BluePrintSAR

Oregon State SAR

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Oregon Search and Rescue

Who leads searches in Oregon, how agencies request state help, and the resources behind them. Each item links to its source. Reviewed November 2026.

Emergency: call 911. State 24-hour contact: SAR program office 971-283-6135 · 24-hour Oregon Emergency Response System (OERS) 800-452-0311 (Salem area 503-378-6377). How a state request works ↓

Requesting state help in Oregon

The sheriff of each county is responsible for search and rescue in the county and may delegate the work to a deputy or other qualified person. If a sheriff declines, the county's chief executive must direct the county emergency program manager to take it on.

  1. State 24-hour contactSAR program office 971-283-6135 · 24-hour Oregon Emergency Response System (OERS) 800-452-0311 (Salem area 503-378-6377).
  2. Requesting state resourcesThe sheriff (or designee) notifies OEM of the SAR and gets a state incident number through the 24-hour Oregon Emergency Response System (800-452-0311). The number is needed for volunteer workers' compensation and for dispatching state and federal resources.

Want to write the request out before you call? Use the request builder. Official agency: Oregon OEM ↗.

Key numbers

Only figures with a published source.

36counties

U.S. Census Bureau boundaries.

U.S. Census Bureau ↗

18Discipline directories

BluePrintSAR resource pages for Oregon (below).

How search and rescue is requested in Oregon

  1. Step 1In an emergency call 911. Agencies needing SAR contact the sheriff's office of the county where the person is missing; the sheriff leads the search.
  2. Step 2The sheriff (or designee) notifies OEM of the SAR and gets a state incident number through the 24-hour Oregon Emergency Response System (800-452-0311). The number is needed for volunteer workers' compensation and for dispatching state and federal resources.
  3. Step 3The sheriff uses county teams first, then neighboring counties through mutual aid agreements listed in the county SAR plan.
  4. Step 4For state or federal resources (Oregon National Guard aircraft, Civil Air Patrol, federal assets), the sheriff asks OEM through OERS. OEM is the only agency that activates CAP for federal wilderness SAR; the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center assigns federal mission numbers.
  5. Step 5For structural collapse (urban SAR), requests go through OERS to the Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal, which coordinates state urban search and rescue support (ORS 476.615). Oregon has no standing state US&R task force; FEMA task forces come through OEM.

Law and authority

ORS 404.110

Sheriff is responsible for SAR in the county. Must notify the Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM) of each SAR and request an incident number. In multi-county incidents one sheriff takes charge or the counties use unified command; otherwise the sheriff who got the first call takes charge.

Read the source ↗

ORS 404.100 and 404.105

OEM appoints a state Search and Rescue Coordinator who coordinates state and federal agencies and works with the Oregon State Sheriffs' Association; OEM runs the state air search and rescue program.

Read the source ↗

ORS 404.120, 404.125 and 404.130

Each sheriff must adopt a county SAR plan (NIMS-compliant, listing resources and mutual aid agreements) and review it every year. Every SAR gets an incident number, used for volunteers' workers' compensation and for dispatching state, federal and cooperative resources.

Read the source ↗

ORS 404.200 to 404.215

Defines a qualified SAR volunteer (registered with OEM or a sheriff, a member of a registered SAR organization, or acknowledged in writing on scene). Such volunteers are county agents under the Oregon Tort Claims Act and are covered by county workers' compensation while working under the sheriff.

Read the source ↗

ORS 404.270

A public body may recover SAR costs from a rescued wilderness user who did not use reasonable care or broke the law: up to $500 per person and no more than actual cost.

Read the source ↗

ORS 404.255 to 404.265

Private search parties must make disclosures and notify the county sheriff; counties may impose civil penalties.

Read the source ↗

State plans and guidelines

Official plans, annexes and program documents for Oregon.

Resources by discipline

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

Listed in BluePrintSAR directories for Oregon

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 (ANG / State)

The Oregon Army National Guard flies hoist-equipped Black Hawks and Chinooks, requested through county and Oregon Emergency Management.

How to request

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

Standards and policy

ORS chapter 404 makes the county sheriff responsible for search and rescue and requires each sheriff to keep an annually reviewed, NIMS-compliant SAR plan that includes personnel standards, but it sets no aircrew qualifications. Guard, Coast Guard and Air Force Reserve crews train under their own services' standards, and Civil Air Patrol aircrews under CAP national rules; no state recurrency cycle for aircrews was published.

Oregon Aviation (ANG / State) directory

Canine (K9)

Oregon State Sheriffs' Association / OEM minimum search dog standards are tested through county sheriff SAR programs; county sheriffs deploy volunteer K9 teams

How to request

In Oregon the county sheriff is responsible for search and rescue (ORS 404.110) and must report every search to the state through OERS for an incident number.

