EMSAR Special Operations Units

High Angle Rope Rescue

The Emery County Search & Rescue Team is called on dozens of times annually to search for, and rescue or recover folks who get into dangerous places or situations they cannot control. Typically many hours or even days may pass between the moment someone realizes they are in trouble, and the moment they arrive in a hospital somewhere near Salt Lake City, Utah. Reducing the amount of time a stranded person remians trapped, is vital to increasing their chances of survival. By utilizing multiple air craft, high angle rope rescue techniques, and bringing Intermediate EMT's to our patients we can significantly increase their chances of surviving a crisis in the red rock wilderness or alpine forests of Emery County.  

Photo Courtesty of Ken Eley.

We currently have our Physicians Assistant, an EMT Intermediate Advanced, and four EMT Intermediates working as Rope Rescue Technicians on our High Angle Rope Rescue Team. This helps us get emergency medical services to people injured in Utah's San Rafael Country, faster!

Mountain Search & Rescue

The Manti La-Sal National Forest is located in western Emery County and is home to mountain peaks near 11,000 feet in elevation. hundreds of reservoirs, lakes, and streams are connected by hundreds of miles of trails designated for OHV's, horses, mountain bikers, and hikers. Warm days, cold nights, and extreme elevations combine with often un-predictable weather conditions to create freak snow squalls or freezing and thawing mud, trapping those who come to the alpine areas of Emery County, unprepared.

 Photo appears courtesy of Ben Orgill.

Avalanche Rescue

Most of the Wasatch Plateau is managed by the US Forest Service. There are world class places in western Emery County to snow mobile, wind kite, snowshoe, snowboard, or cross country ski. The Skyline Drive has become one of the best places in the country to experience winter sports and recreation. With the prevalent strong western winds and sharp ridgelines along the top of the mountains, avalanche danger is found in many places. The Ferron Ranger District of the Manti LaSal National Forest, and the Utah State Parks patrol the most hazardous locations, and also provide trail grooming services for the area. Since they are always working in the area they provide rapid response to avalanche emergencies. The Emery County Search & Rescue Team also responds to these types of emergencies if called in by either agency.

Photo appears here courtesy of Lee White.

Industrial Rescue

Emery County is home to several large industrial facilities as well as numerous underground mines. Many of our members serve on HERT and Mine Rescue Teams and some specialize in confined space rope rescue.

We currently have; eight Industrial Emergency Response Team members, and three Mine Rescue Team members on our staff!

Emergency Medical Services

We currently have one Physicians Assistant, one EMT-Paramedic, one EMT Intermediate Advanced, and eight EMT-Intermediates on our EMS Team. We have one current EMT Instructor, a certified First Responder Instructor, as well as a CPR Instructor. Several of our members are former EMT's and EMT Instructors. We also have several fire fighters on staff.

Our Medical Team is always improving their skills! We recently completed our annual Landing Zone Coordinator and Hoist Training with Life Flight Personnel. Several of our members recently visited the Life Flight Dispatch Center, and hangar at the Salt Lake International Airport, in an effort to better understand the flight operations side of medical air transport services. We were able to discuss the process with Life Flight Dispatchers and identify several changes we are making to improve emergency medical response times in Southeastern Utah!  

Life Flight and Emery County Ambulances.

EMSAR Personnel at the Life Flight Dispatch Center

located at the Salt Lake International Airport. 

 Photos Courtesy of Ben Orgill.

High Desert Search & Rescue

The San Rafael Swell and The San Rafael Desert are known to keep slot canyons and breath taking scenery hidden from most of the major local highways. Unfortunately these picturesque places often claim the lives of those exploring them.

Special Operations

We provide special services for one of our longest running corporate sponsors, MECCA Mt. Bike Club. We provide "sag wagons" (four wheelers manned by EMT's with coolers of water and medical supplies) for MECCA's annual Mt. Bike Festivals on the San Rafael Swell! We also provide dutch oven dinners for the participants, which we make in our famous three foot wide dutch ovens! You can link to their website from our links page under resources. Register for next years MECCA Fall Mt. Bike Festival and enjoy our world famous dutch oven dinner!

Public Safety

We provide traffic control and crowd control for events including; The Castle Valley Pageant, The Emery County Fair, and parades for every town in the county. We also provide additional staffing for the Emery County Sheriff's Office at large scale public events such as concerts and recreational venues.