Long Beach Search and Rescue is an award-winning Specialist Explorer Post co-sponsored by the
Long Beach Police Motor Patrol Association and Long Beach Firefighters' Associations. Specialist
Explorer Post #279 is a part of the Learning for Life program, a subsidiary of the Boy Scouts of
America.
We provide young adults an opportunity to serve the public during emergency situations, and
encourage them to explore career possibilities in the law enforcement, fire protection and
emergency medical services fields.
Long Beach Police Motor Patrol Association and Long Beach Firefighters' Associations. Specialist
Explorer Post #279 is a part of the Learning for Life program, a subsidiary of the Boy Scouts of
America.
We provide young adults an opportunity to serve the public during emergency situations, and
encourage them to explore career possibilities in the law enforcement, fire protection and
emergency medical services fields.
History
In 1962, the Long Beach Police tasked Long Beach Police Motor Patrol Officer Dick Johansen to
start Long Beach Search and Rescue as a place for young adults interested in law enforcement.
The unit soon grew to become a place for those interested in firefighting and other emergency
services as well and was being supported by the Long Beach Police Motor Patrol Association and
Long Beach Firefighters' Associations.
The unit and its members showed their enthusiasm to help their community through the work they
performed when they were called out to assist. In 1971, Long Beach Search and Rescue was called
to assist in rescue and recovery operations at the VA Hospital in Sylmar, California after it collapsed
during the Sylmar Earthquake. The unit was well received as a result of their knowledge,
equipment, and professionalism.
In 1962, the Long Beach Police tasked Long Beach Police Motor Patrol Officer Dick Johansen to
start Long Beach Search and Rescue as a place for young adults interested in law enforcement.
The unit soon grew to become a place for those interested in firefighting and other emergency
services as well and was being supported by the Long Beach Police Motor Patrol Association and
Long Beach Firefighters' Associations.
The unit and its members showed their enthusiasm to help their community through the work they
performed when they were called out to assist. In 1971, Long Beach Search and Rescue was called
to assist in rescue and recovery operations at the VA Hospital in Sylmar, California after it collapsed
during the Sylmar Earthquake. The unit was well received as a result of their knowledge,
equipment, and professionalism.
Originally located in a building at the Long Beach Airport, Long Beach Search and Rescue was
permanently moved to its current home on the grounds of the Long Beach Fire Training Center in
the mid-1980's. It is conveniently located next to Station #17, as well as all the amenities of the
fire academy.
Over the last 40+ years, members have contributed a total of more than 500,000 hours assisting the
fire and police departments and their community. The unit has been on national television,
including a close up in the pilot episode of the 1972 hit show, "Emergency!" They have been
featured on the news and in newspapers countless times for what they do.
In January 2007, Long Beach Search & Rescue became the first, all-volunteer organization to be
certified as a Level II - Medium Rescue Resource by the California Office of Emergency Services.
This certification enables trained and individually certified members to respond to incidents
requiring their services throughout the state of California. In addition, the organization holds Basic
and Light certifications, and provides the resources for members to become individually certified
and join these teams. Today, Long Beach Search & Rescue consists of over 75 adult and youth
volunteers, and maintains both a light and medium certified rescue team, as well as a K-9 team. All
members are in compliance or in the process of being in compliance with the National Incident
Management System (NIMS), administered by the Department of Homeland Security.
Current Operations
Members of Long Beach Search and Rescue meet weekly on Tuesday nights to train in various
aspects of urban search and rescue. Training includes:
- Rescue team organization
- Introduction to Long Beach Police and Fire Departments
- Communications
- Traffic and crowd control
- Fire suppression
- First aid and CPR
- Emergency rescue and transfer
- Search patterns
- High-angle rescue
- Rappelling, and more.
All of this training is put to use when
called to assist in:
- Missing person/evidence searches
- Support at major fires
- SWAT team support
- Aircraft accidents
- Support during major wind/rain
storms
- Mass casualty incidents
- Earthquake response
- Major crime scenes
- Body recoveries
- Sobriety checkpoints
- Command post operations
- Neighborhood evacuations
- Power failures
- First aid teams at community events
- Other support at community events
permanently moved to its current home on the grounds of the Long Beach Fire Training Center in
the mid-1980's. It is conveniently located next to Station #17, as well as all the amenities of the
fire academy.
Over the last 40+ years, members have contributed a total of more than 500,000 hours assisting the
fire and police departments and their community. The unit has been on national television,
including a close up in the pilot episode of the 1972 hit show, "Emergency!" They have been
featured on the news and in newspapers countless times for what they do.
In January 2007, Long Beach Search & Rescue became the first, all-volunteer organization to be
certified as a Level II - Medium Rescue Resource by the California Office of Emergency Services.
This certification enables trained and individually certified members to respond to incidents
requiring their services throughout the state of California. In addition, the organization holds Basic
and Light certifications, and provides the resources for members to become individually certified
and join these teams. Today, Long Beach Search & Rescue consists of over 75 adult and youth
volunteers, and maintains both a light and medium certified rescue team, as well as a K-9 team. All
members are in compliance or in the process of being in compliance with the National Incident
Management System (NIMS), administered by the Department of Homeland Security.
