Rhode Island Search and Rescue
Who leads searches in Rhode Island, 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: RIEMA main line 401-946-9996 · DEM Environmental Police 24/7 dispatch 401-222-3070. How a state request works ↓
Requesting state help in Rhode Island
Rhode Island has no county government, so there are no sheriffs leading SAR, and there is no statute naming a lead SAR agency. The state's own response-team page says missing-person searches remain a law enforcement function.
- State 24-hour contactRIEMA main line 401-946-9996 · DEM Environmental Police 24/7 dispatch 401-222-3070.
- Requesting state resourcesOn state parks, forests and management areas, or for inland searches needing DEM, contact the DEM Environmental Police through its 24/7 dispatch at 401-222-3070 (or 911).
Want to write the request out before you call? Use the request builder. Official agency: RIEMA ↗.
Key numbers
Only figures with a published source.
BluePrintSAR resource pages for Rhode Island (below).
How search and rescue is requested in Rhode Island
- Step 1In an emergency call 911. The city or town police department where the person went missing takes the report and leads the search.
- Step 2On state parks, forests and management areas, or for inland searches needing DEM, contact the DEM Environmental Police through its 24/7 dispatch at 401-222-3070 (or 911).
- Step 3For more help, the local emergency management director asks RIEMA (main line 401-946-9996), which can send state response teams such as the Wilderness Search and Rescue team.
Law and authority
Creates RIEMA and the state and local emergency management system (local emergency management is section 30-15-12). No section title mentions search and rescue.
Disaster response activities are governmental functions; the state, its subdivisions and disaster response workers are not liable for death, injury or property damage from disaster response unless there is willful misconduct, gross negligence or bad faith. Workers killed or disabled while training for or performing disaster duty are treated as state employees for compensation if no other benefits apply. 'Disaster response worker' includes volunteer and auxiliary personnel serving under state or local control or at their request. It is written for disaster emergencies.
DEM states its Upland Officers lead inland search and rescue operations and that officers work on DEM-managed property and throughout Rhode Island.
State plans and guidelines
Official plans, annexes and program documents for Rhode Island.
- RIEMA emergency operations planning ↗ — Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency page for the state emergency operations plan.
Resources by discipline
What each resource does, how it is requested in Rhode Island, and the standards that apply.
Listed in BluePrintSAR directories for Rhode Island
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 (RISP / USCG)
Coast Guard from Cape Cod flies water rescue; the Rhode Island Army Guard and Civil Air Patrol cover state emergencies
Canine (K9)
Volunteer teams and the state USAR team have used FEMA-style Type I/II canine evaluations; no state SAR dog license
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: yes (signed July 15, 2013). 5 agencies and resources listed. All checked against a cited source.
Coast Guard
Coast Guard district and 2 sectors covering Rhode Island, plus 6 stations, local and volunteer units. All checked against official sources.
Communication
National SAR and interoperability channels from the NIFOG, plus 4 state, local and volunteer radio systems and groups. All checked against official sources.
Dive & Underwater
3 public safety and volunteer dive teams listed. All checked against a cited source.
Drone / UAS
No Rhode Island statute specifically governs government drone use; FAA rules and agency policy apply. 6 agency and volunteer drone teams listed, each checked against a published source in October 2026.
Police / State Police / Law Enforcement
Rhode Island has no county government, so there are no sheriffs leading SAR, and there is no statute naming a lead SAR agency.
Mantracking
Trackers 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.
National Guard
Governor-activatedMilitary helicopters and personnel for hoist rescue, aerial search and ground support when civilian resources can’t do the job.
State Parks
State agencyThe state park system, whose staff know park terrain and trails and support searches on park land.
Swiftwater & Flood Rescue
Teams that search for and rescue people and animals in swiftwater and floods, from shore and by boat.
Technical Mountain Rescue
Teams for steep, high-angle and alpine terrain that use rope systems to reach and evacuate people.
USAR (FEMA / Regional Task Force)
1 state or regional US&R team listed, with how to request them.
Federal lands (National Park Service)
Federal land managerFederal land agencies whose staff support searches on national forests, grasslands and parks.
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.
5-county directory
State Police reference contacts grouped by county. These rows do not define barracks service boundaries or list every municipal police department. Contact the police department serving the town where help is needed. For an emergency, call 911.
All five listed numbers match the Rhode Island State Police contact page, checked October 25, 2026. The source labels these as non-emergency numbers. Bristol and Kent use the statewide headquarters reference, not a county police office.
| Jurisdiction | Agency | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Bristol County | Rhode Island State Police — Scituate headquarters | (401) 444-1000 statewide headquarters reference; contact town police for local calls · Contact source |
| Kent County | Rhode Island State Police — Scituate headquarters | (401) 444-1000 statewide headquarters reference; contact town police for local calls · Contact source |
| Newport County | Rhode Island State Police — Portsmouth Barracks | (401) 444-1066 non-emergency barracks contact · Contact source |
| Providence County | Rhode Island State Police — Lincoln Woods Barracks | (401) 444-1100 non-emergency barracks contact · Contact source |
| Washington County | Rhode Island State Police — Hope Valley Barracks | (401) 444-1068 non-emergency; Wickford Barracks also listed: 401-444-1064 · Contact source |