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Davis County search-and-rescue asks for flat $61,009 operations budget and $20,000 capital to replace ATVs/snowmobiles
Summary
Search-and-rescue leaders told the Davis County Budget Committee they seek a flat operations budget of about $61,009.40 for 2026 and an additional $20,000 capital allocation to cover trade-in differences for replacing four ATVs and four snowmobiles; they also highlighted volunteer recruitment and a new grant-funded vehicle for hard-to-reach terrain.
AJ Sanano, who identified himself as commander of the county search-and-rescue team, told the Davis County Budget Committee the unit has about 40 operational members (roughly 50 total) and a vigorous one-year pipeline for new volunteers, with roughly 55 applicants pending.
"We are so grateful also for the financial support of the county," Sanano said, noting that county purchasing of equipment has lowered the financial barrier to serving. He said attrition remains a challenge but that recent county investment has shifted the principal burden from personal gear costs to volunteers’ time commitments.
Brad Barlow, speaking for search-and-rescue’s budget request, said the team is requesting a flat operations budget "equal with the last couple of years, $61,009.40," and called out recurring operational line items such as technical rescue gear, training and mapping/software that integrates cell-phone GPS for faster location of missing persons. Barlow said specialized software routinely lets the team see a caller’s GPS and rapidly determine equipment and personnel needed to respond.
Barlow also described an every-other-year capital replacement cycle for off-road equipment: "This is our year, 2026, where we would be trading in 4 four-wheelers, 4 snowmobiles at 90% of the value," with a remaining out-of-pocket difference that he estimated at about $20,000. He said the county typically funds that purchase from the capital budget rather than operations.
Committee members asked for clarification after Barlow presented an earlier, lower capital estimate; he said updated vendor pricing for 2026 inventories—obtained the day before—explained the change. Members praised the volunteers and suggested formal recognition at a commission meeting for the search-and-rescue team’s community service and donations-in-kind.
Sanano and other presenters noted a recently acquired grant vehicle (described as a ‘‘Sherpa’’) obtained via a Tri-County federal grant with Salt Lake and Tooele counties to access wetlands and dense phragmites. The presenters said the Sherpa is housed at the annex and that similar vehicles are available to neighboring counties through the same grant program.
Next steps: presenters requested the committee include the operations $61,009.40 in the 2026 recommended budget and to treat the $20,000 capital replacement as a capital-budget item; staff were asked to reflect final vendor quotes and to return with any required budget-structure changes.
