Search and Rescue

About JCDEMSAR

The Johnson County Department of Emergency Management Search and Rescue Team was established in 2012 under the Johnson County Arkansas Department of Emergency Management. Members are volunteers from a wide array of backgrounds that have included information technology, farmers, school bus drivers, forestry, volunteer firefighters, outdoor enthusiast, electricians, retired, construction, accountants, teachers, EMTs, students, and more. We all strive to serve the residents and guests of Johnson County and surrounding areas by helping to bring the lost, missing, and others in distress home.

The founding members of JCDEMSAR plus our instructors during our February 2012 National Association of Search and Rescue (NASAR) Fundamentals of Search and Rescue (FUNSAR) class.

What We Do

We conduct ground search and rescue operations in wilderness, rural, and rural-urban interface. We do not directly perform water based rescues or recoveries, but we work with the Johnson County Dive Team when needed by the situation. In addition to working with the Johnson County Dive Team, we also often work with the Christian Aid Ministries Team 10 SAR Team (CAM; based in Johnson County; also often have members from the MO, OK, and TN teams respond), the Arkansas Alliance of Bloodhound Search Specialist (also based in Johnson County with members also in Pope, Carroll, Logan, Yell, and Faulkner counties), the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, Johnson Regional Medical Center, Pafford EMS, AirEvac, Survival Flight, Arkansas Game & Fish, US Forest Service, Arkansas Forestry Commission, Mennonite Disaster Services Search and Rescue (MDS-SAR; based in Carroll County), SAR and other responders from Pope, Franklin, Newton, Logan, Madison, and Yell counties, and many other SAR teams and emergency response agencies from around the region. We work with all these groups to best serve the residents and guests to Johnson county and the surrounding area and to fulfill the common SAR moto of “We do these things…so that others may live”.

Scenarios in which we might be utilized include lost or missing hikers, hunters, children, dementia patients, and other endangered individuals. We do not search for individuals wanted in conjunction with a criminal case.

We can also provide preventative search and rescue information to the public and groups that helps teach children and adults how to stay safe in the outdoors and what to do in the event they do get lost.

Our Training

Our members are trained in

  • search and rescue strategies and methodologies
  • lost person behavior
  • wilderness survival
  • CPR/first aid
  • land navigation using map/compass and GPS
  • man-tracking
  • basic low angle rope rescue and patient access
  • communications
  • search canines
  • National Incident Management System (NIMS)/Incident Command System (ICS)

Latest Announcements

  • NASAR Introduction to Search and Rescue (ISAR) Course – March 1-March 2, 2025
    Host:  Johnson County DEM Search and Rescue

    Location: Johnson County EOC Conference Room in the basement of the Johnson County Courthouse at 215 W. Main St, Clarksville, AR
    - The field portion on Sunday will be announced at the class.

    When:  
    Saturday, March 1, 2025 
    Sunday, March 2, 2025

    Costs: 
    - Johnson County Responders: No Charge (Must still register)
    - ISAR Course:  $40/student

    Course Materials: 
    - The NASAR Introduction to Search and Rescue book is the textbook for this course.  
    - You may order it from the NASAR Bookstore or from Amazon.  
    - The Instructor may have a limited number of these books available for purchase at $35 per book. If you would like to purchase one please select that option on the registration page.
    - The Johnson County Dept of Emergency Management has a limited number of these book available for loan to Johnson County responders.

    This 16-20 hour course can count towards 8 hours of certified training for Act 833 for Arkansas Firefighters.

    For more information about this course you can visit the NASAR website at https://nasar.org/page/NWRoper

    Optional NASAR SARTech III Certification Exam: 
    The NASAR SARTech III Non-Wilderness Responder is an operations level non-wilderness responder certification that is good for 3 years.  Contact Klay at the Emergency Management office at 479-754-6383 during courthouse business hours (8:00 am-4:30 pm M-F) or call/text 479-774-0128 if you are interested or for more information.

    To register for this class please complete the online registration form, contact Klay at the Emergency Management office at 479-754-6383 or text/call 479-774-0128, or use the QR Code below:

    Version 1.0.0

    If you have any questions, contact Klay at the Emergency Management office at 479-754-6383 or call/text 479-774-0128.

  • NWS Basic SKYWARN Storm Spotter Training – March 3, 2025
    Host:  Johnson County Dept of Emergency Management
    Location: First Security Bank Community Room, 115 N Cravens St, Clarksville
    When:  Monday, March 3, 2025 starting at 6:00 PM

    This class will be conducted by the National Weather Service Little Rock office.  More information can be found at 
    https://www.weather.gov/lzk/skywarn.htm

    This class counts towards 2 hrs of certified training for Act 833.

    This class is open to the public and all emergency responders.
  • Johnson County DEM Search and Rescue January Monthly Meeting
    • When: Tuesday, January 28, 2025 at 5:30pm
    • Where: JCDEM EOC Conference Room in basement of the Johnson County Courthouse at 215 W Main St, Clarksville, AR (use back door in alley between Courthouse and USPS)
    • Who: Anyone interested in volunteering with the SAR team is invited to attend.
    • For more information text/call Klay at 479-774-0128

Interested in joining JCDEMSAR?

You do not need to have any previous training or experience to join the team. You just need to be willing to learn and work as part of a team. There are a number of roles that you can help fill on the team including:

  • field searcher
  • support staff
  • command staff
  • communications
  • GIS/mapping
  • photographer/videographer for trainings
  • role-player during training exercises
We typically have a monthly meeting on the 4th Tuesday of each month at 6PM that lasts approximately 2 hours.  This meeting will typically include classroom type training and team business.  We also regularly have field type training on either Saturday or Sundays as needed.  These field training dates will vary due to schedule conflicts, weather, and/or training topic.  We may occasionally have weekend evening or overnight training as well depending on the training topic.  We also periodically have additional training opportunities both locally and regionally as well. Team members are expected to attend as many meetings and training events as possible and communicate with team leadership if they are not able to attend a meeting. 

To join the team you must be at least 18 years old, not be a registered sex offender, not have any felony convictions, and not have any misdemeanor convictions for a sexual, violence, or theft related crime. A background check may be conducted. JCDEMSAR will help you get the training you will need.  Some training options may require you to pay the training fees with the possibility of reimbursement after successful completion in some cases. The team will provide some of the needed equipment and you will be required to acquire some equipment yourself (typically items of a more personal nature that are not practical to be team supplied). 

The process to join the team will typically involve attending a few meetings as a guest so you have a chance to get to know the team and we get a chance to get to know you. If, after attending at least two meetings, you still wish to join the team then you may request an application.  Once you have returned your application, the Johnson County Emergency Management Coordinator/Deputy Coordinator will have to approve your application followed by the JCDEMSAR membership committee.  Once you have been approved, you will have to complete a minimum set of training requirements before you can start responding to call-outs. As you complete additional training, you will become qualified to perform additional tasks.

JCDEMSAR Calendar

This is the tentative schedule for team meetings and training opportunities. All dates, times, locations, and topics are subject to change. All field training and exercises are subject to last minute changes due to weather and other dependent factors. If you are not currently a JCDEMSAR team member, please contact us prior to attending an event so that you will be sure to be notified of any last minute changes.