Standards and policy

Oregon's Minimum Search Dog Team Standards (revised 12/03/2001) were approved by the Sheriffs' Search & Rescue Advisory Council, the Sheriffs' Association and Oregon Emergency Management, with input from the Oregon Search Dog Council. The document sets tests only and states no recertification cycle; it directs readers to local sheriff SAR representatives or OEM for testing.

Oregon Canine (K9) 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 Oregon

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. Oregon is in the NCRC Pacific Northwest 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.

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

Cell Phone Forensics

Kelsey Smith Act law: yes (signed March 6, 2014). 5 agencies and resources listed. All checked against a cited source.

How to request

In Oregon, 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.

Oregon Cell Phone Forensics directory

Coast Guard

Coast Guard district and 1 sector covering Oregon, plus 17 stations, local and volunteer units. All checked against official sources.

How to request

In Oregon, 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.

Oregon Coast Guard 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 Oregon, 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.

Oregon Communication directory

Dive & Underwater

7 public safety and volunteer dive teams listed. All checked against a cited source.

How to request

In Oregon, 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.

Oregon Dive & Underwater directory

Drone / UAS

State drone law: ORS 837.310-837.345. 8 agency and volunteer drone teams listed, each checked against a published source in October 2026.

How to request

In Oregon, 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.

Oregon Drone / UAS 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 Oregon

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

How to request

The agency with jurisdiction requests it through Oregon OEM. 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.

Oregon National Guard directory Oregon National Guard (official) ↗ State Guard websites (National Guard Bureau) ↗ Oregon OEM ↗ Helicopter extraction source list (NWCG PMS 512) ↗

Mantracking

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

Who provides it in Oregon

Trackers are requested through the agency running the search. This page does not list specific Oregon tracking teams.

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.

Oregon Mantracking directory ASTM F2852 (tracker training) ↗ FEMA Land 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 Oregon

The National Association of State Boating Law Administrators lists Oregon State Marine Board as Oregon’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).

Oregon Marine / State Police Marine directory Oregon State Marine Board ↗ NASBLA Oregon boating contacts ↗ State boating laws (USCG Boating Safety) ↗

Sheriff / Law Enforcement

The sheriff of each county is responsible for search and rescue in the county and may delegate the work to a deputy or other qualified person.

How to request

In an emergency call 911. Agencies needing SAR contact the sheriff's office of the county where the person is missing; the sheriff leads the search.

Standards and policy

Yes: Oregon State SAR card under OSSA standards, issued by each sheriff

Oregon Sheriff / Law Enforcement 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 Oregon

Oregon 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.

Oregon State Parks & Forestry directory Oregon State Parks (official) ↗ State park directory (America’s State Parks) ↗

Swiftwater & Flood Rescue

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

Who provides it in Oregon

Swiftwater and flood rescue is requested through the agency with jurisdiction. This page does not list specific Oregon swiftwater teams.

How to request

The agency with jurisdiction requests water rescue through 911 dispatch. When local teams are exceeded, help is requested through Oregon OEM.

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.

Oregon Swiftwater directory FEMA Swiftwater/Flood SAR Team definition ↗ Oregon OEM ↗

Technical Mountain Rescue

MRA teams listed

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

Who provides it in Oregon

Mountain Rescue Association member teams based in Oregon: Corvallis Mountain Rescue Unit; Hood River Crag Rats; Deschutes County Sheriff’s SAR Mountain Rescue Unit; Eugene Mountain Rescue; Portland Mountain Rescue Unit.

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 Oregon OEM.

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.

Oregon Technical Mountain Rescue directory MRA Oregon Region teams ↗ FEMA Mountain SAR Team definition ↗

USAR (FEMA / State Task Force)

No FEMA task force is based in Oregon; federal teams come through FEMA.

How to request

In Oregon, 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.

Oregon USAR (FEMA / State Task Force) directory

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 Oregon

National forests and grasslands in Oregon on the Forest Service’s list: Deschutes National Forest; Fremont-Winema National Forest; Malheur National Forest; Mt. Hood National Forest; Ochoco National Forest; Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest; Siuslaw National Forest; Umatilla National Forest; Umpqua National Forest; Wallowa-Whitman National Forest; Willamette National Forest; Crooked River National Grassland; Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. The National Park Service lists 10 park sites in Oregon.

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.

Oregon National Forests (USFS / BLM) directory NPS sites in Oregon ↗ Forest Service units by state ↗ USDA testimony on sheriff SAR agreements ↗ NPS SAR policy excerpt ↗

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 Oregon

Off-road vehicle support is requested through the agency running the search. This page does not list specific Oregon UTV or ATV units.

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.

