Mississippi Search and Rescue
Who leads searches in Mississippi, how agencies request state help, and the resources behind them. Verified items link to their source. Reviewed November 2026.
Emergency: call 911. State 24-hour contact: MEMA 24-hour line 1-800-222-6362 (MEMA main office 601-933-6362). ESF-9 annex lists SWP Operations Officers (601) 933-6876, 6877, 6878 or (800) 222-6362 and Operations Section Watch Officer (601) 933-6671 or (800) 222-6362. How a state request works ↓
Requesting state help in Mississippi
No Mississippi statute assigns search and rescue by name. Under the state's 2024 ESF-9 Search and Rescue annex, each county Sheriff's Office is responsible for missing-person searches in its county, and local incident commanders keep command.
- State 24-hour contactMEMA 24-hour line 1-800-222-6362 (MEMA main office 601-933-6362). ESF-9 annex lists SWP Operations Officers (601) 933-6876, 6877, 6878 or (800) 222-6362 and Operations Section Watch Officer (601) 933-6671 or (800) 222-6362.
- Requesting state resourcesIf local resources are overwhelmed, local officials send the request through the county emergency operations center (county EMA) to the MEMA State EOC, which assigns it to the ESF-9 coordinators. MEMA 24-hour line: 1-800-222-6362; State Warning Point operations officers 601-933-6876, 6877 or 6878.
Want to write the request out before you call? Use the request builder. Official agency: MEMA ↗.
Key numbers
Only figures with a published source.
BluePrintSAR resource pages for Mississippi (below).
How search and rescue is requested in Mississippi
- Step 1In an emergency call 911. The county Sheriff's Office is responsible for missing-person searches in its county and the local incident commander keeps command.
- Step 2The sheriff uses local resources, volunteer SAR groups and neighboring counties through mutual aid.
- Step 3If local resources are overwhelmed, local officials send the request through the county emergency operations center (county EMA) to the MEMA State EOC, which assigns it to the ESF-9 coordinators. MEMA 24-hour line: 1-800-222-6362; State Warning Point operations officers 601-933-6876, 6877 or 6878.
- Step 4MEMA can help coordinate searches with the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC), other law enforcement and public and private SAR groups when local officials ask. If state resources run out, MEMA may request EMAC or FEMA help.
- Step 5Support agencies in the annex include the Mississippi National Guard, Civil Air Patrol (Mississippi Wing) and Department of Marine Resources.
Law and authority
Establishes MEMA (33-15-7), the state comprehensive emergency management plan (33-15-14), local emergency management (33-15-17) and mutual aid (33-15-19). The section list shows no search and rescue provision.
The state, its subdivisions and their agents, employees and representatives are not liable for emergency management activities, except for willful misconduct; workers' compensation rights are preserved. The word volunteer is not used.
State plans and guidelines
Official plans, annexes and program documents for Mississippi.
- Mississippi CEMP, ESF-9 Search and Rescue (2024) ↗ — States the sheriff's responsibility for missing-person searches in the county, MEMA's state coordination role, and the request path through county EOCs to the State EOC.
Resources by discipline
What each resource does, how it is requested in Mississippi, and the standards that apply.
Listed in BluePrintSAR directories for Mississippi
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.
Aviation (USCG / State)
State SAR air support is called up through the MEMA State Emergency Operations Center; Highway Patrol helicopters, Guard hoist platforms and Civil Air Patrol fly searches.
Canine (K9)
No state certification: county sheriffs invite volunteer or sheriff K9 teams, and the Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks K9 unit supports lost-person searches.
Cave & Mine Rescue
Volunteer specialistsSpecialists for rescues in caves and mines, where rope work, tight passages and communications make ordinary rescue methods hard.
Cell Phone Forensics
Kelsey Smith Act law: none found. 5 agencies and resources listed. All checked against a cited source.
Coast Guard
Coast Guard district and 4 sectors covering Mississippi, plus stations, air units, cutters and volunteer units. All checked against official sources.
Communication
National SAR and interoperability channels from the NIFOG, plus 3 state and volunteer radio systems and groups. All checked against official sources.
Dive & Underwater
9 public safety dive and water teams listed, each checked against a cited source in November 2026.
