For a lot of years, no deputies would even show up on a call. When we finished up, we'd just call in and say, 'We got 'em. From those first teams, search and rescue expanded, became more specialized, more organized. Now there are three mountain rescue teams, an underwater rescue team, the mounted posse, a medical team, a K-9 team and an administrative support group. There are almost 170 volunteers.
Helicopters mean searches end in hours rather than days.
With cell phones and radios, contact between team members and the Sheriff's Department is constant. Each incident initiates a stream of paperwork. While some searches make front page news, most don't. There's never been a volunteer death during an operation, and few major injuries. Challenges remain the same.