SEARCH AND RESCUE
By Colorado state statute, it is the Sheriff's responsibility to provide search and rescue capability across their county jurisdiction. The Gilpin County Sheriff's Office utilizes the Alpine Rescue Team to fulfill this responsibility.
Alpine Rescue Team
Staffing and Equipment:
At any given time, the Alpine Rescue Team is staffed by between 40 to 60 professional non-paid mountain rescuers who have applied for membership and have passed a rigorous training regimen. The Alpine Rescue Team maintains an arsenal of mountain rescue and first aid equipment. They also maintain a fleet of vehicles at their primary building (known as "The Shack") which is located in Evergreen, Colorado ranging from specially equipped trucks, to snowmobiles, to ATV's.
Dispatch:
Whenever the Gilpin County Sheriff's Office dispatch receives a call requesting back country rescue, the Sheriff's office may contact the Alpine Rescue Team. They then alert appropriate members via personal communications radios.
Funding and Oversight:
The Alpine Rescue Team is one of twelve nationally accredited mountain rescue teams operating in the state of Colorado. Alpine Rescue Team a tax-exempt charity under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code. Alpine Rescue Team's operations budget is drawn primarily through state and local grants and private donations from the public.
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