Saving Lives In Your Spare Time
January 2002

For Kristine Crawford, life as a volunteer begins everytime her pager beeps. No matter where she is or what she is doing, she hops in her four-by-four, which is always loaded with emergency supplies, and heads to wherever her and her fellow Alameda County Sheriff Search and Rescue Team volunteers are needed. And even though she doesn't know what she will find-a missing person, a clue to a crime, a
cadaver-her adrenaline starts flowing. "We've trained so hard; you get excited when your pager goes off," she says. "We do this to make a difference in people's lives, and when the pager goes off, you think, 'Now I really can.' "

The Alameda County team members respond to calls throughout the Bay area, whether a hiker has wandered off the trail in Mt. Diablo State Park and hasn't returned or a child is missing in an Oakland neighborhood. Whenever someone needs to be found or saved, law enforcement agencies rely on their volunteer teams.

But these aren't just any volunteers. They are some of the most committed, best-trained professionals out there. Search and Rescue team members know how to track people, navigate difficult terrain, and treat medical emergencies. They are prepared to work as many as 18-hour shifts and survive the night in difficult conditions. They are always on call...and don't get paid.

Crawford has been a member of the Alameda County Sheriff Search and Rescue Team and the California Search and Rescue Dog Association for four years. Crawford, a Castro Valley resident spends 15 to 20 hours a week maintaining her skills. "You really have to enjoy it," she says. "I love the outdoors and I love spending time with my dogs. And when we do well, we save someone's life."