Drone / UAS
State drone law: Miss. Code 97-47-7 and 31-7-67. 4 agency drone programs and teams listed, each checked against a published source in November 2026.
National Guard
Governor-activatedMilitary helicopters and personnel for hoist rescue, aerial search and ground support when civilian resources can’t do the job.
Mantracking
Sheriff and state unitsTrackers who find and follow a missing person’s footprints and other sign on the ground.
Marine & Boating Law Enforcement
State boating agencyOfficers and boats on lakes, rivers and coastal waters who respond to boating emergencies and support water searches.
Sheriff / Law Enforcement
No Mississippi statute assigns search and rescue by name.
State Parks
State agencyThe state park system, whose staff know park terrain and trails and support searches on park land.
Swiftwater & Flood Rescue
State programTeams that search for and rescue people and animals in swiftwater and floods, from shore and by boat.
Technical Mountain Rescue
State programTeams for steep, high-angle and alpine terrain that use rope systems to reach and evacuate people.
USAR (FEMA / State Task Force)
Mississippi’s state US&R task forces, with how to request them.
Federal lands (Forest Service and National Park Service)
Federal land managerFederal land agencies whose staff support searches on national forests, grasslands and parks.
UTV & ATV Units
None listedOff-road vehicles, including UTVs, ATVs and e-bikes, that move searchers and equipment and carry out injured people over rough trails.
82-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 82 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.
| Jurisdiction | Agency | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Adams County | Adams County Sheriff’s Office | (601) 442-2752 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Alcorn County | Alcorn County Sheriff’s Office | (662) 286-5521 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Amite County | Amite County Sheriff’s Office | (601) 657-8057 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Attala County | Attala County Sheriff’s Office | (662) 289-5556 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Benton County | Benton County Sheriff’s Office | (662) 224-8941 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Bolivar County | Bolivar County Sheriff’s Office | (662) 843-5378 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Calhoun County | Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office | (662) 412-5000 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Carroll County | Carroll County Sheriff’s Office | (662) 237-9238 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Chickasaw County | Chickasaw County Sheriff’s Office | (662) 456-2339 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Choctaw County | Choctaw County Sheriff’s Office | (662) 285-6129 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Claiborne County | Claiborne County Sheriff’s Office | (601) 437-5161 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Clarke County | Clarke County Sheriff’s Office | (601) 776-5252 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Clay County | Clay County Sheriff’s Office | (662) 494-2896 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Coahoma County | Coahoma County Sheriff’s Office | (662) 624-3081 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Copiah County | Copiah County Sheriff’s Office | (601) 894-3011 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Covington County | Covington County Sheriff’s Office | (601) 765-8281 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| DeSoto County | DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office | (662) 469-8500 sheriff’s office line (county directory) · Verified |
| Forrest County | Forrest County Sheriff’s Office | (601) 544-7800 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Franklin County | Franklin County Sheriff’s Office | (601) 384-2323 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| George County | George County Sheriff’s Office | (601) 947-4811 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Greene County | Greene County Sheriff’s Office | (601) 394-2341 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Grenada County | Grenada County Sheriff’s Office | (662) 227-2877 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Hancock County | Hancock County Sheriff’s Office | (228) 466-6900 sheriff’s office line (county directory) · Verified |
| Harrison County | Harrison County Sheriff’s Office | (228) 865-7060 non-emergency line · Verified |
| Hinds County | Hinds County Sheriff’s Office | (601) 974-2900 sheriff’s office non-emergency line (Mississippi State Government Telephone Directory) · Verified |
| Holmes County | Holmes County Sheriff’s Office | (662) 834-1511 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Humphreys County | Humphreys County Sheriff’s Office | (662) 247-2551 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Issaquena County | Issaquena County Sheriff’s Office | (662) 873-2781 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Itawamba County | Itawamba County Sheriff’s Office | (662) 862-3401 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Jackson County | Jackson County Sheriff’s Office | (228) 769-3024 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Jasper County | Jasper County Sheriff’s Office | (601) 764-2588 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Jefferson County | Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office | (601) 786-3403 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Jefferson Davis County | Jefferson Davis County Sheriff’s Office | (601) 792-5169 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Jones County | Jones County Sheriff’s Office | (601) 425-3147 24-hour sheriff’s office line · Verified |
