Marin SAR was put on standby for a missing hiker below the East Peak of Mt Tam. The hiker became lost off trail in the dark. He was able to call for help, but didn’t know where he was. Rangers attempted to locate the subject, but due to darkness and heavy vegetation weren’t able to access the subject. A helicopter from Sonoma County Sheriff (Henry-1), located the subject and was able to successfully short haul the subject to the East Peak parking lot.

Central Marin Police and the Marin County Sheriff’s Department requested SAR to assist in an evidence search following an officer involved shooting in Corte Madera. 13 members and one K9 spent several hours searching the area for items related to the incident.

Marin SAR was requested to respond to Mendocino County for a missing person. As the team was about to be paged, the subject was located by local teams.

Marin SAR was requested after a person was reported missing from the West Point Inn on Mt Tam. Water District and State Park Rangers along with Sheriff’s Deputies conducted a hasty search but were unable to locate the subject. Marin SAR responded around 2am and began searching the trails near the Inn. About an hour later, the subjected ended up walking back to their car near Pantoll Ranger Station where a deputy was waiting. 21 members assisted in this middle of the night search.

Placer County requested mutual aid to assist in the search for a missing woman whose car was discovered. Marin responded several days into the search to assist in searching an area of steep and technical drainages. Early on that day, the subject was located by another team deceased. Marin sent two members and joined up with BAMRU and Placer County for the search assignment.

The team was requested to assist in a search for a missing hiker near Muir Beach. The subject was hiking with a friend when the two became separated. After a short time, the friend found someone who had a cell phone that worked in an area with limited coverage and reported the subject missing. Marin SAR responded along with NPS Rangers and Fire units to Muir Beach and conducted a hasty search of the trails and also used trailing K9’s in an attempt to locate the subject. Due to safety concerns and darkness, the search was halted in the early hours of the morning. The next two days inlcuding more hasty searching, beach searches and technical searching on the cliffs nearby. Tragically, the missing subject was located deceased on 12/11/2017 in the water about two miles from Stinson Beach.

On the way back from the Turkey Day Ride, Marin SAR members responded to a trail rescue on the Stocking Trail on Mt Tam. Members deployed in the UTV with medical gear and a litter. The patient was able to walk to the fire road and be driven down by rangers, and Marin SAR was released.

Marin SAR assisted the Marin Municipal Water District Rangers and Open Space Rangers in supporting the annual Turkey Day Ride on Pine Mountain. Marin SAR members deployed on ATV’s and a UTV and provided medical assistance to bikers. 12 SAR members assisted in this event.

Marin SAR was requested by the Pt Reyes National Park Service to search for an overdue kayaker. Marin Managers remotely planned the search online the night before, and the next morning 26 members responded along with Marin County Fire’s Water Rescue Team. Members were tasked in searching the shoreline along the estero. About an hour into the search, the missing person was located alive and well by a Marin SAR team after she had spent the night out.

While in the water district training our new SAR members, Marin SAR was requested to respond to East peak for a person who had fallen and lost consciousness. Members responded with 5 members in the UTV to assist Marin county fire. Marin SAR was tasked with directing traffic and setting up a landing zone to airlift the subject out.

Marin SAR was requested by the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office to assist in human remains searches following the devastating fires. Marin staffed 20 members over several days to assist in these efforts. We also staffed overhead positions for the last several days, assisting in managing the searches.

When a series of fast moving fires broke out in Napa, Sonoma, and Mendocino Counties, Marin SAR was requested to help with evacuation support. While waiting for approval to respond north, we were asked to help assist in setting up an evacuation center at the Civic Center. The team was paged out again and 40 members responded. Marin members assisted in setting up sleeping areas, providing medical assistance and providing food to evacuees. Marin members staffed major positions in the evacuation centers for 24 hours until other personnel could arrive.

Marin SAR was requested to do a limited objective search for a subject missing from his home for several days in the area of Donahue fire road in Marin City. 20 members responded and searched until dark. The subject was located deceased the next morning.

The Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC) received an aircraft distress beacon signal in the area of Bolinas at approximately 1900 hours. After further data analysis, they pinpointed an approximate flight path over Bolinas headed towards Pt Reyes in the area of the Palomarin trailhead. Marin SAR responded Thursday night with 34 members and searched the area. Another wave of Marin members was requested for the next morning along with mutual aid from several surrounding bay area counties. The next morning 22 Marin members, along with Napa County and BAMRU Teams continued the search. The aircraft was located by a Civil Air Patrol AIrcraft searching the area. After the area had been processed by the NTSB and the coroner office, Marin members completed the carryout of the deceased subject.

