Saving Lives in Santa Barbara’s MostRugged Territory

Santa Barbara County Search and Rescue (SBCSAR) was ready when an experienced paraglider had an issue with equipment and was injured when he crashed off a trail in the Santa Barbara backcountry.

“We located him through his phone GPS coordinates, assisted in the stabilization of his injuries and, using a stretcher and a wheel, evacuated him to a waiting helicopter to take him to the hospital,” says Jennifer Beyer, SBCSAR operations leader and current board member.

The highly trained all-volunteer rescuers also responded when a fun-loving hiker stayed too long soaking in hot springs near a hiking trail in the foothills, and called 911 at midnight because he didn’t have a flashlight or a jacket to find his way out. 

“We had 12 responding members conduct a ‘hasty’ search and quickly accessed the trail, hiked up, and found the subject. The team stabilized the subject with warm clothing and walked him out. He was very relieved,” Beyer says. 

The two “call outs” are among more than 100 emergencies each year that SBSCAR responds to across diverse terrain, ranging from rescues of injured subjects on the trails, technical rope rescues, helicopter-supported extractions, to search operations for overdue hikers, fire evacuations, and lost or missing at-risk children and the elderly. The elite unit operates 24 hours a day under the direction of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office. Dispatched through the 911 system, SBCSAR is ready to respond to the multitude of emergencies in Santa Barbara County. 

The team members come from all walks of life, go through extensive monthly training and are constantly updating their skills, including annual recertifications and testing in multiple disciplines. All in order to stay up to date on the “best” practices in search and rescue.

Altogether, the 50 team members donate more than 13,000 hours of mission response, training, and outreach every year.

“We are professional dedicated rescuers who are first responders in the community,” Beyer says. “We just happen to not be paid.” 

The organization also provides outreach to the community through vital safety education in navigation, communication, and survival skills necessary to operate in the challenging and dynamic mountain environments of Santa Barbara County.

One notable mountain rescue came when two hikers lost their way in the Gaviota area last summer. SBCSAR dispatched three separate teams via hiking, UTV, and mountain bikes to reach their remote off-trail location.

“We don’t care how they got into the situation,” Beyer says. “We just want to get them back to safety. We brought them to their cars where their families were waiting. There were tears, there were hugs. It was a very good day.”