DARES Search & Rescue

DARES Search & Rescue Desert Alpine Reserve Emergency Services (DARES) is an all-volunteer search and rescue team supporting the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office.

Specializing in man tracking, wilderness rescue, and community outreach across Arizona. Desert Alpine Reserve Emergency Services (DARES) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, all-volunteer search and rescue (SAR) organization based in Maricopa County, Arizona. We operate in partnership with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Posse Program, providing trained personnel for search, rescue, and emergency respon

se missions. Our team specializes in:

-Man tracking and lost person search operations
-Wilderness and desert search & rescue
-Medical response and field care
-Swift water support and river safety operations
-Public safety education and outdoor survival training

DARES members respond to missions across Arizona’s rugged terrain, day or night, assisting in locating missing, injured, or stranded individuals. Search and rescue operations in Arizona are coordinated through county sheriffs and often involve remote, high-risk environments where trained volunteers play a critical role. In addition to operational response, we are deeply committed to community outreach and prevention. Our team regularly engages with the public on trails and recreation areas, teaching essential survival skills and desert safety awareness. Our members are highly trained and certified in Arizona SAR Tech II standards, with many advancing into leadership, instruction, and specialized tracking roles. We also support training for other teams and agencies throughout the state.

07/05/2026
06/16/2026

The south Phoenix hiking area has reopened after a hiker missing for several days was found dead.

06/16/2026

We have several members currently attending the Mountain Rescue Association (MRA) conference in Juneau, Alaska. Last night, we recognized one of our members at the national level.

Sean has been an active rescuer in SARA for over 20 years. He has served 10 years on our Board of Directors, with 3 years as Vice President and 3 years as President. Sean has over 1000 missions and 2500 field hours! As of February he has been on over 1140 missions. Sean is also the developer of the response application ERM which started out for our team, but as its use and versatility grew, has now become the standard app for mission response, tracking, and member management for several teams within the MRA. We greatly appreciate his ongoing contribution and are excited to have him continue with our team for many years to come.

Thank you, Sean, for all of your contributions to search and rescue!

05/05/2026
Last weekend, the DARES team had the opportunity to attend SARCON 2026, hosted by Arizona Search and Rescue Coordinators...
05/05/2026

Last weekend, the DARES team had the opportunity to attend SARCON 2026, hosted by Arizona Search and Rescue Coordinators Association, alongside SAR teams from across Arizona.

Over three days, our members took part in a wide range of training, instruction, and hands-on challenges designed to build real-world search and rescue capability. From tracking and navigation to mission-based scenarios and field problem solving, SARCON continues to be an outstanding opportunity to sharpen skills and learn from some of the best instructors in the SAR community.

Beyond the training, events like this are a great chance to connect with other teams, share knowledge, and strengthen the partnerships that are critical during real-world missions.

We’re especially proud to share that DARES brought home 1st place in the Survival Olympics, earning the championship cup after a series of physically and mentally demanding challenges that tested teamwork, fieldcraft, and resilience. Our team represented Maricopa County and Maricopa County Sheriff's Office extremely well.

A big thank you to all of the organizers, instructors, and volunteers who made this event possible, and to everyone who continues to support the SAR community across Arizona.

05/04/2026
04/20/2026

Who We Are | DARES Search & Rescue

We are DARES — a volunteer search and rescue team serving Maricopa County in partnership with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office.

From tracking lost hikers in the desert to providing medical aid on the Salt River, our team is committed to saving lives and keeping our community safe.

✔ 100% Volunteer
✔ Highly trained SAR & medical personnel
✔ Responding across Arizona
✔ Focused on prevention, education, and rescue

📍 Based in Arizona
📞 In an emergency, always call 911

That Others May Live

03/31/2026

Az SARCON registration closes April 1. Dont miss your chance to participate this year.

Address

Maricopa County, AZ
Maricopa County, AZ
85262

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