SAR Line of Duty Deaths

“Greater love hath no one, than to lay down their life for another.”

This page is dedicated to those in search and rescue who have given their lives to save others. These things they did so that others may live. They made the ultimate sacrifice.

Submissions to "SAR Line of Duty Deaths"
Requests for the MRA Honor Guard
MRA Line of Duty Deaths
SAR Line of Duty Deaths
Military Line of Duty Deaths

Rescuer’s Prayer

When I am called to duty, God, wherever people fall, give me strength to save a life, whatever be the call.

Help me embrace a little child before it is too late, or save an older person from the horror of that fate.

Enable me to be alert, and hear the weakest shout, and quickly and effectively bring my neighbor out.

I want to fill my calling, Lord, and to give the best in me, to bring my every neighbor back to their family.

And if according to your will, I have to lose my life, please bless with your protecting hand, my children and my wife.

Adapted by Tim Kovacs

Submissions to “SAR Line of Duty Deaths”

For ANY of our brothers and sisters in SAR, paid and unpaid, civilian and military. Please submit your request to Tim Kovacs at tkovacs@cox.net

Submission Information Needed

Name of deceased rescuer:
Date of death:
Name of their rescue team or outdoor group:
Title of member (captain, rescuer, canine handler, candidate, etc.):
Location: 
Type of Mission (search, rescue, training, etc.):
Brief circumstances (fall, alpine, flood, avalanched, etc.):
Electronic photo of person:
Electronic image of team patch or logo:

Also if possible:

Date of birth:
Contact information for surviving spouse or family member:
Short biography:

Requests for the MRA Honor Guard

If you will consider giving us the privilege of providing an Honor Guard detail for any of our brothers and sisters in SAR, paid and unpaid, civilian and military, or climbers and mountaineers who die rescuing others, please call Tim Kovacs, Commander at 602-205-4066 or e-mail him at tkovacs@cox.net

Thank you for helping us to remember;

Butch Farabee, NPS & MRA, Retired, “Death, Daring & Disaster, SAR in the National Parks”
Dale Atkins, Colorado Avalanche Forecast Center, MRA & IKAR
Marc Ledwidge, Parks Canada & IKAR
Families, Friends and SAR teams throughout MRA, NASAR, CAP, NCRC, NPS, NSP, IKAR-CISA, the US, Canada and the world.

MRA Line of Duty Deaths

“Your Tasks are Now Complete,
Your Duties You've Well Done,
The Final Pipes Now Toll For You,
You are Going Home” - Unknown

Herb Sortland
January 25th 1925
Rocky Mountain National Park, CO
Alpine Rescue Mission.
Long’s Peak

John P. Baker
Vernon Kaiser
June 22nd 1947
Yellowstone National Park, WY
Rescue Mission
Blizzard

Frederick C. Scheberies
1937 - Jan 11 1964 
China Lake Mountain Rescue Group, CA
Training. 
Ice Climb fall, Whitney Portal.

Richard O. Slates
1936 - Dec 21, 1966 
China Lake Mountain Rescue Group, CA
Search Mission.
High altitude fall, Telescope Peak.

Don P. Buck
Denis L. Huestis
1935 - January 19th 1969
Los Padres SAR (Santa Barbara County SAR), CA
Flood rescue.
Drowned during flood rescue attempt of child

Charles D. “Chuck” Rea
1934 - January 26th 1969
Montrose SAR, CA
Flood rescue.
Drowned during flood rescue evacuations

Albert Dow
January 25th 1982
Mountain Rescue Service
Lion’s Head, NH
Rescue Mission. 
Avalanche.

Greg Mace
July 6th 1986
Mountain Rescue Aspen, CO
Training Mission
Ice Fall

Pilot Terry C. Leadens “One November Hotel”
1948 - August 12th 1988 
Civil Air Patrol, CO
MRA “Family by extension” of Alpine Rescue Team, CO
Search Mission.
Fixed Wing Accident.

Lisa Kern Hannon
May 2nd 1994
Blue Ridge Mountain Rescue Group/ Appalachian SAR Conference, W. VA
Search Mission.
Car accident enroute home from IC duty.

Ranger Sean H. Ryan
Ranger Phillip J. Otis
August 12th 1995
Mt. Rainier National Park SAR, WA
Rescue Mission.
Apparent Glacier Fall.

Pilot Kevin Johnston, NPS
Ranger Taryn Hoover, NPS
Rita McMahon, West Coast Search Dogs (non MRA)
September 12th 1997
Olympic National Park, WA
Search Mission.
Rotary Winged Accident.

Officer Russ Peterson
1959 - March 24th 1998
Las Vegas Metro PD SAR, NV
Ice Climbing Drill.
Hit by ice chunk falling

Mike Vanderbeek
1965 - May 24th 1998
Denali National Park SAR, AK
Rescue Mission.
Apparent fall in high altitude alpine conditions.

Cale Schaffer
Adam Kolff
Brian Paul Reagan
Pilot Don Bowers
June 19, 2000 
Denali National Park SAR, AK
Duty Station Deployment Mission.
Fixed Wing Accident.