Kern County's terrain is vast -- urban, deserts, mountains, desolate areas and the Kern River.
So when there's trouble, the Kern County Sheriff's Office has eight separate Search and Rescue groups located throughout the county consisting of more than 225 citizen volunteers.
They take on quite a variety of work. Here's a summary of the groups, as described on the KCSO website:
Bakersfield Search and Rescue Group: This unit tackles the tough assignment of assisting with rescues or recovering drowning victims of the lower Kern River, in the canyon and in the waterways of the lower San Joaquin Valley. They assist in searches for missing children or senior citizens in all areas of the county and back other units when necessary.
Tehachapi Mountain Search and Rescue Group: This unit covers the range of Tehachapi Mountains searching for lost hunters, hikers and airplanes.
China Lake Mountain Rescue Group: These members are no strangers to the rugged and jagged peaks of the Sierra Mountain range. They are utilized in rescues on Mt. Whitney and other isolated areas.
Desert Search and Rescue Group: The Mojave-Boron-Rosamond unit is utilized extensively in desert rescues. They are familiar with extreme heat and sandstorms.
Kern Valley Search and Rescue Group: The members of this group are experts in rescue on the upper Kern River and in Isabella Lake. This group has the distinction of being the first Search and Rescue Unit in Kern County.
Search and Rescue Divers: These scuba divers work in all the waterways of Kern County. The Dive Unit, made up exclusively of certified SCUBA divers, was first organized with 30 members in 1962 under Sheriff Galyen. Searches conducted by the Dive Unit most commonly involve the recovery of automobiles and drowning victims from both the Kern River and canals and lakes.
Southern Kern Search and Rescue Group: This group works the south end of the San Joaquin Valley. They are utilized in searches for planes lost in the Ridge area and in the winter months looking for victims lost in the snow.
Kern County Sheriff's Mounted Search & rescue: This group is made up of horse/rider teams certified in 25 skill areas. They are especially useful in hasty search and covering large areas. The group is also ideal for search perimeter control.