As spring approaches and the snow melts away, many people look forward to getting back outdoors into Colorado鈥檚 backcountry. With miles of trails and endless rivers to explore, Colorado is a popular destination in the summer.
While some are eager to get back outside, search and rescue organizations across the state have some concerns and growing uncertainty around federal actions. Search and rescue (SAR) groups are tasked with keeping outdoor visitors safe across the state, but questions about staff and grants have raised some red flags.
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鈥淓verything seems to be changing. And so you know, even what I learned last week is now different this week,鈥� said Jeff Sparhawk, the executive director of Colorado Search and Rescue Association. 鈥淲e're just planning on being adaptable and making sure our volunteer responders are aware of what the situation might be and ready to deal with whatever we're presented with.鈥�
Colorado Search and Rescue Association, or CSAR, is a statewide nonprofit that works with around 50 individual search and rescue teams throughout the state. These groups focus on the backcountry and are the responders to missing or injured people on trails, in rock canyons and around 14ers. A mostly volunteer effort, SAR groups are called in along with local sheriff鈥檚 office and park rangers after someone places a call to 911.
Sparhawk says that historically these operations have been underfunded, but concerns grew larger this year after the federal government announced firings at the National Park and U.S. Forestry Services.
Since then, the Trump Administration has reapproved the hiring of some seasonal workers at the NPS. That was followed by a ruling that reversed the firings of 6,000 staff members at the USFS, which the U.S. Department of Agriculture oversees.
The this week, saying in part, 鈥淭he Department will place all terminated probationary employees in pay status and provide each with back pay, from the date of termination. The Department will work quickly to develop a phased plan for return-to-duty, and while those plans materialize, all probationary employees will be paid.鈥�
How each of these moves impacts local search and rescue organizations depends on several factors. For instance, on National Forests or Bureau of Land Management property, SAR organizations work with the local sheriff鈥檚 office in the event of an emergency. In national parks, they usually have their own SAR teams, but local groups may assist them. The situation also goes beyond whether or not search and rescue officials are available. Factors like trail maintenance and other outdoor work can greatly impact responses and other efforts.
鈥淚t's a varied landscape, to begin with, and so for us, trying to navigate and understand and prepare for what might be happening is a little bit agency-specific, but at the same time, we're trying to make sure that we're able to adapt to whatever it might be,鈥� said Sparhawk. 鈥淭hat includes things like the National Weather Service and what they're able to do from weather forecasting or avalanche forecasting. If we don't have their resources available to us, how do we adapt to that kind of thing as well?鈥�
Sparhawk is working to stay connected with both SAR organizations and land operators like the national parks in Colorado.
鈥淲e have no idea if they're actually going to be able to hire their seasonals or not,鈥� said Sparhawk. 鈥淚 hear no, and then yes, and then no, and then yes. But they have a significant number of calls in the park, and so the surrounding counties are aware that there might be changes this summer, and we'll all be working together to make it as safe as possible.鈥�
In the meantime, there are a few ways Colorado locals can help search and rescue teams this summer.
- Anyone headed into the backcountry should be prepared. Know what you are getting into and be able to get yourself out of dangerous situations.
- Volunteerism is encouraged. Many SAR groups, especially in rural areas need volunteers. Sparhawk says in places like Fort Collins or Boulder people will find a wait list to join, but once you move from the Front Range, volunteers are in high demand.
- Financial support is needed for many of these groups to keep locals and tourists safe. Sparhawk suggests to help efforts across the state or going a step further and donating directly to the local SAR group in your community.
