Greetings, I hope all of you were able to enjoy the winter season. We’ve had a very different winter in Alaska this year as our climate is definitely changing. At the winter business meeting we asked for suggestions on how the membership could become more engaged with the MRA. There were more than a dozen
Kate Patterson’s first SAR mission was the kind that search and rescue volunteers always hope for. A 71-year-old woman had been missing in remote Mendocino County, Calif., for several days. The terrain was steep and heavily vegetated. Overnight temperatures dipped down into the 40s for the two nights she was out. Patterson, a member of
There are missions and then there are missions. The former often get planned over late night beers, or early morning coffees. You and your friends toss out lines you want to ski, routes you want to climb, partners you can sandbag, and days you can take off work. The latter get planned…well…whenever they choose. Often
The MRA Annual SAR Exercise 2025 will be held June 13 through through June 15. This year’s event will be hosted by the Marin County SAR team and will be held at NatureBridge Golden Gate, located in the scenic headlands of Marin County. The annual MRA SAR Exercise aims to advance the field of search
SAR Teams Assist Los Angeles Fires The January fires in Los Angeles, particularly the Palisades and Eaton fires, had huge impacts on local Mountain Rescue Teams in the area. Altadena Mountain Rescue, Malibu Search and Rescue and Sierra Madre Search and Rescue all dealt with fires in their immediate area, and some had members’
I hope everyone has had an enjoyable holiday season. As we begin this new year, the MRA membership will have an opportunity to determine how they can be more engaged in the business of the organization. Previously, each member team had one vote on matters before the board. The Officers Committee dealt with any matters
On the evening of Dec. 23, California’s Malibu Search and Rescue received a call for a missing 78-year-old male with dementia who was last seen several hours earlier when he went out to retrieve his mail. The call came in at 7 p.m. when the temperature was 48 degrees and falling. The area around the
When I am on a mission with my team on Mt. Rainier, I often think of all those who have come before us. How many people stood where I was at that moment? I think of my journey to this place and how different it would have been if I was not Native American. I
If eyes could see. Vision. We take it for granted until we have eye problems or suddenly lose sight in one or both eyes. As mountain rescuers, eye injury or loss of vision during a mission could turn a rescuer into another victim needing assistance. Self protection is vital for eyes and critical in many
Linville-Central Squad wins Land Rover Defender Service Award Two MRA teams were finalists for the Land Rover Defender Service Awards that were announced in late November. Inyo County Search and Rescue in California and Linville-Central Rescue Squad in Avery County, North Carolina, were both finalists to win $25,000 and a new Land Rover Defender 130
As we start a new year, and I reflect on the year that has passed, my 11th year in Search and Rescue, I am thankful for all that this community has taught me and ways in which it has helped me grow. I have learned so many things – from hard skills like building a
Mountain Rescue Association President Mark Miraglia testified yesterday that a proposed Emergency Response rule from the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration would put unnecessary and burdensome requirements on SAR teams and recommended that OSHA remove wilderness technical search and rescue from the rule. Miraglia spoke at a hearing for stakeholders to provide
Several MRA teams have been deployed to assist in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, including Appalachian Mountain Rescue, Linville-Central Rescue Squad and Chattanooga-Hamilton County Rescue Service. With widespread destruction in some of their communities as well as adjacent areas, these teams are working in command post positions and also as boots on the ground in
First, I want to thank all of you for giving me the opportunity to serve as your President. I will strive to live up to the standards set by our previous leaders. Second, I want to thank Alison for her service during the past two years and her guidance in preparing me for the role.
A new documentary about two search and rescue teams and their mostly forgotten shared history is more than just a story of difficult rescues and the hard-working volunteers that perform them. Filmmaker Mark Weiner hopes it is a philosophical look at the ways in which mountain rescue teams might provide an example for community and
By Molly Williams, Meridian Editor At the summer business meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah, the Mountain Rescue Association board approved a proposal to change the organization’s bylaws, which were first written more than 60 years ago. The major revision in the proposal reduced the board from 71 to 12 members. This option was
by Shaun Roundy, Meridian Assistant Editor With the new online format of the Meridian, readers have access to many modern features which you may wish to take advantage of: 1. Articles are easy to read on small screens like your phone. Visit https://mra.org/category/meridian-editions/ and select any article which catches your interest, including from many
The Obed Wild and Scenic River National Park (Obed) unit in eastern Tennessee is home to, among other things, world-class climbing. Injuries and incidents there range from lost or marooned paddlers to climbing injuries to falls from cliffsides of non climbers. With the access to both water and climbing activities, the NPS rangers created a
“Where the Rope Ends” Airing on PBS The documentary that was featured in the last edition of Meridian is now going to be shown on PBS stations. “Where the Rope Ends” tells the story of Nichole Doane, a Seattle nurse who was rescued by SAR after a canyoneering accident in 2017. Doane was seriously injured
This marks my first edition of the Meridian as Editor in Chief, and I am excited about this new adventure. Thanks to Rick Lindfors-Ackerman for all his dedication to the team and for answering my thousand questions as I embark on this new journey. As Rick mentioned in his last letter, I have a background