WIth extremely hot weather forecasted for the weekend combined with high fire danger, Marin County Fire requested Marin SAR to stage at Throckmorton fire station with 8 members and a UTV. We staffed this position on Saturday and Sunday, responding to several calls for service.

Marin SAR was requested by the NPS to search for a missing hiker near the Palomarin trailhead out in Bolinas. While enroute, the subject was located deceased by rangers on the side of a cliff. Marin SAR members responded to the scene and completed a technical recovery, lowering a single attendant over the side to recover the subject. 22 members responded to this search/recovery.

Marin SAR was requested to search for a missing 16 year old female on Mt Tam. She had been separated from the group of friends that she had been hiking with and had been reported missing at 2130 A command post was set up at the Sky Oaks Ranger Station and members began hasty searching trails near rock springs. At approximately 0730 she was located alive and well by a Main SAR search team. 27 members assisted in this search.

Marin SAR was requested by the Marin County Sheriff’s office to search for a missing person whose vehicle had been located on Pt Reyes Petaluma Road. 34 members responded and searched the east side of the road but were unsuccessful in locating the missing person. A follow up search was requested pending permission from the property owner. During the follow up search the missing person was located deceased by a Marin SAR K9 team.

Marin SAR was requested by the Alpine county Sheriff’s Office to assist in the search for a missing backpacker near wheeler lake. 2 members responded from the Truckee area and assisted in writing plans for the next day. An additional 6 members responded from Marin and members deployed in the field the next day. Around 1300 the missing subject was located alive and well by another team.

Marin SAR was requested to assist in the search for a missing hiker on Mt. Shasta. 5 members responded and were deployed via National Guard helicopters at the summit of Mt. Shasta and searched from the summit down to the base of the mountain. An additional 3 Marin SAR members responded later that afternoon and began assisting in writing plans for the next day’s operational period. Around 1730 the missing subject was located by another hiker alive and was in good health.

Marin SAR was requested by the Inyo County Sheriff’s office to assist in the search for a missing hiker. 20 members were about to respond from a training in the Tahoe area when the missing hiker was located.

Marin SAR was requested to respond to Tomales Bay Oyster Co. for a missing boater. An extensive search of the shoreline by ground and K9 teams was launched as well as a water search by USCG and County fire. The missing person was located deceased two days later.

The Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office requested mutual aid for a missing 85 year old female dementia patient. Tuolumne had launched an extensive overnight search but was unable to locate the missing person. They quickly requested more personnel and overhead support. Marin SAR responded with 10 members.Teams searched throughout the day but were unsuccessful in locating the missing person. Around 1900 as teams were writing plans for the next day, the missing person was located by a neighbor.

Marin SAR was called to assist with a trail rescue on the Rubicon trail for a person who had reportedly taken a 25 foot fall. Several members were diverted from the fair and several more responded from home. Marin SAR was cancelled enroute as the subject was able to walk out on her own. 13 members responded.

Marin SAR was requested by the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office to assist in the search for a missing 6 year old. The boy had gotten separated from his family the day before while ATV riding. The missing child was located as Marin members were arriving at the command post. 18 Marin SAR members responded to assist with this search.

42 Marin SAR members responded to Mt Tam on Saturday night for a missing 71 year old hiker near Potrero Camp. We had several members respond from the county fair and quickly began inserting ground teams and K9 teams. Around 2130, after being missing for 5 hours, the missing person was located by a Marin SAR member on a boat on Alpine Lake. The subject was located alive and in good health.

Marin SAR was requested to help at the Marin County Fair. We provided medical support and helped reunite missing people throughout the 5 days of the fair. Over 40 members supported this effort.

Alpine County Sheriff’s Office requested mutual aid for a missing person near Lake Alpine. The missing person was located and Marin SAR was cancelled enroute.

2 members assisted Marin County Fire during the Pine Fire by helping transport fire personnel and hose.

Santa Cruz County Sheriff Requested Mutual Aid for a missing 12 year old female. One member responded immediately while 5 members wrote plans at home over a conference call for the next morning. 10 Marin members also responded down to Santa Cruz to assist with the search. After about an hour of searching, the missing person was located alive and well.

Calaveras County Sheriff requested Mutual Aid for the search of a missing aircraft and pilot after the plane was reported missing. Radar data showed the plane disappeared to the north of its destination. Extensive ground and air searches were conducted, but due to inclement weather, were limited. Marin responded and about two hours into the search, part of the aircraft was located. A short time later, the rest of the aircraft along with the deceased pilot were located by ground teams in an area with heavy tree cover. 13 Marin members assisted.

