BluePrintSAR

Alabama State SAR

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Alabama Search and Rescue

Who leads searches in Alabama, how agencies request state help, and the resources behind them. Verified items link to their source. Reviewed November 2026.

Emergency: call 911. State contact: Alabama EMA 205-280-2200 · toll-free 1-800-843-0699. How a state request works ↓

Requesting state help in Alabama

No Alabama statute assigns search and rescue to a specific agency. In practice the local authority having jurisdiction, usually the county sheriff or city police with the county emergency management agency, leads searches, using volunteer rescue squads.

  1. State contact (Alabama EMA)Main 205-280-2200 · toll-free 1-800-843-0699.
  2. Requesting state resourcesThe county emergency management agency asks for state help through its AEMA division office, which passes the request to the State Emergency Operations Center. AEMA is the primary state agency for search and rescue (ESF #9) in the 2025 State Emergency Operations Plan.

Want to write the request out before you call? Use the request builder. Official agency: Alabama Emergency Management Agency (AEMA) ↗.

Key numbers

Only figures with a published source.

67counties

U.S. Census Bureau boundaries.

U.S. Census Bureau ↗

18Discipline directories

BluePrintSAR resource pages for Alabama (below).

How search and rescue is requested in Alabama

  1. Step 1In an emergency call 911. Agencies needing SAR contact the county sheriff (or city police) and the county emergency management agency where the person is missing.
  2. Step 2The local authority calls out local rescue squads and volunteer teams. Volunteer teams such as RAT-SAR do not self-dispatch; the agency in charge must request them. Most local rescue squads belong to the Alabama Association of Rescue Squads (AARS) ↗, which reports more than 100 member rescue units and about 3,000 members.
  3. Step 3When local resources are not enough, the county EMA asks AEMA through its Division Coordinator, or by calling AEMA at 1-800-843-0699.
  4. Step 4AEMA, as ESF #9 lead, coordinates state support, which may include the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the Alabama National Guard and the Civil Air Patrol.

Law and authority

Alabama Emergency Management Act (Code of Ala. § 31-9-1 et seq.)

General emergency management law under which AEMA and the State Emergency Operations Plan (including ESF #9) operate.

Read the source ↗

Code of Ala. § 31-9-16 Immunity of emergency management workers

The state, local governments and emergency management workers (including volunteers) are not liable for death, injury or property damage while complying with emergency management directives, except for willful misconduct, gross negligence or bad faith.

Read the source ↗

Code of Ala. § 45-2-142.01 (Baldwin County local law)

Example of a county local law: lets the Baldwin County Commission fund and equip approved volunteer nonprofit search and rescue squads.

Read the source ↗

State plans and guidelines

Official plans, annexes and program documents for Alabama.

Resources by discipline

What each resource does, how it is requested in Alabama, and the standards that apply.

Listed in BluePrintSAR directories for Alabama

Loading counts…

Counts are directory category listings, not unique organizations, personnel or available assets. Informational canine placeholders are excluded. Organizations can appear in several categories; canine specialty subtotals can overlap.

Sheriff / Law Enforcement

No Alabama statute assigns search and rescue to a specific agency.

How to request

In an emergency call 911. Agencies needing SAR contact the county sheriff (or city police) and the county emergency management agency where the person is missing.

Standards and policy

No statewide SAR certification required. Voluntary state fire-college certification and NASAR certifications are available

Alabama Sheriff / Law Enforcement directory

Cave & Mine Rescue

Volunteer specialists

Specialists for rescues in caves and mines, where rope work, tight passages and communications make ordinary rescue methods hard.

Who provides it in Alabama

Cave rescuers serve on local rescue squads and cave rescue groups. The National Cave Rescue Commission (part of the National Speleological Society) trains them and tracks cave rescue resources and specialized equipment. Alabama is in the NCRC Southeastern Region. Accidents at working mines fall under the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration.

