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.
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)
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 5:30PM 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 wish to join the team then you may request an application. Once you have returned your application, the JCDEMSAR Membership Committee and the Johnson County Emergency Management Coordinator/Deputy Coordinator will have to approve your application. 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.
Latest Announcements
- Johnson County DEM Search and Rescue July 2025 Monthly Meeting
- When: Tuesday, July 29, 2025 at 5:30pm
- Where: JCDEM EOC Conference Room in basement of the Johnson County Courthouse at 215 W Main St, Clarksville, AR (use the back door in the alleyway between the Courthouse and Post Office; if you need elevator access, please call Klay at 479-774-0128 when you arrive)
- Who: Anyone interested in volunteering with the SAR team is invited to attend.
- For more information text/call Klay at 479-774-0128
- NASAR Introduction to Search and Rescue (ISAR) Course – August 9 & 16, 2025
WHO:
- All Emergency Responders that may respond to a search and rescue incident including law enforcement, fire departments, EMS, ARES/AUXCOMM, and Search and Rescue team members.
- Every Johnson County Fire Department is encouraged to have at least 2-4 personnel that have attended this training especially Captains and above.
- Anyone that is interested in getting involved with search and rescue or just wants more information about search and rescue.
- This course is open to the public
WHAT:
Johnson County DEM Search and Rescue is hosting a National Association of Search and Rescue (NASAR) Introduction to Search and Rescue (ISAR) course in Johnson County on August 9 & 16, 2025. The ISAR course helps prepare you to conduct search and rescue operations in a non-wilderness environment. This is a roughly 16-20 hour course. Most of the course will take place in a classroom setting with some hands on practice taking place in a field setting.
WHEN:
Saturday, August 9 starting at 8:30 am - ~7:00 pm
Saturday, August 16 starting at 8:30 am - ~7:00pm
WHERE:
The classroom portion of this course will take place in the Johnson County EOC Conference Room in the basement of the Johnson County Courthouse. The address for the Courthouse is:
215 W Main St
Clarksville, AR 72830
Some outside field portions of the course will take place on the afternoon of the second Saturday at a location that will be announced during the class.
COST:
- Johnson County Responders: No Charge (Must still register)
- ISAR Course: $30/student for Arkansas residents
- SARTech III Certification Exam Coupon Code for online test for Arkansas residents: $30/student
- Non-Arkansas residents will be charged the current NASAR fees for their state and/or membership status
- Purchase a personal copy of the NASAR Introduction to Non-Wilderness Search and Rescue Book: $45/each
Course Materials:
- The NASAR Introduction to Non-Wilderness Search and Rescue book is the textbook for this course.
- You may purchase the Introduction to Non-Wilderness Search and Rescue book yourself from the NASAR Store or Amazon.
- The Instructor may have a limited number of these books available for purchase at $45 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.
- The old NASAR Introduction to Search and Rescue book is also still acceptable for this class. It is still available from Amazon.
ADDITIONAL INFO:
- Deadline to register is Monday, August 4
- Any balance due will need to be paid at the start of the class
- This is a 16-20 hour course. Students will be expected to attend the whole course.
- Arkansas Fire Fighters are eligible to receive up to 8 hours of Act 833 Certified Training credits. Contact Klay for details.
- It is possible ALETA/CLEST may award Arkansas LEOs continuing education credits. Contact Klay for details.
More information about this course is available from 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 before requiring renewal.
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:
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.
