Skagit Bay Search & Rescue (SBSAR), established in 2002, is a 501c (3) organization composed of unpaid volunteers who provide marine-related support in the navigable waters around Skagit County under the authority of the Skagit County Sheriff’s Department. We work closely with the Sheriff's Marine Patrol Unit, US Coast Guard, and other SAR authorities to assist boaters, paddlers, kayakers and others in distress.

Skagit Bay Search & Rescue primary response areas are the navigable waters of Skagit County from Padilla Bay, around Fidalgo Island, thru Deception Pass, Skagit Bay and Swinomish Channel.

Most SBSAR members live or work in the La Conner/Shelter Bay or Anacortes area. We do have some members that live in Sedro Woolley and Mount Vernon/Burlington. Our goal in an emergency is to be underway from the La Conner Marina within 10 minutes of call out. Because we go both northbound and southbound in the Swinomish channel we can do crew pick ups at the Twin Bridges Marina and the boat ramp on the Rainbow Bridge. These pickups allow our members who live outside the area to still participate.

You do not need to be experienced in marine search and rescue. You do need to be comfortable on boats and have an interest in assisting others. Skagit Bay SAR has an extensive training program to prepare you to be successful in your volunteer efforts. SBSAR members positions are: Crew Member Navigator Coxswain (The helmsman of the boat) Onshore Coordinator Each of there positions have their own specific core competency requirements and training regimens.

You need to be at least 16 years old to be a member of Skagit Bay Search & Rescue

Members are expected to attend monthly organization & training meetings, participate in the monthly training exercises, be prepared to respond to an emergency call-out, and help with the general needs of the organization.

To become a SAR member you need to complete the application below and mail to Skagit Bay Search & Rescue, POBox 982, La Conner, WA 98257. Our Training Officer will review it and forward to the appropriate person at Department of Emergency Management (DEM). It is advisable that you first contact us so our Training Officer can connect with you to answer questions and ensure the process proceeds timely. Once the application has been accepted, a background check by the Sheriff's office will be performed and you will need to be fingerprinted. Upon completion of the application, ICS 100 and ICS 700b has to be completed with a copy of the completion certification being sent to our training officer. Next is to take a basic Helicopter course online providing that certificate to our training officer. Once these have been completed and submitted Skagit DEM will issue an emergency worker number and our training officer will contact you to introduce you to our primary asset, Bay 1, and familiarize you with it's inventory and duties as a Crew member. The final steps are to complete the core competencies (Legal Issues, Search Organization and Management, and Crime Scene Identification and Management) under the instruction of the Training Officer, sign a physical and media policy attestations, and provide a current CPR/First Aid card.