Santa Barbara County Search and Rescue Becomes a Certified Basic Life Support Provider
Santa Barbara County Search and Rescue (SBCSAR), long recognized for its dedication to delivering critical first aid and emergency response, has achieved an exciting milestone in its mission to protect and serve the community. The Santa Barbara County Emergency Medical Services Agency (SBCEMSA) has officially recognized SBCSAR as a certified Basic Life Support (BLS) provider. This certification builds upon the team’s existing capabilities, enabling its Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) to apply approved treatment protocols and expand the scope of pre-hospital care they provide in emergency situations.
Expanding Capabilities to Save Lives
As a BLS provider, SBCSAR team members enhance their ability to manage medical emergencies with airway management, and trauma stabilization elevating the quality of care they deliver in the field.
SBCSAR has appointed a licensed Medical Director to oversee medical services and ensure compliance with training, protocols, and continuous quality improvement initiatives.
Community and Agency Collaboration
This certification represents a strengthened partnership between SBCSAR and SBCEMSA, highlighting their shared commitment to community safety. The team will continue to work closely with local EMS agencies, participate in disaster drills and emergency planning, and align communication systems with county dispatch requirements.
Elevating Emergency Response in Santa Barbara County
Santa Barbara County’s unique and challenging terrain requires a highly skilled and adaptable search and rescue team. With their newly certified BLS capabilities, SBCSAR is better equipped than ever to respond to emergencies in both remote backcountry and urban settings.
A Bright Future
As a certified BLS provider, SBCSAR is poised to deliver an even higher standard of care,
reinforcing its longstanding role as a vital resource for residents and visitors of Santa Barbara County. This achievement reflects the team’s unwavering commitment to saving lives and meeting the unique challenges of the region.
For more information about Santa Barbara County Search and Rescue and their services, visit their website at sbcsar.org or follow them on social media @sbcsar for updates on their ongoing efforts to keep the community safe.
Santa Barbara County Search and Rescue
Donate now!sbcsar.net
Development Chair: Bruce Hickey
(805) 319-1399
Mission
To provide critical assistance and support during any search and rescue operation.
Begin to Build a Relationship
We know you care about where your money goes and how it is used. Connect with this organization’s leadership in order to begin to build this important relationship. Your email will be sent directly to this organization’s director of development and/or Executive Director.
Direct Relief is a support organization to organizations nationally and globally, but it is a particular privilege for Direct Relief to support the critical work of Santa Barbara County Search and Rescue and the unpaid volunteer members who do that work in our organizations’ shared home. SBCSAR epitomizes the finest traditions of the concept of public service. The members’ qualifications result from hard work and constant training. They are on-call 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, and deploy whenever someone is hurt, lost, missing, or otherwise in need. They do whatever is necessary, wherever the location, to find and bring a person to safety. This type of selfless public service is rare, and it’s why any philanthropic support for SBCSAR is well spent.
Answering the Call: Support Santa Barbara’s Lifesaving Volunteers
Santa Barbara County Search and Rescue (SBCSAR) is the lifeline for those in need across our rugged backcountry.
They need to raise $250,000 annually to keep this critical, life-saving community service running.
Your donation will directly support their ability to respond quickly and effectively:
•$7,500 funds essential rope rescue equipment for high-angle and cliff rescues.
•$18,000 provides a drone for aerial search operations, expanding their ability to locate missing persons quickly.
•$33,000 supports comprehensive training for rescue members, ensuring they are prepared for any situation.
•$150,000 provides the team with a fully equipped “rescue” vehicle for emergency response.
•$16,000 provides insurance and medical resources for the team’s K9 responders.
•$22,000 for search management tools and communication equipment.
Your contribution helps ensure that SBCSAR remains ready to save and serve the community whenever the call comes in.
Key Supporters
Wood Claeyssens Foundation
Direct Relief
One805
Blackbaud Giving Fund
Bragg Foundation
Santa Barbara Foundation
JM Lazarus Foundation
Hutton Parker Foundation