How to request

Call 911. The agency with jurisdiction requests cave rescuers and can reach the NCRC regional coordinator listed on the NCRC staff page. Report an accident at a working mine to MSHA at 1-800-746-1553.

Standards and policy

NCRC national cave rescue curriculum: Orientation to Cave Rescue, Level 1 Team Member and Level 2 Team Leader.

Alabama Cave & Mine Rescue directory NCRC about ↗ NCRC regional coordinators ↗ MSHA emergency contact ↗

Canine (K9)

Volunteer teams certified through NASAR and similar national bodies; one FEMA-style USAR canine team in Mobile

How to request

In Alabama, canine teams respond when the local law enforcement or public safety agency working the incident requests them.

Standards and policy

No Alabama state agency issues or requires SAR dog certification. Teams use national or private standards such as NASAR, Cross Protections Canine Services (CPCS) and, for urban search and rescue, the Urban Search & Rescue Foundation and FEMA testing. Recertification cycles are set by each certifying body or team.

Alabama Canine (K9) directory

Swiftwater & Flood Rescue

State program

Teams that search for and rescue people and animals in swiftwater and floods, from shore and by boat.

Who provides it in Alabama

Alabama has Type III swiftwater search-and-rescue teams drawn from county agencies (for example Mobile, Lauderdale, Cullman, Marshall, DeKalb, Jefferson, Shelby and Chilton counties), each with eight personnel and rescue boats; the Alabama EMA coordinates state resources.

How to request

The agency with jurisdiction requests water rescue through 911 dispatch. When local teams are exceeded, help is requested through Alabama Emergency Management Agency (AEMA).

Standards and policy

FEMA’s NIMS resource typing defines a Swiftwater/Flood Search and Rescue Team (8-508-1020), which provides shore-based and boat-based water rescue, basic life support and animal rescue.

Alabama Swiftwater directory Governor Ivey deploys swiftwater teams (July 2026) ↗ FEMA Swiftwater/Flood SAR Team definition ↗

Drone / UAS

No Alabama statute specifically governs government drone use; FAA rules and agency policy apply. 5 agency and volunteer drone resources listed, each checked against a published source; each card says what its source confirms.

How to request

In Alabama, drone teams are requested by the agency running the search.

Standards and policy

Part 107 pilots complete FAA recurrent training every 24 months; agency programs set their own proficiency standards.

Alabama Drone / UAS directory

UTV & ATV Units

Off-road vehicles, including UTVs, ATVs and e-bikes, that move searchers and equipment and carry out injured people over rough trails.

Who provides it in Alabama

No Alabama UTV or ATV unit is listed here yet; see the directory below.

How to request

The agency running the search requests vehicle units; see who leads searches above.

Standards and policy

FEMA’s Land SAR Team typing (8-508-1173) includes ground vehicles for support, transportation and evacuation in land and wilderness searches.

Alabama UTV & ATV directory FEMA Land SAR Team definition ↗

Aviation

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) Aviation Unit flies most state helicopter search and rescue; Civil Air Patrol flies fixed-wing searches.

How to request

In Alabama, aircraft are requested by the agency running the search.

Standards and policy

There is no Alabama statute or published ALEA standard for aviation SAR crews. Civil Air Patrol aircrew follow national CAP qualification rules, with Alabama Wing operations plans dated 15 May 2023 setting duty limits (14-hour maximum aircrew duty day, 10 hours crew rest).

Alabama Aviation directory

Communication

National SAR and interoperability channels from the NIFOG, plus 3 state, local and volunteer radio systems and groups. All checked against official sources.

How to request

In Alabama, the agency running the search sets the radio plan.

Standards and policy

Communications unit leaders (COML) and technicians (COMT) train through CISA courses and state credentialing; volunteers hold FCC amateur licenses.

Alabama Communication directory

Dive & Under Water

4 public safety and volunteer dive teams listed, each checked against a cited source.

How to request

In Alabama, start with the agency running the search.