Marin SAR assisted with the annual Dipsea Race. Teams were staged in strategic locations on the race course and assisted runners. No major incidents were reported.

Napa County Sheriff requested assistance with an evidence search in the city of Napa. One of our K9 teams responded to assist with weapons detection following an earlier incident. The team worked alongside Napa County SAR in conducting the search. No relevant evidence was located.

Just after midnight, Marin SAR was called to assist in the search for a woman who was reported missing out of Tiburon. The vehicle was located near the Richardson Bay Bridge in Mill Valley. SAR responded with 17 members to search the shoreline and other areas near the last known point. After a few hours of searching, the subject was located deceased in Richardson Bay. Southern Marin Fire conducted the recovery.

An at-risk 12 year old girl was reported missing in San Anselmo and Central Marin Police requested SAR’s assistance in the search. As teams were arriving on scene, plans were being made to search high probability areas, including shopping centers and transit stops. As teams were about to be deployed, a police officer spotted the girl returning to her normal bus stop. Apparently, she spent the night at a friends house and was heading back to school. 31 members responded or assisted in the search.

15 Marin members responded to the town of Sonoma to look for a missing 83 year old male. The subject went for his daily bike ride the previous afternoon, but did not return. Sonoma SAR searched all night and called mutual aid for the morning. Multiple calls came in with solid sightings from the day before after a reverse 911 call went out to the area. A deputy was sent to the area, and found the subject walking along the road after spending the night out. He was brought back to the command post and taken to the hospital for further evaluation as a precaution.

Central Marin Police requested SAR’s assistance after a vehicle belonging to a missing subject was located in San Rafael. Plans were created to search the surrounding area, including downtown San Rafael, to cover high probability areas. A couple clues came in, but nothing to help locate him. A plan was made to expand the search at daylight. Just as this occurred, the subject was located at is residence in Bolinas. Somehow he was able to hitchhike all the way home. 22 members responded.

Napa County Search and Rescue requested assistance with a missing 69 year old male near the south end of Lake Berryessa. As our K9 teams arrived on scene, a Sheriff’s deputy was searching a creek bed near the subject’s home and spotted the missing person. The two K9 handlers assisted with medical aid while Cal-FIRE responded. The subject was loaded into a litter and was transported to a hospital for further evaluation. 20 members responded.

Late in the evening, MMWD rangers requested SAR assistance with two missing hikers on the North side of Mt Tam. The hikers had become lost as it became dark and called 911 for assistance. 10 members responded, some were deployed by boat to hike up Swede Gorge and others hiked in with extra equipment in case a carryout was needed. The first team was able to reach the subjects who were cold, but in otherwise good condition. The second team scouted a better path to walk out on. It was still challenging in the wet conditions, but much safer than following the creek. The couple was very appreciative of the Team’s and MMWD’s efforts in helping them.

Marin responded to assist in the search for a missing snowmobiler in Tuolumne County. On the previous day, the subjects snowmobile was located. Two Marin members assisted in the command post as one team was sent to attempt to follow the tracks from the snowmobile. Other teams were deployed to cover areas around the last known point. No new clues were found during the days search effort. As teams were being recalled, a joint Marin/BAMRU team was taking a break out of their search assignment and located the subject deceased. A deputy responded to the scene and the subject was extricated after about 7 hours. 10 Marin members assisted.

Just as a second wave arrived at the Sierra/Nevada County Missing Plane incident, there was a report of a fallen hiker on Castle Peak, near Donner Summit. Seven members responded along with Truckee Fire, Nevada County Sheriff’s Office and the CHP. Two helicopters from CHP responded and were able to extricate the subject who was flown to the staging area and transported via helicopter to the hospital.

Marin SAR was requested to support a search for a missing aircraft north of Truckee. The search area was in Sierra and Nevada Counties. Marin assumed management roles and deployed teams into the field to search for a plane that had disappeared from radar in the area after taking off from Truckee en route to Petaluma. Type 1 teams were deployed via Snowcat, snowmobile and helicopter. At one point, four helicopters from the California National Guard and the US Navy were on scene and supporting the search through aerial searching and team transport. Marin supported the mission for 4 days, filling crucial management functions and searching large areas of the sierra wilderness. No clues were located during the active search. A few weeks later, the plan was located by a snowmobiler with both subjects deceased in heavy trees within the search area. In all close to 25 Marin members supported the mission for one or up to three days.

