UPDATE: we did it! We raised the money we need! Thank you so much to everyone that donated, the community support has been fantastic. When the litter arrives and we have a chance to take it out for a spin, we’ll take some photos to post. Thanks again to everyone who donated! Your support means a great deal to us!
We are your local search and rescue “ground-pounding” team. If you or someone you know is injured in a place where the cars don’t go, it’s likely that we will be the ones coming for you. Do you want us to be coming in hard and fast with light gear to get you out as quick as possible, or do you want us to make do with heavy gear from the last century?
We really need to upgrade some of our old specialized rescue equipment. Most immediately, we are fundraising to buy a new rescue litter. The litter is the mobile bed contraption that we will use to carry you out of the backcountry if you are too injured to walk. Our existing one is OLD and HEAVY. How old and how heavy? Our younger team members weren’t even born when the LAAFB obtained this litter. Let’s just say that I helped wheel it nearly eight miles earlier this summer, and I now have a very vested interest in obtaining a new one.
Below is a picture of the type that we really want. It is made of titanium and splits into two parts so that it can be carried on a backpack, enabling us to reach you much faster. It would also greatly increase our range, in case you were really in the back of nowhere. We would use two people to each carry half of the litter, and a third person to carry the wheel—all on our backs.
We don’t ask for much—we use all of our own personal equipment for searches, and we pitch in our own money to buy equipment and support the team. But some items are too specialized and expensive to pay for out of our own pockets. A lightweight litter like this will probably be used for decades to come, and represents a “no-brainer” investment towards our community rescue capabilities. Please consider donating some money towards this modern lightweight equipment that will make us a faster and more effective team.