Standards and policy

Public safety dive teams commonly train to NFPA 1006 (technical rescue personnel qualifications), which covers dive rescue; each team’s sponsoring agency sets its own certification requirements.

Alabama Dive & Under Water directory

Cell Phone Forensics

Kelsey Smith Act law: yes (Act 2017-398, signed May 26, 2017). 8 agencies and resources listed. All checked against official sources.

How to request

In Alabama, only the law enforcement agency running the search can ask a carrier for a phone's location.

Standards and policy

There is no single national certification for cell phone analysis in searches; agencies and labs set their own training requirements.

Alabama Cell Phone Forensics directory

State Parks

State agency

The state park system, whose staff know park terrain and trails and support searches on park land.

Who provides it in Alabama

Alabama State Parks. The National Association of State Park Directors lists this as the official park-system website.

How to request

For an emergency in a park, call 911. Park staff support the agency with jurisdiction; see who leads searches at the top of this page.

Standards and policy

Park rules and staff authority are set by the state park agency; see its website.

Alabama State Parks directory Alabama State Parks (official) ↗ State park directory (America’s State Parks) ↗

Mantracking

Trackers who find and follow a missing person’s footprints and other sign on the ground.

Who provides it in Alabama

No Alabama tracking team is listed here yet; see the directory below.

How to request

The agency running the search requests trackers, usually alongside ground search teams; see who leads searches above.

Standards and policy

ASTM F2852, Standard Practice for Training a Land Search Tracker, sets minimum training for trackers supporting a land search. FEMA’s Land SAR Team typing (8-508-1173) references ASTM F2209 for land search team members.

Alabama Mantracking directory ASTM F2852 (tracker training) ↗ FEMA Land SAR Team definition ↗

Technical Mountain Rescue

Teams for steep, high-angle and alpine terrain that use rope systems to reach and evacuate people.

Who provides it in Alabama

No Mountain Rescue Association member team is based in Alabama (MRA team lists). RAT-SAR, a volunteer member unit of the Alabama Association of Rescue Squads, trains for high-angle, remote wilderness and underground rescue and is a responding agency for the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office multi-agency search and rescue in the Bankhead National Forest. See the directory for other teams.

How to request

The agency with jurisdiction requests the team, usually through 911 dispatch; see who leads searches above. Help from outside the area is requested through Alabama Emergency Management Agency (AEMA).

Standards and policy

FEMA’s NIMS resource typing defines a Mountain Search and Rescue Team (8-508-1171) for low mountain, mountain and alpine environments. The MRA lists member teams by region with their membership status.

Alabama Mountain Rescue (MRA) directory MRA teams by region ↗ FEMA Mountain SAR Team definition ↗

Marine & Boating Law Enforcement

State boating agency

Officers and boats on lakes, rivers and coastal waters who respond to boating emergencies and support water searches.

Who provides it in Alabama

The National Association of State Boating Law Administrators lists Alabama Law Enforcement Agency as Alabama’s boating law agency (boating safety, enforcement and registration).

How to request

Call 911 for a water emergency; the agency with jurisdiction requests marine units through dispatch. On coastal waters and the Great Lakes, the U.S. Coast Guard coordinates maritime search and rescue.

Standards and policy

State boating laws. NASBLA promotes uniform state boating laws and their enforcement (U.S. Coast Guard Boating Safety Division).

Alabama Posse & Mounted directory Alabama Law Enforcement Agency ↗ NASBLA Alabama boating contacts ↗ State boating laws (USCG Boating Safety) ↗

Coast Guard

Coast Guard district and 2 sectors covering Alabama, plus 8 stations, cutters, local and volunteer units. Each checked against a cited source.

How to request

In Alabama, call 911 or VHF-FM Channel 16 for a maritime emergency.

Standards and policy

Coast Guard and Auxiliary crews qualify under Coast Guard training programs; local marine units follow the standards their agency sets.

