South Dakota Search and Rescue: Who Leads & How to Request

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South Dakota Search and Rescue

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

Emergency: call 911. State contact: SD Office of Emergency Management (605) 773-3231 (no 24-hour duty line published). How a state request works ↓

Requesting state help in South Dakota

There is no South Dakota statute naming a lead agency for search and rescue. State emergency management law (SDCL chapter 34-48A) defines search and rescue and lists it as an emergency management function.

State 24-hour contactSD Office of Emergency Management (605) 773-3231 (no 24-hour duty line published).
Requesting state resourcesFor more resources, the county emergency manager works with the South Dakota Office of Emergency Management; its Duty Officer Program helps county managers locate and acquire resources, with Regional Coordinators in Aberdeen, Mitchell and Rapid City. The office's general number is (605) 773-3231.

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

Key numbers

Only figures with a published source.

66counties

U.S. Census Bureau boundaries.

U.S. Census Bureau ↗

18Discipline directories

BluePrintSAR resource pages for South Dakota (below).

How search and rescue is requested in South Dakota

Step 1In an emergency call 911. Agencies needing SAR should contact the sheriff's office or local law enforcement for the area where the person is missing.
Step 2Local law enforcement or the county emergency manager calls county-recognized SAR teams (for example Pennington County Search and Rescue, which says it is on call 24 hours a day, every day of the year).
Step 3For more resources, the county emergency manager works with the South Dakota Office of Emergency Management; its Duty Officer Program helps county managers locate and acquire resources, with Regional Coordinators in Aberdeen, Mitchell and Rapid City. The office's general number is (605) 773-3231.

Law and authority

SDCL 34-48A-1 (definitions)

Defines 'search and rescue' and includes it among emergency management functions.

Read the source ↗

SDCL 34-48A-55 (enacted by 2020 Senate Bill 56)

Allows search and rescue providers to collect the cost of services in national parks, national forests or state parks from the person benefited, capped at $1,000. It lets the state, a fire department, a law enforcement agency or a county-recognized search and rescue entity recover its actual costs, up to $1,000, from the person helped on school or public lands, national parks, national forests or state parks (SL 2020, ch 150; SB 56, signed March 20, 2020).

Read the source ↗

State plans and guidelines

Official plans, annexes and program documents for South Dakota.

SD Office of Emergency Management, planning ↗ — South Dakota OEM planning page, including the state emergency operations plan.
SD Office of Emergency Management, response ↗ — How the State Emergency Operations Center supports counties.

Resources by discipline

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

Listed in BluePrintSAR directories for South Dakota

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.

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Aviation (ANG / State)

Civil Air Patrol flies most search flights; the Army Guard in Rapid City supplies Black Hawks

How to request

In South Dakota, aircraft are requested by the agency running the search.

Standards and policy

State law places Civil Air Patrol in the Department of the Military and lets it do rescue work at the Governor's direction, but sets no aircrew standard. CAP aircrews follow CAP national qualifications, Guard crews follow Army aircrew training, and Guard and contract firefighting aircraft are certified to Interior Department Office of Aviation Services fire standards with annual inspections. There is no state search and rescue aviation recurrency rule.

South Dakota Aviation (ANG / State) directory

Canine (K9)

No state SAR dog license; volunteer teams test with NAPWDA, and South Dakota Task Force 1 fields a live-find K9

How to request

In South Dakota, the county sheriff runs the search, often through a county search and rescue team, and requests canine resources from volunteer teams or neighboring states.

Standards and policy

There is no South Dakota statewide SAR dog certification. Brookings County K9 Search and Rescue reports its dogs must pass North American Police Work Dog Association (NAPWDA) testing every year. Rapid City Police K-9 teams recertify yearly; their discipline is police search and tracking.

South Dakota 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 South Dakota

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. South Dakota is in the NCRC Rocky Mountain 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.

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

Cell Phone Forensics

Kelsey Smith Act law: yes (signed March 4, 2020). 5 agencies and resources listed. All checked against official sources.

How to request

In South Dakota, 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.

South Dakota Cell Phone Forensics directory

Coast Guard Auxiliary

Coast Guard district and 1 sector covering South Dakota, plus 8 stations, local and volunteer units. All checked against a cited source.

How to request

In South Dakota, 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.

South Dakota Coast Guard Auxiliary 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 South Dakota, 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.

South Dakota Communication directory

Dive & Underwater

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

How to request

In South Dakota, 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.

South Dakota Dive & Underwater directory

Drone / UAS

State drone law: SDCL 50-15-5. 5 agency and volunteer drone teams listed, each checked against a published source.

How to request

In South Dakota, 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.

South Dakota 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 South Dakota

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

How to request

The agency with jurisdiction requests it through SD 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.

South Dakota National Guard directory South Dakota National Guard (official) ↗ State Guard websites (National Guard Bureau) ↗ SD 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 South Dakota

Trackers are requested through the agency running the search. This page does not list specific South Dakota 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.

South Dakota 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 South Dakota

The National Association of State Boating Law Administrators lists South Dakota Dept of Game, Fish & Parks as South Dakota’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.

Standards and policy

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

South Dakota Marine / GFP Patrol directory South Dakota Dept of Game, Fish & Parks ↗ NASBLA South Dakota boating contacts ↗ State boating laws (USCG Boating Safety) ↗

Sheriff / Law Enforcement

There is no South Dakota statute naming a lead agency for search and rescue.

