Photo Story: Search & Rescue

A look into Whatcom County’s search and rescue teams.

Photo story by Will Story

Click here to read Will’s story about search and rescue teams in Whatcom County!

Thomas Meade stands on the ladder that allows access to the equipment stored in the vehicle’s car top carrier. They are equipped with food, rope, stretchers, and everything they need to do their job no matter the conditions.

The Bellingham Mountain Rescue vehicle rests ready to go at the Sehome Arboretum in Bellingham, Washington. on the sunny afternoon of Nov. 2. The four-wheel drive vehicle is often used on rescues to allow volunteers access to remote trails.

The view from inside the Bellingham Mountain Rescue vehicle of Thomas Meade. The inside of the vehicle is lined with shelves to hold all of the equipment they need on rescues.

Among the equipment in the vehicle is food and snacks intended for rescued individuals.

The dashboard of the vehicle with all of the radio equipment the searchers use. Communication is a big part of search and rescue. It’s vital that volunteers are able to keep in contact during operations for their safety, and to allow operations to go smoothly.

Numerous radios line the interior of the vehicle on dash and around the doors.

Gloves sit upon a pile of rope and twine used in rescue operations. Sehome Arboretum in Bellingham, Washington. afternoon of Nov. 2. The equipment is well organized on shelves held back by netting to keep things from falling out when driving on rough terrain.

Sitting on the back of the vehicle, Meade describes some of the equipment rescuers use on their missions. He has been apart of Bellingham Mountain Rescue for the past two years and works as an EMS first responder with Mount Baker Ski Patrol.

A list of names of patrons that donated to make the purchase of the vehicle possible. All of the equipment volunteers use is provided for through donations or brought by volunteers themselves.

Lauri McBeth, the training officer of Summit to Sound Search and Rescue, leads a training on the night of Nov. 15 at their building in north Bellingham. This is their first open training meeting since before the pandemic began.

Audrey Alf inside the vehicle storeroom at the search and rescue storage and training facility in north Bellingham on the night of Nov. 15. Alf is the elected president of Summit to Sound Search and Rescue.

The Bellingham Mountain Rescue 4-wheel-drive vehicle waiting for use in the storage facility, north Bellingham Nov. 15.

Among the vehicles and gear lay a sign of gratitude toward the county the search and rescue volunteers work to protect. The sign sits in front of a well-used stretcher in the search and rescue storage facility, Nov 15, north Bellingham.