Alabama Coast Guard directory

National Guard

Governor-activated

Military helicopters and personnel for hoist rescue, aerial search and ground support when civilian resources can’t do the job.

Who provides it in Alabama

The Alabama National Guard (Army and Air), activated in state status by the Governor.

How to request

The agency with jurisdiction requests it through Alabama Emergency Management Agency (AEMA). NWCG’s helicopter extraction list directs 911 and dispatch centers to coordinate requests for military, Coast Guard and National Guard aircraft through the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC) at 800-851-3051.

Standards and policy

State active duty under the Governor’s authority; Guard aircraft used for SAR are coordinated with the rescue coordination center.

Alabama National Guard directory Alabama National Guard (official) ↗ State Guard websites (National Guard Bureau) ↗ Alabama Emergency Management Agency (AEMA) ↗ Helicopter extraction source list (NWCG PMS 512) ↗

Federal lands (Forest Service and National Park Service)

Federal land manager

Federal land agencies whose staff support searches on national forests, grasslands and parks.

Who provides it in Alabama

National forests and grasslands in Alabama on the Forest Service’s list: Conecuh National Forest; Talladega National Forest; Tuskegee National Forest; William B. Bankhead National Forest. The National Park Service lists 11 park sites in Alabama.

How to request

Searches on national forest land are led by the local law enforcement agency with jurisdiction (in most states, the county sheriff), with the Forest Service supporting under cooperative agreements. In a national park, call 911 or the park’s emergency line; the NPS will make reasonable efforts to search for lost persons, using its own staff or partner SAR organizations under formal agreements.

Standards and policy

NPS Management Policies 2006, §8.2.5.3: SAR runs under the Incident Command System and visitors are not charged for it.

Alabama National Parks directory NPS sites in Alabama ↗ Forest Service units by state ↗ USDA testimony on sheriff SAR agreements ↗ NPS SAR policy excerpt ↗

USAR (FEMA / State)

1 state or regional US&R team listed, with how to request them.

How to request

In Alabama, US&R teams are requested by the agency in charge of the incident, through the state emergency management agency when local resources run short.

Standards and policy

FEMA task forces train to FEMA and NFPA standards; state and regional teams follow the standards their sponsor sets.

Alabama USAR (FEMA / State) directory

67-county directory

Each county and its sheriff’s office. Who leads a search varies by state; see the top of this page. For an emergency, call 911.

All 67 phone numbers verified (2026-10) against the agency’s own site, a government directory, or a sheriffs’ association or IACP directory; each “Verified” link shows the source. For an emergency, call 911.

