’s Office along with many other regional SAR teams and law enforcement agencies involved in this effort.

Mutual aid in action: 15 CoCoSAR members are in Placer County today, joining a multi-agency search for missing hiker Ian Roberts near Overlook Park.

08/07/2026

08/06/2026

What a great night in Martinez! 🧡

Thank you to everyone who stopped by our booth on Tuesday — it’s always the best part of these community events getting to visit with all of you, including several past, current, and future CoCoSAR team members. From little ones trying on helmets and carrying the litter, to catching up with familiar faces who had been part of this team for years, to meeting those who are starting the Academy next month — moments like these are exactly why we love doing outreach.

It was also great linking up with our fellow first responders out there serving Contra Costa County alongside us.

If you stopped by and are curious about volunteering with Search and Rescue, we’d love to hear from you — DM us or check the link in our bio.

See you next year, Martinez! 👋🚨

08/01/2026

Join Contra Costa County Search & Rescue for National Night Out!

Come find us on Tuesday, August 4, from 5:30 PM to 9:00 PM at the Martinez Marina Waterfront Park in Martinez, CA for an evening of fun, food, and community connection.

Meet CoCoSAR team members, check out our rescue equipment, and get an up-close look at the gear we use to bring people home safely. We’ll have team members on hand to answer questions about what search and rescue looks like in Contra Costa County.

Kids and families welcome! Come say hi, snap a photo with team members, and learn how our volunteers give back to the community.

We hope to see you there — it’s going to be a great night to connect with your neighbors and the people who show up when it matters most.

07/04/2026

Happy 4th of July, Contra Costa!

CoCoSAR volunteers are out today providing first aid support at the Danville and Orinda parades. If you see us along the route or at the first aid tent, come say hello — we love getting to spend the holiday with our community, not just out on a search.

Thank you for having us. Stay cool, stay hydrated, and enjoy the day.

06/29/2026

SAR Safety Sunday - Poison Oak

Poison oak doesn’t care if you’re on a search or on a training. Swipe through to see a photo of poison oak from a recent training, where it actually hides, and what to do before and after exposure.