Current Operations
Members of Long Beach Search and Rescue meet weekly on Tuesday nights to train in various
aspects of urban search and rescue. Training includes:
- Rescue team organization
- Introduction to Long Beach Police and Fire Departments
- Communications
- Traffic and crowd control
- Fire suppression
- First aid and CPR
- Emergency rescue and transfer
- Search patterns
- High-angle rescue
- Rappelling, and more.
All of this training is put to use when
called to assist in:
- Missing person/evidence searches
- Support at major fires
- SWAT team support
- Aircraft accidents
- Support during major wind/rain
storms
- Mass casualty incidents
- Earthquake response
- Major crime scenes
- Body recoveries
- Sobriety checkpoints
- Command post operations
- Neighborhood evacuations
- Power failures
- First aid teams at community events
- Other support at community events
Where Our Members Have Gone
Members of Long Beach Search and Rescue, Specialist Explorer Post #279, have gone on to
successful careers with the following departments and agencies:
successful careers with the following departments and agencies:
- Long Beach Fire Department
- Long Beach Lifeguards
- Long Beach Police Department
- Long Beach Marine Patrol
- Long Beach Harbor Patrol
- Long Beach Animal Control
- Long Beach Parks and
Recreation
- Los Angeles County Sheriff
Department
- Los Angeles County Fire
Department
- Los Angeles City Fire
Department
- United States Customs and
Border Patrol
- Department of Justice,
Immigration and Naturalization
Services
- United States Air Force, Army,
Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and
Navy
- United States Department of
Homeland Security
- California Department of
Forestry
- Ventura County District
Attorney's Office
- Orange County Fire Authority
- Ventura County Fire
Department
- Long Beach Lifeguards
- Long Beach Police Department
- Long Beach Marine Patrol
- Long Beach Harbor Patrol
- Long Beach Animal Control
- Long Beach Parks and
Recreation
- Los Angeles County Sheriff
Department
- Los Angeles County Fire
Department
- Los Angeles City Fire
Department
- United States Customs and
Border Patrol
- Department of Justice,
Immigration and Naturalization
Services
- United States Air Force, Army,
Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and
Navy
- United States Department of
Homeland Security
- California Department of
Forestry
- Ventura County District
Attorney's Office
- Orange County Fire Authority
- Ventura County Fire
Department
- Kern County Fire Department
- San Bernardino County Sheriff
Department, Search and Rescue
- American River / Sacramento
County Fire Department
- El Monte Fire Department
- Ontario Fire Department
- Buena Park Fire Department
- Buena Park Police Department
- Manhattan Beach Fire Department
- Lynwood Fire Department
- Montebello Fire Department
- Anaheim Park Ranger
- Gardena Police Department
- Santa Fe Springs Fire Department
- NWC China Lake Fire Department
- Irvine Police Department
- Garden Grove Fire Department
- Santa Ana Fire Department
- Gardena Fire Department
- Huntington Beach Police
Department
- Covina Police Department
- Beverly Hills Fire Department
- Sacramento Metropolitan Fire
Department
- Compton Fire Department
- Downey Fire Department
- Big Bear Lake Fire Department
- Inglewood Fire Department
- San Bernardino County Sheriff
Department, Search and Rescue
- American River / Sacramento
County Fire Department
- El Monte Fire Department
- Ontario Fire Department
- Buena Park Fire Department
- Buena Park Police Department
- Manhattan Beach Fire Department
- Lynwood Fire Department
- Montebello Fire Department
- Anaheim Park Ranger
- Gardena Police Department
- Santa Fe Springs Fire Department
- NWC China Lake Fire Department
- Irvine Police Department
- Garden Grove Fire Department
- Santa Ana Fire Department
- Gardena Fire Department
- Huntington Beach Police
Department
- Covina Police Department
- Beverly Hills Fire Department
- Sacramento Metropolitan Fire
Department
- Compton Fire Department
- Downey Fire Department
- Big Bear Lake Fire Department
- Inglewood Fire Department
- Monterey Park Fire Department
- Moreno Valley Park Ranger
- Huntington Beach Fire
Department
- Pepperdine University
Department of Public Safety
- La Habra Heights Fire Department
- San Gabriel Fire Department
- Alhambra Fire Department
- Santa Monica Fire Department
- Ontario Police Department
- Fontana Police Department
- Pepperdine University Fire
Department
- Visalia Fire Department
- Shell Oil Fire Department
- Sunnyvale Public Safety
Department
- Corona Police Department
- Reno (NV) Fire Department
- Abilene (TX) Fire Department
- Miller County (MO) Sheriff
Department
- Sparks (NV) Fire Department
- Moreno Valley Park Ranger
- Huntington Beach Fire
Department
- Pepperdine University
Department of Public Safety
- La Habra Heights Fire Department
- San Gabriel Fire Department
- Alhambra Fire Department
- Santa Monica Fire Department
- Ontario Police Department
- Fontana Police Department
- Pepperdine University Fire
Department
- Visalia Fire Department
- Shell Oil Fire Department
- Sunnyvale Public Safety
Department
- Corona Police Department
- Reno (NV) Fire Department
- Abilene (TX) Fire Department
- Miller County (MO) Sheriff
Department
- Sparks (NV) Fire Department
| Long Beach Search and Rescue 2247 Argonne Avenue Long Beach, California 90815 (562) 244-9985 Emergencies: 911 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| About Long Beach Search and Rescue |
