Skip to main content

Mark Twain Health Care District AED for Life Program

Three individuals holding AEDs (Automated External Defibrillators) with a search and rescue emblem in the background.
The Calaveras Search & Rescue Team accepts AEDs from teh Health Care District

The SAR team is made up of about 40 men and women, from ages 21 to 82, with about 20% women and includes a dog team.  It is an all volunteer organization relying on public donations and support from the Calaveras Sheriff Office for equipment and training costs.  Its purpose is to locate lost or debilitated people, treat injuries as required, and extract them from their situation.  Volunteer hours are spent in planning, training, maintaining equipment, and, of course, searching for the lost. Searches can last a few hours to many days, and are performed 24/365 in all weather and  terrain. In 2023, over 3700 hours of recorded hours were spent by SAR volunteers.  These do not include hundreds of volunteer hours spent in planning, equipment maintenance, administration, recruiting, fundraising or other “off the record”  functions. 

#AEDforLife