How to request

In an emergency call 911. Agencies needing SAR should contact the sheriff's office or local law enforcement for the area where the person is missing.

Standards and policy

None found for SAR; local teams set their own requirements

South Dakota 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 South Dakota

South Dakota 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.

South Dakota State Parks & GFP directory South Dakota 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 South Dakota

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

How to request

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

South Dakota Swiftwater directory FEMA Swiftwater/Flood SAR Team definition ↗ SD OEM ↗

Technical Mountain Rescue

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

Who provides it in South Dakota

No Mountain Rescue Association member team is based in South Dakota (MRA team lists). Technical rope rescue is requested through the agency with jurisdiction.

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 SD 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.

South Dakota Technical Mountain Rescue directory MRA teams by region ↗ FEMA Mountain SAR Team definition ↗

USAR (FEMA / State Task Force)

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

How to request

In South Dakota, 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.

South Dakota 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 South Dakota

National forests and grasslands in South Dakota on the Forest Service’s list: Black Hills National Forest; Buffalo Gap National Grassland; Fort Pierre National Grassland; Grand River National Grassland. The National Park Service lists 7 park sites in South Dakota.

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.

South Dakota National Forests (USFS / NPS) directory NPS sites in South Dakota ↗ 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 South Dakota

Off-road vehicle support is requested through the agency running the search. This page does not list specific South Dakota 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.

South Dakota UTV & ATV / Snowmobiles directory FEMA Land SAR Team definition ↗

66-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 66 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
Aurora County	Aurora County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 942-7736 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Beadle County	Beadle County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 353-8424 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Bennett County	Bennett County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 685-6516 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Bon Homme County	Bon Homme County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 589-3942 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Brookings County	Brookings County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 696-8300 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Brown County	Brown County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 626-7100 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Brule County	Brule County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 234-4443 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Buffalo County	Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 293-3231 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Butte County	Butte County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 892-3324 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Campbell County	Campbell County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 955-3355 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Charles Mix County	Charles Mix County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 487-7625 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Clark County	Clark County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 532-3822 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Clay County	Clay County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 677-7100 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Codington County	Codington County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 882-6280 sheriff’s office line (county sheriff website) · Verified
Corson County	Corson County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 273-4210 sheriff’s office main line, McIntosh (county sheriff page) · Verified
Custer County	Custer County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 673-8146 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Davison County	Davison County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 995-8630 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Day County	Day County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 345-3222 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Deuel County	Deuel County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 874-8212 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Dewey County	Dewey County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 865-3330 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Douglas County	Douglas County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 724-2238 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Edmunds County	Edmunds County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 426-6002 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Fall River County	Fall River County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 745-4444 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Faulk County	Faulk County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 598-6229 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Grant County	Grant County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 432-5853 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Gregory County	Gregory County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 775-2626 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Haakon County	Haakon County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 859-2741 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Hamlin County	Hamlin County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 783-3232 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Hand County	Hand County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 853-2408 sheriff’s office line (South Dakota Sheriffs’ Association) · Verified
Hanson County	Hanson County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 239-4409 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Harding County	Harding County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 375-3414 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Hughes County	Hughes County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 773-7470 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Hutchinson County	Hutchinson County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 387-2341 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Hyde County	Hyde County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 852-2513 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Jackson County	Jackson County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 837-2285 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Jerauld County	Jerauld County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 539-1311 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Jones County	Jones County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 669-7111 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Kingsbury County	Kingsbury County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 854-3339 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Lake County	Lake County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 256-7615 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Lawrence County	Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 578-2230 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Lincoln County	Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 764-5651 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Lyman County	Lyman County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 869-2267 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Marshall County	Marshall County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 448-5271 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
McCook County	McCook County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 425-2761 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
McPherson County	McPherson County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 439-3400 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Meade County	Meade County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 347-2681 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Mellette County	Mellette County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 259-3050 ext. 7 sheriff’s office contact line (county sheriff page) · Verified
Miner County	Miner County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 772-4501 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Minnehaha County	Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 367-4300 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Moody County	Moody County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 997-2423 sheriff’s office line (county sheriff page) · Verified
Oglala Lakota County	Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety	(605) 867-5111 tribal police and 911 dispatch, Pine Ridge (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Pennington County	Pennington County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 394-2151 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Perkins County	Perkins County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 244-5243 sheriff’s office line (South Dakota Sheriffs’ Association) · Verified
Potter County	Potter County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 765-9405 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Roberts County	Roberts County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 698-7667 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Sanborn County	Sanborn County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 796-4511 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Spink County	Spink County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 472-4595 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Stanley County	Stanley County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 223-7792 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Sully County	Sully County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 258-2244 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Todd County	Todd County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 856-2282 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Tripp County	Tripp County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 842-3600 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Turner County	Turner County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 764-2664 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Union County	Union County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 356-2679 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Walworth County	Walworth County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 845-5000 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Yankton County	Yankton County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 668-3567 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified
Ziebach County	Ziebach County Sheriff’s Office	(605) 365-5177 sheriff’s office line (Dakota at Home, SD state resource directory) · Verified

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South Dakota State SAR