Posted on Jun 24, 2023
Seattle Mountain Rescue celebrates 75 years of rescues
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For 75 years, Seattle Mountain Rescue has relied on a constellation of volunteers and a mixed bag of resources to help lost hikers and injured adventurers. As King County has exponentially grown, the demand for Mountain Rescue services has too.
Now, for the first time, the nonprofit will have a base of operations in North Bend.
On a summer evening beneath Mount Si, Seattle Mountain Rescue (SMR) is getting ready to celebrate their 75th anniversary when a call comes in. A crew needs to head up to Mount Rainier to help with a search and rescue mission.
"It's really fun and exciting to have it all come together," says Garth Bruce, a volunteer with the rescue group for the last 30 years. "But of course, there's the chaos of the missions in-between."
Bruce's phone gives a constant ping as he darts between equipment trucks and a nearby barbeque. Since its inception in the 1940s, Seattle Mountain Rescue has never had a home base. That meant parking their two emergency trucks in different parking lots throughout North Bend. When a call came in for a rescue, volunteers were sent scrambling.
Now, for the first time, the nonprofit will have a base of operations in North Bend.
On a summer evening beneath Mount Si, Seattle Mountain Rescue (SMR) is getting ready to celebrate their 75th anniversary when a call comes in. A crew needs to head up to Mount Rainier to help with a search and rescue mission.
"It's really fun and exciting to have it all come together," says Garth Bruce, a volunteer with the rescue group for the last 30 years. "But of course, there's the chaos of the missions in-between."
Bruce's phone gives a constant ping as he darts between equipment trucks and a nearby barbeque. Since its inception in the 1940s, Seattle Mountain Rescue has never had a home base. That meant parking their two emergency trucks in different parking lots throughout North Bend. When a call came in for a rescue, volunteers were sent scrambling.
Seattle Mountain Rescue celebrates 75 years of rescues
Posted from kuow.orgPosted in these groups: 
North Bend
North Bend
Posted 11 mo ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."Since many of the older members first started their rescues in the 1960s, the number of missions by Seattle Mountain Rescue has ballooned. The group has also grown to about 70 volunteers, and missions are typically made up of a dozen people.
Volunteers say rescuing has gotten better now that the organization has grown. There are fewer daring helicopter rides, but gear is stronger and more lightweight, and the addition of cell phones and other technologies has made rescues more efficient. The kind of accidents people get in haven't changed much in the last 75 years, just how often people are getting into them.
So, why are these organizations still run by volunteers? With a world class wilderness next door, it isn't a stretch to wonder if mountain rescue could be an official part of our local emergency response. From Bruce's point of view, it would be hard to find the right people any other way than voluntary sign-up.
"You know what's doable, what's not doable," he said. "All of that really ties and makes this a huge success as far as rescue. You just can't put that together in an organization. That's not something you can train or teach. That's just something that some people are called to."
As summer hiking season kicks into gear, there are a few things to keep in mind to avoid engaging Seattle Mountain Rescue and staying alive if you do run into trouble:
Pack essentials like a map, compass, emergency kit, and plenty of water.
Check the weather and have a plan for when and where you're headed, and for extended periods of time, tell a friend or family member.
And if you're ever lost or in need of a rescue, you can try calling 911 -- even if you don't have service, pings from nearby cell towers can communicate your location."
..."Since many of the older members first started their rescues in the 1960s, the number of missions by Seattle Mountain Rescue has ballooned. The group has also grown to about 70 volunteers, and missions are typically made up of a dozen people.
Volunteers say rescuing has gotten better now that the organization has grown. There are fewer daring helicopter rides, but gear is stronger and more lightweight, and the addition of cell phones and other technologies has made rescues more efficient. The kind of accidents people get in haven't changed much in the last 75 years, just how often people are getting into them.
So, why are these organizations still run by volunteers? With a world class wilderness next door, it isn't a stretch to wonder if mountain rescue could be an official part of our local emergency response. From Bruce's point of view, it would be hard to find the right people any other way than voluntary sign-up.
"You know what's doable, what's not doable," he said. "All of that really ties and makes this a huge success as far as rescue. You just can't put that together in an organization. That's not something you can train or teach. That's just something that some people are called to."
As summer hiking season kicks into gear, there are a few things to keep in mind to avoid engaging Seattle Mountain Rescue and staying alive if you do run into trouble:
Pack essentials like a map, compass, emergency kit, and plenty of water.
Check the weather and have a plan for when and where you're headed, and for extended periods of time, tell a friend or family member.
And if you're ever lost or in need of a rescue, you can try calling 911 -- even if you don't have service, pings from nearby cell towers can communicate your location."
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