Oregon Search & Rescue: Answering the Call

Oregon’s long tradition of volunteer search and rescue dates back to the territorial days, when Good Samaritans and mountain men came to aid those in need. On the coast, surfmen of the U.S. Life-Saving Service protected mariners traversing the “Graveyard of the Pacific.” In the early twentieth century, outdoor clubs like the Mazamas, the Skyliners and the Obsidians served as informal search and rescue units, keeping Oregonians safe in the mountains, rivers and wilderness areas. After World ...