4 months ago
The Niagara Frontier Search and Rescue Team is made up of 20 volunteers who have been specially trained to help law enforcement agencies in Western New York.
The idea began about three years ago, following the search for Joan Diver and two missing women in Colden.
Local police agencies realized there was a need for more manpower closer to home. They often relied on help from search and rescue teams from across the state.
"A search is a real emergency. Every second counts. When you have very highly trained, highly motivated search and rescue guys close by, it can definitely make a difference in finding someone in good condition or finding someone in bad condition," said DEC forest ranger John Kennedy.
The team can assemble in about two hours. They train with the DEC, the Erie County Sheriff's Department, along with highly specialized search and rescue teams from across the state and country. Volunteers are responsible for purchasing their own equipment, which can cost thousands of dollars.
The volunteer team is made up of a cross-section of Western New Yorkers, including a former trauma surgeon and a wilderness survival teacher.
"Because we are so close and have some skills to back it up, we're prepared to help anybody in our community as soon as the need arises. When you go to bed at night, it feels good, and it feels right," said Denise Ashman, a volunteer who teaches wilderness survival techniques for a living.