Marin SAR was requested to assist in a search in Mendocino County. Shortly after the team was paged out, the subject was located.

Marin SAR was requested to assist in a technical recovery of an item over the cliff near Point Bonita. The 7 members recovered the item and turned it over to NPS rangers.

8 members responded to the town of Pioneer in Amador County to help search for a missing 79 year old woman. The subject had walked away from her home. Teams were deployed to search the area but no clues were located. During searching two days later, the subject was located deceased by a Marin K9 team that responded with CARDA.

Marin SAR was requested by the Bolinas Fire Department to assist in the search for a missing 83 year old subject with dementia. As the team was mobilizing, the subject was located. 18 members were responding.

20 members were responding for a missing 92 year old male in Fairfax who had been missing for two hours.. As the team was mobilizing, law enforcement units in the area located the subject.

Marin SAR responded along with Southern Marin, CHP and the US Coast Guard to assist a kayaker who got stuck on the rocks near Pt. Bonita. As SAR was en route, the subject was hoisted by a CHP helicopter and was uninjured.

While teams were still searching for the first missing person (see above), a second person was reported missing in Vallejo. Members were assigned to this new search as they became available and conducted a detailed interview of the subjects family. A short time into the search, the subject was located in good condition in the area.

Marin SAR was activated Saturday evening, March 18th through mutual aid to assist in the search for missing 26 year old Lexus Dupaty. Ms. Dupaty, an at-risk Vallejo woman went missing Friday evening after she was last seen. Dupaty suffers from a mental disability, which impacts her ability to care for herself. Solano County SAR led the search which included agencies from CARDA, BAMRU, Contra Costa SAR, Vallejo PD, Napa SAR, Sonoma SAR, Yolo SAR, San Mateo SAR, Sacramento SAR, and Marin SAR. Search management plus indications from CARDA’s K9 teams suggested the highest probability search area would be in the Columbus Parkway and Lake Herman Road quadrant. After a 7:30 A.M. briefing Sunday morning, teams were deployed into the field including ATV’s, ground searchers, a fixed wing plane, K9 units, and patrol cars. At approximately 2:00 P.M. a call was received by Vallejo PD that a person matching the subjects description was seen walking along Lake Herman Road. A patrol car was dispatched and 15 minutes later Lexus Dupaty was reunited with her family. Although having spent two cold nights out by herself Lexus was physically ok but was transported to the hospital for further observation.

Marin SAR’s K9 team assisted the San Francisco Medical Examiner with an evidence search near the UCSF medical center. 4 members responded along with 2 dogs and methodically performed a search. Several clues were passed on to investigators.

15 Marin members returned to assist in the search. Teams were deployed and asked to search drainages leading off of Skyline Boulevard near where there were several sightings from two days prior. A short time into the days search, the subject, along with her dog were located stuck in a deep drainage. Multiple agencies assisted with the carryout. Overall the subject was on good condition but was transported to the hospital for further evaluation.

A 56 year old woman went missing near the town of Woodside in San Mateo County. The San Mateo Sheriff’s Office requested mutual aid assistance. The subject was hiking with her dog near Skyline boulevard and didn’t return to the rental house where her husband and son were. 70 SAR personnel from various agencies searched all day Saturday with no find. 26 Marin members responded.

2 Marin members assisted in the EOC and 2 teams of 10 people were put on standby for another projected strong storm in Marin. Based on the actual storm track and impact to Marin, SAR was no longer needed.

Point Reyes rangers requested SAR to respond and assist with an evidence search after human remains were discovered off of Platform Bridge Road in rural West Marin. The area was thoroughly searched with assistance from Sonoma County SAR. Several potential clues were located. 25 members assisted.

Marin SAR assisted the Novato Police Department with an evidence search following a reported assault that occurred. Members searched a large area on either side of Novato Creek and found several potentially relevant clues. 19 members responded.

SAR was called to help with a search for a missing hiker. As the team was being paged out, the subject was located by a ranger in good condition and returned to her vehicle.

23 Marin SAR members assisted with EOC plans sections support and also staffed two crews that were deployed during heavy rains and flooding. One group responded to Mill Valley and provided emergency sandbagging and assisted several homeowners. Another group responded to Ross Valley where the Corte Madera Creek went above flood stage and assisted agencies in that area. Once the rain subsided later that evening, teams were released.

Marin deployed four members to assist in the County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) during a strong projected storm. Members assisted in the Plans section. The storm ended up being weaker than predicted for marin and the EOC was closed aget a 12 hour night shift.