Organizations will now work more closely together to streamline service to community and beyond
CLARK COUNTY — Clark County Dive Rescue Team (CCDRT) is joining Clark County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue (CCSOSAR). In recent weeks, both organizations’ boards have been working together to finalize the transition. Under this new arrangement, CCDRT will become the dive team for CCSOSAR.
“This will give our team access to a vast and diverse knowledge base,” said Chastity Stern, operations manager for CCDRT. “We look forward to serving Clark County in a greater capacity than we’ve been able to in the past.”
For the last 29 years, CCDRT has operated as its own privately funded nonprofit. It has worked with public safety agencies throughout Clark County and Washington state. This move is aimed at more closely aligning the agencies and streamlining operation, training, and response to incidents.
“We are genuinely excited to have CCDRT join our CCSOSAR team,” said Bobby Calizon, president of CCSOSAR. “Having multiple disciplines within one organization only increases the capacity to serve our community and help keep them safe.”
CCSOSAR has many unique specialty teams within their organization, and adding a dive team enhances its capabilities. From rope teams, technical search, K-9, land and ground operations, offroad, medical, and command, the group has a wide range of skills; now with a strong team able to search in the water.
Clark County Dive Rescue Team is a 501(c)(3) located in Vancouver. The organization provides search and rescue diving services to Clark County and other counties in Washington State. It is an all-volunteer organization with members from many different professions with a common interest in public safety diving, and helping the community in which they live.
Clark County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue is a self-funded volunteer organization serving under the direction of the Clark County Sheriff. The team’s 50-plus dedicated members train year-round, in all terrains, urban and wild and in all weather, rain and shine, for not only search and rescue response but urban disaster response as well.
Clark County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue works jointly with all agencies, public and private, in response to the community’s search and rescue needs not only in Clark County but in all of Washington, as called upon. Additionally, CCSOSAR works with law enforcement agencies in aid of searching for evidence, criminal and non-criminal.
Information provided by the Clark County Dive Rescue Team.
