Overview

Since the mid-1940s, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office Mounted Posse has provided Search and Rescue services in the back country wilderness of rural Fresno County. A large portion of eastern Fresno County lies in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and stock animals are especially useful when conducting Search and Rescue Operations in rural or wilderness environments.

The Search & Rescue Organization

The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue has four divisions within the unit with all members having to be trained in their respective disciplines. The divisions are Ground Searchers, 4X4 Searchers, Air Support, and Mounted Searchers. All four divisions work a one unit, training together to create a cohesive emergency response unit, on-call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year ,under the direction of the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office.

Duties

Sheriff Posse members are trained in search and rescue techniques, wilderness first aid, navigation, and mantracking. Using horses and mules to both ride and pack equipment, the Mounted Posse members travel into the wilderness to establish camps and resupply posts for other Search and Rescue teams.