bipedalist Posted December 31, 2024 BFF Patron Posted December 31, 2024 Linking back to the news article section that is rarely read re: the need to support the gofundme for Skamania SAR that lost a treasure trove of rescue equipment post-recovery of diseased BF outdoorsmen the other day. They have a gofundme on this thread here at the BFF. From the gofundme description: URGENT: Help Us Rebuild After Devastating Theft Two nights ago, after completing a grueling 3-day mission starting Christmas morning to recover the remains of two lost hikers, thieves targeted our Search and Rescue team. While our exhausted volunteers were finally resting at home, our storage yard was broken into. Thieves cut through a 10-foot barbed wire fence and stole critical lifesaving equipment from our trailers. While we are proudly affiliated with the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office, our Search and Rescue organization is a completely independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit. We receive no funding from federal, state, or local governments. Every piece of equipment, every training, and every mission is made possible by generous donations from supporters like you. All of our rescuers are 100% volunteers with no paid staff. The loss is devastating. Over the past 8 weeks, we’ve responded to 7 missions, but now we are struggling to remain mission-ready. The stolen items include: First Responder grade equipment for technical rope rescue Equipment for packaging patients in a litter An AED (Automated External Defibrillator) Custom wilderness medical kits for remote emergencies Rescue kits for hypothermic patients Generators and other critical tools Projector for training Other essential rescue equipment This expensive First Responder equipment isn’t just “gear”—it’s what enables us to save lives. Without it, we risk being unable to respond to emergencies like stranded hikers, river rescues, or fallen climbers. Our SAR team has faced significant challenges in securing insurance coverage. Despite our best efforts, we have been unable to find a broker willing to insure us due to the small size of our team and the specialized nature of our operations. As a result, our equipment is not insured. What Additional Funding Above Our Goal Will Support: Any donations exceeding our immediate goal to replace stolen equipment will be invested in further strengthening our Search and Rescue capabilities and strengthening our storage facility security to prevent future thefts, including reinforced barriers, surveillance systems, and alarm systems. Every dollar beyond the goal helps us better serve our community and protect lives. Your incredible generosity and support make all the difference! Who We Are: We are Skamania County Search and Rescue, an all-volunteer, 501(c)(3) nonprofit. While we work alongside the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office, we receive no government funding. Every mission, every piece of equipment, and every training is made possible by donations from generous supporters like you. Our team consists of 40 volunteers who selflessly donate their own time, money, and personal equipment. Specialty teams include ground search, technical ropes rescue, swiftwater rescue, medical, drones, K9s, eMotos. Our area of responsibility ranges from the Columbia River Gorge to areas north of Mount Saint Helens and Mount Adams in Southwest Washington, 1,683 square miles of rugged mountainous terrain. How You Can Help: Donate Today: Your donation will directly replace the stolen equipment so we can continue saving lives. Spread the Word: Share this story with your friends, family, and community. Our most recent mission: https://apnews.com/article/sasquatch-search-men-die-washington-oregon-3ab2a21c723e96f327b1f3fa53a1658e Follow us on https://www.facebook.com/scsosar If you have any information about the burglary, please contact the Skamania County Sheriff's Office at [phone redacted] (CASE#: 24-09035). Every dollar counts. With your help, we can rebuild and ensure no call for help goes unanswered. Thank you for standing with us during this critical time. #SCSOSAR #SearchAndRescue #DonateToSaveLives #SearchAndRescue #SCSOSAR #SupportSAR #DonateToSaveLives #LifesavingEquipment #CommunitySupport #MissionReady #RescueTeam #NonprofitSupport #OutdoorSafety #SARVolunteers #HelpUsHelpOthers #GiveBack #SaveLivesTogether #SkamaniaCounty #SoOthersMayLive 1
Trogluddite Posted December 31, 2024 Posted December 31, 2024 Copying and pasting what I posted elsewhere: I went to find more information about the situation and discovered that the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Team (which is a private, non-profit organization) had a bunch of their gear stolen the day after they spent three days over Christmas looking for these two hikers. Having been inspired by articles I found here on the forums to join a S&R team and having been on several grueling searches, this really makes me want to bring back keel-hauling. If anyone can support that group, you can find the link on Facebook. I can tell you that in addition to the time, S&R volunteers often invest a lot of their own money so, as with the S&R motto, that others may live. To expand upon this, very many S&R teams are unpaid volunteers. While a few of these have benefactors and can provide uniform cold weather gear and the necessary extraction and medical equipment, a lot live hand to mouth. Since they're often smaller and not visible every day (like volunteer fire departments, e.g.,), they're low on people's priority for donations. I've hit the go-fund-me page for this team (again, they have a page on Facebook) and I'm sure that they will appreciate any support that anyone can offer. 1
NorCalWitness Posted December 31, 2024 Posted December 31, 2024 the level of absolute scum you have to be to steal from search and rescue is insane. lowest of the low. their punishment should be 10000 hours of volunteer work on search and rescue teams. 2
norseman Posted December 31, 2024 Admin Posted December 31, 2024 7 minutes ago, NorCalWitness said: the level of absolute scum you have to be to steal from search and rescue is insane. lowest of the low. their punishment should be 10000 hours of volunteer work on search and rescue teams. Amen
bipedalist Posted December 31, 2024 BFF Patron Author Posted December 31, 2024 Flexible goal is over 60k now with highest or top donation 5K wow Here is the other thread with news
Catmandoo Posted January 1 Posted January 1 6 hours ago, NorCalWitness said: their punishment should be 10000 hours of volunteer work on search and rescue teams. No. The defective humans should not be close to any SAR scenario. They should be taken to the deepest, darkest place of Skamania county, relieved of all electronics, fire starters, foot ware, socks and doused with vegetable oil. Skamania County bush justice. I donated. People are good at falling off of cliffs, going over waterfalls and getting lost. Very few are able to execute self extraction. The equipment is not common and they will make errors. 1 1
bipedalist Posted January 1 BFF Patron Author Posted January 1 35 minutes ago, Catmandoo said: No. The defective humans should not be close to any SAR scenario. They should be taken to the deepest, darkest place of Skamania county, relieved of all electronics, fire starters, foot ware, socks and doused with vegetable oil. Skamania County bush justice. I donated. People are good at falling off of cliffs, going over waterfalls and getting lost. Very few are able to execute self extraction. The equipment is not common and they will make errors. A little siracha to go with that cheap veggie oil and roll them in flour too, squatch-bait burrito!
