Serving Proudly As The Voice Of Valley County Since 1913
Serving Proudly As The Voice Of Valley County Since 1913
Raffle winner Dan Durell (r) with VCSAR's Cheyenne Isakson (l), who organized the fundraiser. Durell generously re-donated his winnings back to Search and Rescue. The VCSAR would like to thank all of those whom purchased tickets, as well Scott's Track and Wheel for assisting with the successful fundraiser.
For the past 20 years the Valley County Search and Rescue (VCSAR) has been serving Northeast Montana. Established in 1997 by Alvie Hallock and Greg Speer under the direction of Valley County Sheriff's Office and Sheriff Richard Britzman, the VCSAR is composed of volunteers and a liaison from the sheriff's office.
VCSAR has held several raffles over the years to help raise funds that are used to acquire new equipment. One of the most memorable was Alvie Hallock auctioning off his Corvette to raise the money needed for a Airboat. The latest raffle was organized by Cheyenne Isakson and proceeds will go towards acquiring a bigger trailer that can be used as a mobile command center and carry necessary equipment. A mobile command center will allow VCSAR to streamline operations by allowing the group to focus on the task of locating a missing person.
The search and rescue team doesn't limit its operations to just Valley County, they also participate in mutual aid with the surrounding counties. This arrangement proves to be advantageous to boaters stranded on Fort Peck Lake as VCSAR proximity allows them to respond quicker to calls than neighboring McCone County. The crew has also provided their assistance to Roosevelt County and has performed operations in Medicine Lake.
Some missions the VCSAR undertake can be lengthy and time consuming. For example last year when a man went missing the crew spent over two weeks searching for him. Search and rescue volunteers spent over 200 man hours while scouring between 35 and 40 miles of the Missouri River between Fort Peck and Frazer in search of the man.
The VCSAR is also on hand every year during the Governors Cup Walleye Tournament. To date there hasn't been an incident requiring them yet, but the crew remains on standby just in case a storm or other situation should arise that would require their services.
The crew also provides transportation during the New Years holiday. The service is provided in hopes to keeps impaired drivers off the roads and for the last two years has had funds contributed by the DUI task force. The VCSAR has also provided the same service at weddings and other events.
For information on how to contribute donations to the Valley County Search and Rescue or information of how to get involved contact Randy Isakson at (406) 263-2193 or online at http://www.valleycountymt.net/sar.html.
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