MARQUETTE — The Marquette County Search and Rescue Team is seeking volunteers to assist them in rescue services.

These services, which include water, ice and high-angle rescue, are provided by Special Operations and Rescue Unit 131. The roughly 30-member volunteer team assists in the search for hunters, hikers, snowmobilers and other missing people as needed and are called out on average 30 times a year, according to the Marquette County Special Operations Division webpage. The unit is equipped with a fully certified and trained bomb-tracking dog. Volunteers may also provide security and first aid at special events.

The division is currently seeking seven to eight volunteers who:

≤ are 18 years or older;

≤ possess a valid driver’s license;

≤ can pass a criminal background check;

≤ have a fairly clean driving record;

≤ have reliable transportation;

≤ can be available for two monthly meetings in the evenings and two Saturday day-long trainings throughout the year; and

≤ are able to spend extended time hiking through the woods on a search.

Volunteers are made up of retirees to college students; as long as they are willing to give their time on a scorching summer day or in the middle of a snowstorm, they may join the team, said Marquette County Sheriff Greg Zyburt.

“You should have a knowledge of being in the woods or being in the water, that type of thing, in different areas of the outdoors, in all different temperatures, in all different settings, because when you’re called it usually isn’t under good situations. It’s extreme weather when people tend to get lost,” Zyburt said.

With a large county, a big and well-trained search and rescue team is needed to cover the area.

Being in good physical condition is also an important aspect to being a volunteer Zyburt added.

“We don’t want people up there with bad hearts where they become the person that we have to rescue,” he said.

Avid hikers, ex-military people and other outdoor experts also make great search and rescue members, he noted.

“A lot of people love the outdoors and it’s a way for them to help their neighbor or other people who get themselves in trouble,” Zyburt said.

While search and rescue volunteers often end up becoming like family, he said, being a volunteer is a serious responsibility.

“A lot of times we aren’t able to save them but it’s important to families to recover the body — there’s closure for the family, so that’s why it’s such an important task that we do,” Zyburt said.

Visit bit.ly/mqtsearch or the Marquette County Sheriff’s Office on Facebook. Those interested can also stop into the sheriff’s office at 236 W. Baraga Ave. to pick up an application.

Trinity Carey can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 206. Her email address is tcarey@miningjournal.net.