https://www.paypal.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_donateCC_LG.gif

YCSRT Backcountry Unit Awarded YCCF Grant

Last month, the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office Backcountry Unit was honored to receive a $4,000 dollar grant from the Yavapai County Community Foundation. The Backcountry Unit is one of several invaluable rescue groups who are part of the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office Response Team (YCSRT) and serve as a mountain rescue team for the county. The Backcountry Unit has extensive training in tracking, field searches, swift water rescue, helicopter operations, and is frequently utilized by the Sheriff’s Office as a first response team.

 

Josh Schmidt, Backcountry Unit Coordinator, said “The grant monies were used for replacing much of our technical rescue gear that was drastically outdated.” Some of the items purchased include four 300 foot ropes, victim and rescuer harnesses, carabineers, hundreds of feet of webbing and several other pieces of technical rescue equipment used for rescue and recoveries. Without this equipment, team members would not be able to fully perform the duties needed to aid YCSO personnel in saving lives. In addition to replacing outdated rescue gear, new medical supplies were also purchased. The medical gear allows Backcountry members with medical training to enhance treatment in wilderness environments including the ability to monitor and treat glucose related illnesses.

 

YCSO and Backcountry Unit members would like to offer their gracious thanks to the Yavapai County Community Foundation for providing these grant monies. Josh Schmidt noted, “Due to the fact that our membership is made up of volunteers who donate their time and money, it is incredibly challenging to stay up to today’s rescue equipment standards with current budget limitations. Without help form organizations like the Yavapai County Community Foundation, it would be extremely difficult to perform the tasks given to us.”