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King County Search and Rescue outlines volunteer operations, requests local outreach partnerships
Summary
Representatives from King County Search and Rescue, Seattle Mountain Rescue and other member units described recent mission counts, volunteer staffing needs and outreach plans. Council members praised volunteers and offered help with outreach and signage.
Representatives of King County Search and Rescue and three member units briefed the North Bend City Council on Sept. 2 about recent activity, volunteer staffing and public‑education plans ahead of the busy season.
Carrie Lee Gannon, executive director of the King County Search and Rescue Association, told the council that King County accounted for 483 missions from Jan. 1, 2021, to Dec. 31, 2024, drawing from Washington Emergency Management Division figures. She outlined the organization’s volunteer training, public education and the “SAR ecosystem” of nine member units and partners. Gannon said volunteer operational expenses exceed $400,000 a year and come largely from donations and volunteer contributions.
Unit representatives described field experiences. Colin, representing 4x4 Search and Rescue logistics, described a mission that involved overnight operations and helicopter support to recover a missing child. Doug Gailey of Seattle Mountain Rescue noted Seattle Mountain Rescue averages about 110 missions per year and that trailheads popular with North Bend—Mailbox, Rattlesnake, Mount Si trailheads—are all within five miles of their headquarters.
Council members asked how the city could help with outreach. Carrie Lee and unit members said they are building pictogram signage and multilingual materials for trailheads, working with lodging and tourism partners, and would welcome the city sharing social‑media content and placing trailhead safety information in local visitor materials. Council members offered to host materials in city facilities, discuss placement of signage and coordinate at a future work session.
Councilors praised volunteers. Council member Brandon Bridal Elwood called the presentation “one of the best” and urged continued support; several members said they would work with staff to explore outreach and signage options.