| Kemper County | Kemper County Sheriff’s Office | (601) 743-4880 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Lafayette County | Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office | (662) 234-6421 sheriff’s office line (county elected officials page) · Verified |
| Lamar County | Lamar County Sheriff’s Office | (601) 794-1005 sheriff’s office line (county website) · Verified |
| Lauderdale County | Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office | (601) 482-9806 sheriff’s office line (24-hour 601-482-9801) · Verified |
| Lawrence County | Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office | (601) 587-2961 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Leake County | Leake County Sheriff’s Office | (601) 267-7361 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Lee County | Lee County Sheriff’s Office | (662) 680-5784 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Leflore County | Leflore County Sheriff’s Office | (662) 453-5141 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Lincoln County | Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office | (601) 833-5231 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Lowndes County | Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office | (662) 328-6788 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Madison County | Madison County Sheriff’s Office | (601) 855-0728 sheriff’s office non-emergency line (Mississippi State Government Telephone Directory) · Verified |
| Marion County | Marion County Sheriff’s Office | (601) 736-5051 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Marshall County | Marshall County Sheriff’s Office | (662) 252-1311 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Monroe County | Monroe County Sheriff’s Office | (662) 369-2468 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Montgomery County | Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office | (662) 283-3343 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Neshoba County | Neshoba County Sheriff’s Office | (601) 656-1414 sheriff’s office line (county website) · Verified |
| Newton County | Newton County Sheriff’s Office | (601) 635-4401 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Noxubee County | Noxubee County Sheriff’s Office | (662) 726-5133 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Oktibbeha County | Oktibbeha County Sheriff’s Office | (662) 323-2421 sheriff’s department line (county directory) · Verified |
| Panola County | Panola County Sheriff’s Office | (662) 563-6230 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Pearl River County | Pearl River County Sheriff’s Office | (601) 403-2340 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Perry County | Perry County Sheriff’s Office | (601) 964-8461 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Pike County | Pike County Sheriff’s Office | (601) 783-6767 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Pontotoc County | Pontotoc County Sheriff’s Office | (662) 489-3915 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Prentiss County | Prentiss County Sheriff’s Office | (662) 728-6232 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Quitman County | Quitman County Sheriff’s Office | (662) 326-3131 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Rankin County | Rankin County Sheriff’s Office | (601) 825-1480 sheriff’s office non-emergency line (Mississippi State Government Telephone Directory) · Verified |
| Scott County | Scott County Sheriff’s Office | (601) 469-1511 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Sharkey County | Sharkey County Sheriff’s Office | (662) 873-4321 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Simpson County | Simpson County Sheriff’s Office | (601) 847-2155 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Smith County | Smith County Sheriff’s Office | (601) 782-4531 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Stone County | Stone County Sheriff’s Office | (601) 928-3191 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Sunflower County | Sunflower County Sheriff’s Office | (662) 887-2121 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Tallahatchie County | Tallahatchie County Sheriff’s Office | (662) 647-3700 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Tate County | Tate County Sheriff’s Office | (662) 562-4434 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Tippah County | Tippah County Sheriff’s Office | (662) 837-9336 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Tishomingo County | Tishomingo County Sheriff’s Office | (662) 423-7000 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Tunica County | Tunica County Sheriff’s Office | (662) 363-1411 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Union County | Union County Sheriff’s Office | (662) 534-1941 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Walthall County | Walthall County Sheriff’s Office | (601) 876-3481 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Warren County | Warren County Sheriff’s Office | (601) 636-1761 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Washington County | Washington County Sheriff’s Office | (662) 334-4523 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Wayne County | Wayne County Sheriff’s Office | (601) 735-3801 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Webster County | Webster County Sheriff’s Office | (662) 258-7701 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Wilkinson County | Wilkinson County Sheriff’s Office | (601) 888-3511 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Winston County | Winston County Sheriff’s Office | (662) 773-5881 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Yalobusha County | Yalobusha County Sheriff’s Office | (662) 473-3602 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |
| Yazoo County | Yazoo County Sheriff’s Office | (662) 746-5611 sheriff’s office line (Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association directory) · Verified |