Madison5716 Posted January 1 Posted January 1 That sucks! What kinds of low-lifes would do that. I've signal boosted their link in several places online. 1
Trogluddite Posted January 1 Posted January 1 (edited) Thanks Cat and M5716 for supporting that S&R team. While I like the creative ideas for punishment, I still support keelhauling. Edited January 1 by Trogluddite Again, brain engaged after hitting submit
NorCalWitness Posted January 1 Posted January 1 15 hours ago, Catmandoo said: No. The defective humans should not be close to any SAR scenario. They should be taken to the deepest, darkest place of Skamania county, relieved of all electronics, fire starters, foot ware, socks and doused with vegetable oil. Skamania County bush justice. I donated. People are good at falling off of cliffs, going over waterfalls and getting lost. Very few are able to execute self extraction. The equipment is not common and they will make errors. surely they need people to clean toilets and make coffee for the rescuers? I like your approach more than mine.
norseman Posted January 1 Admin Posted January 1 18 hours ago, Catmandoo said: No. The defective humans should not be close to any SAR scenario. They should be taken to the deepest, darkest place of Skamania county, relieved of all electronics, fire starters, foot ware, socks and doused with vegetable oil. Skamania County bush justice. I donated. People are good at falling off of cliffs, going over waterfalls and getting lost. Very few are able to execute self extraction. The equipment is not common and they will make errors. Agreed. They are tweakers. Rabid dogs. We have the same problem on the other side of the state. I had one tweaker living in my tenants cabin cruiser boat at my RV storage. Another cut my fence and was living in an empty unit with his dog. My patience is wearing thin.
bipedalist Posted January 1 BFF Patron Author Posted January 1 (edited) Guess some kind of hard-sided structure plus fencing stands to be damaged without security too, where does it all end?! Put something on wheels and they haul it away even in a post-Helene environment like Western NC! 70K and 720 donations said to be 90% of goal now, bravo! Edited January 2 by bipedalist 1
Trogluddite Posted January 4 Posted January 4 Great news. Thanks to everyone who donated or spread the news about this incident so that others could donate. Skamania County Sheriffs Office Search and Rescue Update THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS To Our Amazing Donors, We are truly blown away by your generosity and support. When our life-saving equipment was stolen, it hit us hard—not just because of what we lost, but because it left us unable to be Mission Ready to help in any situation. For a team dedicated to responding at a moment’s notice, this was a heartbreaking setback. But then YOU stepped in. You turned what felt like an impossible situation into one filled with hope and strength. Our team exists to be there for people in their toughest moments—whether it’s finding a lost hiker, rescuing someone in a dangerous situation, or providing aid in remote areas. Our mission is simple: bring people home safely. In this moment, when we needed help, you brought us hope, and for that, we can’t thank you enough. Because of YOU, we are Mission Ready again! Your donations have helped us replace the stolen gear, upgrade older equipment, and start planning critical security improvements to protect our operations moving forward. Every dollar you contributed made a real difference and ensures we can continue answering the call when lives are on the line. This campaign wasn’t just about replacing stolen gear—it became a story of hope and resilience. Our community came together, not just locally but even from far away, to support a mission we share and believe in. You reminded us that we’re never in this alone, and your kindness has inspired us to serve with even more dedication. From every member of Skamania County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue, thank you for believing in us, supporting us, and standing with us. Together, we’re not just recovering; we’re building a stronger, brighter future. With heartfelt gratitude, Skamania County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Team P.S. Stay tuned for our next update as we unbox our shiny new gear when it arrives!
bipedalist Posted January 7 BFF Patron Author Posted January 7 Terminated donations @ 73K very successful project, gotta be happy with that. Now we need to know of the things that turned the mission into recovery mode. How deep in were the deceased?
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