JurisdictionAgencyPhone
Autauga CountyAutauga County Sheriff’s Office(334) 361-2500
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Baldwin CountyBaldwin County Sheriff’s Office(251) 937-0202
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Barbour CountyBarbour County Sheriff’s Office(334) 775-1128
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Bibb CountyBibb County Sheriff’s Office(205) 926-4683
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Blount CountyBlount County Sheriff’s Office(205) 625-4127
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Bullock CountyBullock County Sheriff’s Office(334) 738-2670
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Butler CountyButler County Sheriff’s Office(334) 382-6521
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Calhoun CountyCalhoun County Sheriff’s Office(256) 236-6600
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Chambers CountyChambers County Sheriff’s Office(334) 864-4333
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Cherokee CountyCherokee County Sheriff’s Office(256) 927-3365
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Chilton CountyChilton County Sheriff’s Office(205) 755-4698
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Choctaw CountyChoctaw County Sheriff’s Office(205) 459-2166
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Clarke CountyClarke County Sheriff’s Office(251) 275-4254
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Clay CountyClay County Sheriff’s Office(256) 354-2176
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Cleburne CountyCleburne County Sheriff’s Office(256) 463-2277
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Coffee CountyCoffee County Sheriff’s Office(334) 894-5535
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Colbert CountyColbert County Sheriff’s Office(256) 383-0741
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Conecuh CountyConecuh County Sheriff’s Office(251) 578-1260
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Coosa CountyCoosa County Sheriff’s Office(256) 377-4922
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Covington CountyCovington County Sheriff’s Office(334) 428-2643
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Crenshaw CountyCrenshaw County Sheriff’s Office(334) 335-4850
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Cullman CountyCullman County Sheriff’s Office(256) 734-0342
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Dale CountyDale County Sheriff’s Office(334) 774-2335
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Dallas CountyDallas County Sheriff’s Office(334) 874-2530
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
DeKalb CountyDeKalb County Sheriff’s Office(256) 845-8561
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Elmore CountyElmore County Sheriff’s Office(334) 567-5546
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Escambia CountyEscambia County Sheriff’s Office(251) 809-2142
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Etowah CountyEtowah County Sheriff’s Office(256) 546-2825
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Fayette CountyFayette County Sheriff’s Office(205) 932-3205
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Franklin CountyFranklin County Sheriff’s Office(256) 332-8811
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Geneva CountyGeneva County Sheriff’s Office(334) 684-5660
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Greene CountyGreene County Sheriff’s Office(205) 372-3242
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Hale CountyHale County Sheriff’s Office(334) 624-3081
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Henry CountyHenry County Sheriff’s Office(334) 585-3131
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Houston CountyHouston County Sheriff’s Office(334) 677-4882
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Jackson CountyJackson County Sheriff’s Office(256) 574-2610
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Jefferson CountyJefferson County Sheriff’s Office(205) 325-5700
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Lamar CountyLamar County Sheriff’s Office(205) 695-7470
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Lauderdale CountyLauderdale County Sheriff’s Office(256) 760-5757
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Lawrence CountyLawrence County Sheriff’s Office(256) 974-2405
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Lee CountyLee County Sheriff’s Office(334) 749-5651
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Limestone CountyLimestone County Sheriff’s Office(256) 232-0111
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Lowndes CountyLowndes County Sheriff’s Office(334) 548-2151
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Macon CountyMacon County Sheriff’s Office(334) 724-0669
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Madison CountyMadison County Sheriff’s Office(256) 532-3412
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Marengo CountyMarengo County Sheriff’s Office(334) 295-4208
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Marion CountyMarion County Sheriff’s Office(205) 921-2101
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Marshall CountyMarshall County Sheriff’s Office(256) 582-2034
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Mobile CountyMobile County Sheriff’s Office(251) 574-2423
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Monroe CountyMonroe County Sheriff’s Office(251) 575-2963
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Montgomery CountyMontgomery County Sheriff’s Office(334) 832-4980
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Morgan CountyMorgan County Sheriff’s Office(256) 351-4800
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Perry CountyPerry County Sheriff’s Office(334) 683-6534
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Pickens CountyPickens County Sheriff’s Office(205) 367-2000
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Pike CountyPike County Sheriff’s Office(334) 566-4347
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Randolph CountyRandolph County Sheriff’s Office(256) 357-4126
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Russell CountyRussell County Sheriff’s Office(334) 298-6535
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Shelby CountyShelby County Sheriff’s Office(205) 669-4181
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
St. Clair CountySt. Clair County Sheriff’s Office(205) 884-3333
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Sumter CountySumter County Sheriff’s Office(205) 652-2841
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Talladega CountyTalladega County Sheriff’s Office(256) 362-2748
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Tallapoosa CountyTallapoosa County Sheriff’s Office(256) 825-4264
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Tuscaloosa CountyTuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Office(205) 752-0616
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Walker CountyWalker County Sheriff’s Office(205) 302-6464
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Washington CountyWashington County Sheriff’s Office(251) 847-2202
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Wilcox CountyWilcox County Sheriff’s Office(334) 682-4715
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
Winston CountyWinston County Sheriff’s Office(205) 489-8765
sheriff’s office line (Alabama Sheriffs Association directory) · Verified
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