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Santa Barbara County Search & Rescue volunteers (left-to-right) Martin Tanner and Peter Mangravite, alongside Santa Barbara Search & Rescue Foundation Board Member, Thomas Tighe. | Credit: Courtesy 
Search and Rescue equipment used by Santa Barbara County Search & Rescue volunteers during emergency response operations. | Credit: Courtesy 
Search & Rescue volunteer Martin Tanner speaks with guest about the team’s mission and impact throughout Santa Barbara County | Credit: Courtesy 
A Santa Barbara County Search & Rescue response vehicle, “Rescue 2”, on display. | Credit: Courtesy 
Guests arrive at the Santa Barbara Search & Rescue Foundation’s May 29 community wine mixer at the Santa Barbara Yacht Club. | Credit: Courtesy 
(left-to-right) SB Yacht Club Commodore Dennis Boneck, Lori Craviotto, and Sandy Bonneck attend the Santa Barbara Search & Rescue Foundation’s May 29th celebration. | Credit: Courtesy
Santa Barbara, CA —On May 29, community members, supporters, and local leaders gathered at the Santa Barbara Yacht Club for an evening celebrating the dedicated volunteers of the Santa Barbara County Search & Rescue Team and raising awareness of the critical services they provide throughout the community.
Hosted by the Santa Barbara Search & Rescue Foundation, the wine mixer brought together supporters from across the community to learn more about the team’s work, connect with volunteers, and help strengthen the resources needed to support search and rescue operations in Santa Barbara County.
The Santa Barbara County Search & Rescue Team (SBCSAR) is an all-volunteer unit that responds at the request of local law enforcement agencies to assist in searches for missing persons and rescue operations in some of the county’s most challenging terrain. Covering more than 2,550 square miles, team members dedicate thousands of volunteer hours each year to training, emergency response, and community preparedness, often deploying in difficult conditions and at a moment’s notice.
From locating lost hikers and stranded outdoor enthusiasts to assisting vulnerable individuals and supporting emergency response efforts during natural disasters, the team’s work provides a critical public safety service for residents and visitors alike. Their commitment helps save lives, reunite families, and ensure that help is available when it is needed most.
Search and rescue operations require extensive preparation, specialized equipment, and ongoing training. Team members must be ready to respond in remote wilderness areas, rugged backcountry terrain, and emergency situations that demand both technical expertise and reliable gear. Support from the Santa Barbara Search & Rescue Foundation helps ensure volunteers have access to the equipment, training, technology, and resources needed to respond safely and effectively when lives are on the line.
“The volunteers who serve on the Search & Rescue Team represent the very best of our community,” aid Joe Plowman, co-founder of the Santa Barbara Search & RescueFoundation, active Search & Rescue volunteer, and vice president of the SBCSAR Team. “Their dedication, professionalism, and willingness to answer the call at any hour make a tremendous difference for people facing some of the most difficult moments of their lives.”
As demand for search and rescue services continues to grow alongside increased outdoor recreation and visitation throughout the region, community support remains essential. Donations to the Santa Barbara Search & Rescue Foundation help provide equipment, training, technology, and operational resources that enable volunteers to remain mission-ready and prepared to respond whenever and wherever they are needed.
The Foundation extends its gratitude to all who attended the May 29 event, as well as the volunteers, sponsors, and community partners whose support helps sustain this lifesaving work.
For more information about the Santa Barbara Search & Rescue Foundation, volunteer opportunities, or ways to support the team, please contact: info@sbsarfoundation.com.
About the Santa Barbara Search & Rescue Foundation
The Santa Barbara Search & Rescue Foundation supports the volunteer members of the Santa Barbara County Search & Rescue Team by helping provide funding for equipment, training, technology, and operational needs. Through community engagement and philanthropy, the Foundation helps ensure the team has the resources needed to respond safely and effectively to those in need.
For more information about the Santa Barbara Search & Rescue Foundation, visit: https://www.sbsarfoundation.com/.
