SLCSAR was established in 1957 and, under the direction of the Salt Lake County Sheriff, is responsible for all search and rescue missions in Salt Lake County. The team’s service area covers the county’s entire 807-square-mile area—spanning roughly from Farmington Bay south to the Point of the Mountain, east to the town of Brighton and west to the Great Salt Lake—but most of the rescues (about 65 a year) occur in the mountains directly east of the Wasatch Front.
These missions include coming to the aid of injured hikers, climbers and skiers; performing swift and deep-water rescues; and, while it’s a function they do not necessarily advertise, transporting dehydrated or injured dogs off trails. (SLCSAR made international news—as well as received kudos and donations from around the world—when they rescued Floyd, a 190-pound injured mastiff, on the Grandeur Peak Trail in 2019.) Here, five SLCSAR team members share tales of their heroism, and what keeps them on as part of the volunteer crew.
Darby DeHart, SLCSAR team member since 2019
Why she joined: “I love to bring together the skills I was taught in SAR training and that I use in my day jobs and work with my fellow team members to do hard things for the greater good.”
What keeps her on the team: “Sometimes it’s hard to drop what I’m doing and go. But then on my way to a mission is when I get pumped. I love how I don’t know where rescues will take me—I can start the day in Little Cottonwood and then end up on Mt. Olympus.”
Day jobs: paramedic, ski patroller and associate university instructor
Francine Mullen, SLCSAR board member since 2023
Why she joined the SLCSAR board: “I have friends and family members on SAR teams and thought that this would be a way I could contribute to [SAR’s] efforts.”
What keeps her on the board: “Every time I am around the team, I’m so impressed by what expectational people they are. And it just blows me away that they are all volunteers.”
Day job: nonprofit development coordinator
Kevin Nyguyen, SLCSAR team member since 2016
Most memorable mission: “When we had to recover a man who had fallen into the Bells Canyon waterfall. It took three days to pull him out and afterward, the man’s family gathered to perform a traditional celebration for the first responders who had recovered their family member’s body. Watching them celebrate us, especially considering their loss, was very emotional and very beautiful.”
What keeps him on the team: “The adrenaline rush of getting called. You never know what to expect. Also, the camaraderie on the team. I’ve learned a lot about rock climbing and rock rescue from other team members and being in the situations we’re in builds a rare trust. When I’m on the end of the rope I know that person on the other end has me no matter what.”
Day job: Public health entrepreneur
Liz Butler, SLCSAR team member since 2024
Why she joined: “Before going to law school, I worked in Wilderness Therapy and had wanted to be a part of a SAR team for a long time. Things can go wrong in the wilderness for a variety of reasons.
I have the skills to help, and I wanted to give back.”
What keeps her on the team:
“I love the interesting variety of calls we get, from dehydration to having to perform a rope rescue. Getting called up is the best part of my day.”
Day job: lawyer
Rick Vollmer, SLCSAR team member since 2018
Most memorable mission: “In October 2022, when weather pinned three teenage boys on the West Slabs of Mount Olympus. Each had on just a light rain jacket, and it had started raining and then the rain turned to snow. We knew that they were not going to make it if we weren’t able to get to them. A team was sent ahead of us and started up the Slabs. But after one of the team members took a fall, they decided to stand down. And then at 10:15 p.m., the sky opened up just long enough to get a helicopter up there and pick them off the mountain.”
Day job: ski patroller and
aerospace engineer
How to Help Yourself: 10 Outdoor Essentials
The 10 Essentials is a well-known list of items to carry into the backcountry, regardless of how long or nearby you plan to venture out. If having all 10 seems like overkill for, say, a quick after-work jaunt into Neff’s Canyon, SLCSAR Commander John Patterson recommends taking at least the following: something to keep warm, extra water and a communication device. “Those three will help people avoid a lot of sticky situations,” he says.
ILLUMINATION: Flashlight, lanterns and headlamp; Petzl – ARIA® 1 RGB Headlamp, $40, petzl.com
INSULATIoN: Jacket, hat, gloves, rain shell and thermal underwear. Rei-Rainier Rain Jacket, Orange Burst/Orange Vista, $100, rei.com
REPAIR KIT AND TOOLS: Duct tape, knife, screwdriver and scissors. Benchmade-15534 Mini Taggedout Knife-Burn Copper, $290, rei.com
FIRE: Matches, lighter and fire starters.
Zippo-Windproof Lighter, $25, rei.com
NAVIGATION: Map, compass, and GPS.
Suunto-MCB NH Mirror Compass, $40, rei.com
FIRST-AID SUPPLIES: First Aid Kit. HART
Outdoor-Extended First-Aid Kit, $65.95, rei.com
EMERGENCY SHELTER: Tent, space blanket, tarp and bivy. REI Co-op – Wonderland 6 Footprint, $50, rei.com
HYDRATION: Water and water treatment supplies. Teton_Oasis Hydration Packs Olive, $50, tetongear.com
NUTRITION: Food. Ritual Trail Mix, $17, ritualchocolate.com
SUN PROTECTION:Sunscreen, Hat and Sunglasses Knockaround-Paso Robles Polarized Sunglasses $35, rei.com
Learn more about the Salt Lake County Search and Rescue team, here.
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