They call.
We go.
Beacon is a volunteer search and rescue team. We carry stretchers through fog-choked ridgelines and talk lost hikers home by radio before hypothermia sets in.
They found him on a ledge at 4 AM, hypothermic and down to his last match. The team leader held his hand the whole way down. I didn't know people like that still existed.
— Diane Kowalski, mother of rescued hiker Marcus Kowalski
Marcus was reported overdue at 11 PM. Beacon launched a grid search by midnight. Fourteen volunteers, two dogs, one radio relay point on a ridge with no cell coverage.
0+
Hours Volunteered
0
Missions Completed
0+
Miles Covered
0%
Subjects Found
My first night search I was terrified I'd make a mistake. By hour three I stopped thinking about myself. You're just moving, listening, calling out. The mission becomes the only thing.
— Priya Mehta, Field Team Lead
Priya came to Beacon with a decade of trail running and zero medical training. She's now certified in Wilderness First Responder and leads our night search rotations.
At 2 AM when I'm staring at a topo map and a last-known GPS ping, I need people who know the terrain and don't need hand-holding. Beacon shows up ready. That's rare.
— Deputy Sheriff Carl Ostrowski, Kittitas County SAR Coordinator
Beacon operates under formal mutual aid agreements with three counties. We integrate into ICS structure, bring our own equipment, and carry liability coverage. We ask for nothing but a grid and a go.
Your weekends
mean something.
We run monthly trainings covering navigation, patient packaging, radio protocol, and night operations. No prior SAR experience required — just trail miles and the willingness to show up.
Monthly Saturday trainings, 0700–1500
Field exercises in real terrain, not parking lots
NASAR-aligned curriculum, ICS 100/200 included
Mentorship from volunteers with 5–15 years field experience
Join Our Next Training
Next session: Saturday, March 15 · Teanaway Community Forest
Request Our Team
We operate under formal mutual aid agreements with county emergency management offices. We bring our own gear, carry liability coverage, and integrate cleanly into ICS. If you're writing a mutual aid agreement or need SAR support for an active incident, start here.
We respond within 4 business hours