Purpose:
The purpose of this order is to establish a uniformed operation for the Altadena Mountain Rescue Team. Whenever the team is called into service, supervision by a Level I-reserve deputy sheriff or full-time deputy sheriff is required, due to the fact that all of the members of the search and rescue team are Level 2-reserve deputy sheriffs or volunteers. This Unit Order is a guideline only, as not all situations and circumstances can be anticipated.
Definitions:
Call Out – Anytime search and rescue team members are requested to respond to an incident. Incidents can include but are not limited to persons that are lost, injured, vehicle over the side and persons missing under unknown circumstances (On-call Coordinator (when required) and Reserve Operations Leader will respond).
Searches – Whenever search and rescue team members respond to a location and deploy to search an area for a person or property related to a call out (On-call Coordinator (when required) and Reserve Operations Leader will respond).
Rescues – When search and rescue team members locate and assist a person to safety that is related to a call out (On-call Coordinator (when required) and Reserve Operations Leader will respond).
Use of Search and Rescue Vehicles by Altadena Civilian Volunteers
All Altadena Mountain Rescue Team Civilian Volunteers must possess a valid California Driver’s License and attend the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department civilian volunteer driver course prior to operating any department vehicle.
Civilian volunteers shall not respond code 3 (lights and siren) in any department vehicles unless they have attended a POST certified class or completed Learning Domain #19 (certificates must be provided to the station SAR coordinator).
Search and Rescue Reserve Deputies and Civilian Volunteer Responsibilities
All deployments must be two (2) reserve deputies and 1 or more civilian volunteers.
Day of the week:
Default deployment day is Sunday. On team training Sundays in the AMRT area, deployment will be conducted concurrently with team training. A minimum of two members involved in team training should be designated for response to incidents.
The senior member of deployment may coordinate with other assigned members to conduct an alternate Saturday deployment.
Hours:
Default deployment times change for winter and summer. Winter hours are 1300 to 1700. Summer hours are 1500 to 1900.
The senior member of deployment may coordinate with other assigned members to conduct an alternate deployment from 0800 to 1200.
Frequency:
Members should be assigned a deployment approximately once per quarter.
Status:
The senior member of a deployment will determine the activities conducted during deployment.
Personnel are required to be in uniform for deployment, at the HQ, or near an AMRT vehicle, and ready to respond to an incident.
Scheduling:
Personnel making substitutions for deployment should inform the Operations Officer as soon as reasonably possible.
The Operations Officer, at their discretion, should schedule deployment quarterly based on the availability of the individual from dates provided to the Operations Officer prior to the schedule’s creation.
Use of Altadena Search and Rescue All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV)
ATV’s are off-road vehicles designed for one (1) person. These vehicles have the capacity to easily traverse muddy roads, soft sand, and rocky terrain, which is useful during times of critical need and/or when time is of the essence.
Prior to operating an ATV, personnel shall successfully complete the “off road vehicle course” taught by certified sheriff department personnel.
All safety rules and regulations shall be followed. Safety equipment, seatbelts and helmets shall be worn while the vehicle is mobile. While operating an ATV on public roadways, a “DOT” approved helmet must be worn (Per vehicle code section 38601: A person shall not operate, or allow a passenger in, a recreational off-highway vehicle on
public lands unless the person and the passenger are wearing safety helmets meeting the requirements established for motorcycles and motorized bicycles pursuant to Section 27802). A yellow traffic vest must be worn while operating an ATV on an open public roadway. If the ATV’s are used during closed street events (i.e. Christmas tree lane lighting), no yellow traffic vest is required.
The ATV is equipped with emergency lights that may be used on trails to alert hikers, and mountain bikers. The emergency lights and siren shall never be activated while operating on a public roadway in a manner which could be considered Code 3. Flashing lights may be activated to improve safety and driver visibility while operating on a public roadway.
The ATV’s may respond to local trailheads within a 4-mile radius from the Altadena Station. If a trailhead is out of the 4-mile radius the vehicle shall be placed on a trailer to be transported. When operating on public roadways, the ATV shall be escorted by a marked LASD patrol vehicle or a street legal search rescue vehicle that is equipped with emergency lighting equipment.
Those that have been rescued by the Altadena Mountain Rescue Team shall never be transported on an ATV.
Use of Altadena Search and Rescue Utility Terrain Vehicle (UTV)
UTV’s are off-road vehicles, designed to transport up to four (4) people. These vehicles have the capacity to easily traverse muddy roads, soft sand, and rocky terrain, which could useful during times of critical need and/or when time is of the essence.
Prior to operating the UTV, personnel shall successfully complete the “four-wheel drive vehicles and equipment course” taught by certified sheriff department personnel.
All safety rules and regulations shall be followed. Safety equipment, seatbelts and helmets shall be worn while the vehicle is mobile. While operating the UTV on public roadways a “DOT” approved helmet must be worn (Per vehicle code section 38601: A person shall not operate, or allow a passenger in, a recreational off-highway vehicle on public lands unless the person and the passenger are wearing safety helmets meeting the requirements established for motorcycles and motorized bicycles pursuant to Section 27802). While operating the UTV off-road, team uniform SAR helmets are approved for use in the UTV. The safety door shall also be utilized when the vehicle is in motion.
The UTV is equipped with an emergency light and siren package that may be used on trails to alert hikers, and mountain bikers. The emergency lights and siren shall never be activated while operating on a public roadway in a manner which could be considered Code 3. Flashing safety lights may be activated to improve safety and driver visibility while operating on a public roadway.
The UTV may respond to local trailheads within a 4-mile radius from the Altadena Station. If a trailhead is out of the 4-mile radius, the vehicle shall be placed on a trailer to be transported. When operating on public roadways, the UTV shall be escorted by a marked LASD patrol vehicle or a street legal search and rescue vehicle that is equipped with emergency lighting equipment.
Those that have been rescued by the Altadena Mountain Rescue Team shall never be transported in the UTV on an open public roadway.