Division of Homeland Security
Utah Search and Rescue Advisory Board
In 1997, the State of Utah established the Search and Rescue Financial Assistance Program. Under Utah Code, the Division of Emergency Services and Homeland Security (DES) will manage the program with the approval of the Search and Rescue Advisory Board. The purpose of the Search and Rescue Financial Assistance Program is to fund counties, on a reimbursement basis, those eligible expenses incurred during searches. It also provides some financial assistance for training and replaDESent of equipment damaged on searches.
The Search and Rescue Advisory Board administers the Search and Rescue Financial Assistance Program. It consists of seven members: two Utah Search and Rescue Association representatives, three Utah Sheriff's Association representatives, one DES representative (designated by director), and one private citizen. They meet on a monthly basis to review reimbursement submissions from the counties. All searches are logged into a database maintained by DES. Statistical and financial data are pulled for reports for the Board.
State fiscal year 1998 was the first year for the Search and Rescue Financial Assistance Program. Eighteen of the twenty-nine counties received financial assistance from their participation in the program. There were 406 searches reported through DES.