Oregon UTV & ATV / Snowmachines directory FEMA Land SAR Team definition ↗

36-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 36 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
Baker CountyBaker County Sheriff’s Office(541) 523-6415
sheriff’s office line (Oregon State Police registering-agency list) · Verified
Benton CountyBenton County Sheriff’s Office(541) 766-6858
sheriff’s office line (Oregon State Police registering-agency list) · Verified
Clackamas CountyClackamas County Sheriff’s Office(503) 785-5000
sheriff’s office line (Oregon State Police registering-agency list) · Verified
Clatsop CountyClatsop County Sheriff’s Office(503) 325-8635
sheriff’s office line (Oregon State Police registering-agency list) · Verified
Columbia CountyColumbia County Sheriff’s Office(503) 366-4611
sheriff’s office line (Oregon State Police registering-agency list) · Verified
Coos CountyCoos County Sheriff’s Office(541) 396-7800
sheriff’s office line (Oregon State Police registering-agency list) · Verified
Crook CountyCrook County Sheriff’s Office(541) 447-6398
sheriff’s office line (Oregon State Police registering-agency list) · Verified
Curry CountyCurry County Sheriff’s Office(541) 247-3242
sheriff’s office line (Oregon State Police registering-agency list) · Verified
Deschutes CountyDeschutes County Sheriff’s Office(541) 388-6655
sheriff’s office line (Oregon State Police registering-agency list) · Verified
Douglas CountyDouglas County Sheriff’s Office(541) 440-4450
sheriff’s office line (Oregon State Police registering-agency list) · Verified
Gilliam CountyGilliam County Sheriff’s Office(541) 384-2851
sheriff’s office line (Oregon State Police registering-agency list) · Verified
Grant CountyGrant County Sheriff’s Office(541) 575-1131
sheriff’s office line (Oregon State Police registering-agency list) · Verified
Harney CountyHarney County Sheriff’s Office(541) 573-5961
sheriff’s office line (Oregon State Police registering-agency list) · Verified
Hood River CountyHood River County Sheriff’s Office(541) 386-2098
sheriff’s office line (Oregon State Police registering-agency list) · Verified
Jackson CountyJackson County Sheriff’s Office(541) 774-6800
sheriff’s office line (Oregon State Police registering-agency list) · Verified
Jefferson CountyJefferson County Sheriff’s Office(541) 475-2869
sheriff’s office line (Oregon State Police registering-agency list) · Verified
Josephine CountyJosephine County Sheriff’s Office(541) 474-5123
sheriff’s office line (Oregon State Police registering-agency list) · Verified
Klamath CountyKlamath County Sheriff’s Office(541) 883-5130
sheriff’s office line (Oregon State Police registering-agency list) · Verified
Lake CountyLake County Sheriff’s Office(541) 947-6027
sheriff’s office line (Oregon State Police registering-agency list) · Verified
Lane CountyLane County Sheriff’s Office(541) 682-4150
sheriff’s office line (Oregon State Police registering-agency list) · Verified
Lincoln CountyLincoln County Sheriff’s Office(541) 265-4277
sheriff’s office line (Oregon State Police registering-agency list) · Verified
Linn CountyLinn County Sheriff’s Office(541) 967-3950
sheriff’s office line (Oregon State Police registering-agency list) · Verified
Malheur CountyMalheur County Sheriff’s Office(541) 473-5126
sheriff’s office line (Oregon State Police registering-agency list) · Verified
Marion CountyMarion County Sheriff’s Office(503) 588-5094
sheriff’s office line (Oregon State Police registering-agency list) · Verified
Morrow CountyMorrow County Sheriff’s Office(541) 676-5317
sheriff’s office line (Oregon State Police registering-agency list) · Verified
Multnomah CountyMultnomah County Sheriff’s Office(503) 823-3333
non-emergency (county-wide line); admin office 503-988-4300 · Verified
Polk CountyPolk County Sheriff’s Office(503) 623-9251
sheriff’s office line (Oregon State Police registering-agency list) · Verified
Sherman CountySherman County Sheriff’s Office(541) 565-3622
sheriff’s office line (Oregon State Police registering-agency list) · Verified
Tillamook CountyTillamook County Sheriff’s Office(503) 842-2561
sheriff’s office line (Oregon State Police registering-agency list) · Verified
Umatilla CountyUmatilla County Sheriff’s Office(541) 966-3600
main line: reception, dispatch and jail (Pendleton) · Verified
Union CountyUnion County Sheriff’s Office(541) 963-1017
sheriff’s office line (Oregon State Police registering-agency list) · Verified
Wallowa CountyWallowa County Sheriff’s Office(541) 426-3131
sheriff’s office line (Oregon State Police registering-agency list) · Verified
Wasco CountyWasco County Sheriff’s Office(541) 506-2580
sheriff’s office line (Oregon State Police registering-agency list) · Verified
Washington CountyWashington County Sheriff’s Office(503) 846-2700
sheriff’s office line (Oregon State Police registering-agency list) · Verified
Wheeler CountyWheeler County Sheriff’s Office(541) 763-4101
sheriff’s office line (Oregon State Police registering-agency list) · Verified
Yamhill CountyYamhill County Sheriff’s Office(503) 434-7506
sheriff’s office line (Oregon State Police registering-agency list) · Verified
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