Want To Help Powell County Search and Rescue?
There are several ways to do it!
Powell County Search & Rescue is a 501c3 non-profit organization working in the Red River Gorge Geological Area of the Daniel Boone National Forest. The volunteers of Search & Rescue spend hundreds of hours each year donating their time and talents to rescuing folks from cliffs and rugged terrain. Each rescue is unique and each person we rescue has a story to tell. We invite you to join with us in our mission of saving lives! You can become a valuable part of this effort by helping us accomplish what we are finding to be more and more difficult: funding these rescue missions from our own pockets.
Make A Donation
Powell County Search and Rescue is a non-profit, all volunteer organization funded entirely through individual donations, and fundraisings.
Become A Volunteer
There are many different roles and levels of support – you don’t have to be a world-class climber to provide an indispensable service to the search and rescue community.
Wish List
Please consider making IN-KIND material donations to Powell County Search and Rescue. Tax receipts based on the fair market value can be provided.
Who Are We?
We are an all volunteer, non-profit organization dedicated to aiding persons lost or injured in the back country of Red River Gorge, Kentucky.
Why Donate?
Your generous contribution to our non-profit organization is 100% tax deductible and could one day save your life or the life of a loved one.
Latest Search & Rescue News
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This evening at approximately 8:40 PM, Powell County Search and Rescue was dispatched to Hollerwood Off-Road ATV Park in reference to three subjects lost and stuck on an unknown trail within the property.
Powell County 911 Dispatchers were able to pull coordinates from the subjects phone and relayed to responding Search and Rescue personnel.
The subjects also advised that their UTV was stuck and were unable to get it free without assistance of winch. Due to this, MiddleFork Fire/Rescue #874 was requested for assistance with personnel transport, search, and recovery of the subjects and their UTV.
At approximately 10:40 PM, SAR and Fire personnel were able to successfully extricate the subjects and their UTV from the woods and bring them out to blacktop.
No injuries were reported and all subjects were able to drive away from the scene.
All agencies cleared the scene at 10:50 PM ... See MoreSee Less
25 CommentsComment on Facebook
This afternoon at approximately 4:55 PM, Powell County Search and Rescue was dispatched alongside Powell County Emergency Medical Services to a hiker in distress on Low Gap Trail at Natural Bridge State Resort Park.
EMS, SAR, and Kentucky State Park Rangers made contact with the hiker at approximately 5:20 PM and began providing patient care.
The patient was able to walk out under their own power with assistance from EMS and SAR personnel and was further evaluated once out of the woods.
All agencies cleared at 6:25 PM
As always, we’d like to remind visitors of the Red River Gorge to always hike with extra water, snacks, dress appropriately for the weather conditions outside, and take frequent rest breaks. ... See MoreSee Less
27 CommentsComment on Facebook
We’re just hanging out at the Red River Gorge Bigfoot Festival here at Stanton City Park! We’re located behind the pavilion next to our friends at Powell County Emergency Medical Services
Powell County Tourism - Red River Gorge ... See MoreSee Less
5 CommentsComment on Facebook
Some trainings are just more fun than others. We always enjoy it when we get the opportunity to train on The Skylift at Natural Bridge State Resort Park. Hopefully we will never need to utilize these skills, but we will be ready if ever needed. ... See MoreSee Less
18 CommentsComment on Facebook
This afternoon at approximately 4:40 PM, Powell County Search and Rescue was dispatched alongside Powell County Emergency Medical Services to a hiker in distress on Grays Arch Trail.
The hiker was experiencing symptoms of heat exhaustion and required immediate medical attention near the top of the stairs at Grays Arch.
EMS personnel and SAR members made contact with the hiker at approximately 5:20 PM and began providing patient care.
Due to the hikers deteriorating condition, a carryout was required to extricate them from the trail and out to the awaiting ambulance for further treatment and transport.
Powell County SAR requested mutual aid from Estill County Rescue Squad to accomplish this task as additional personnel were needed to support the carry out.
As the start of hiking season begins, we’d like to remind visitors of the Red River Gorge to always hike with extra water, snacks, dress appropriately for the weather conditions outside, and take frequent rest breaks. ... See MoreSee Less
32 CommentsComment on Facebook
It’s been a busy day in the Red River Gorge!
This evening at approximately 7:50 PM, your Powell County Search and Rescue team was dispatched to Main Street in Clay City for a water rescue call.
The subject was unable to evacuate from their home due to the high waters and required assistance from search and rescue to safely extricate out to higher ground.
Water Rescue personnel were also able to assist in rescuing the subjects dog from the residence as well.
Immediately following this call, Powell County Search and Rescue was notified of 5 hikers and a dog who had parked and hiked in from Martin’s Fork and walked out at the Grays Arch trailhead.
SAR Members were dispatched to locate the hikers along Tunnel Ridge Road as the hikers were not exactly sure of their location.
SAR Members located the hikers near the Auxier Ridge Trailhead and transported them back down to their vehicles on Nada Tunnel Road.
Remember to plan before you hike! If your expecting to hike for a long period of time, especially into the evening hours, be sure to bring extra water, portable phone charger, a flashlight, and have a navigation app such as Gaia or CalTopo. ... See MoreSee Less
23 CommentsComment on Facebook
At approximately 4:00 PM this afternoon Powell County Search and Rescue was dispatched alongside all Powell County Fire Departments and Powell County EMS for a commercial vehicle involved water rescue.
Personnel from SAR and Powell County EMS located the vehicle and its two occupants at 4:25 PM near the end of a remote road in southern Powell County.
First Responders determined that the vehicle had not slid into the creek and the occupants were not injured.
Personnel from Search and Rescue, Stanton Fire Department MiddleFork Fire/Rescue #874 Clay City Fire Department and Powell County Emergency Medical Services worked to setup a winch system and pull the vehicle back onto the roadway.
All personnel cleared the scene at 4:57 PM ... See MoreSee Less
13 CommentsComment on Facebook
Members got together this evening to make sure all of our water rescue equipment was ready should we need to deploy.
Please stay vigilante and informed of the severe weather impacting the area throughout the weekend. ... See MoreSee Less
6 CommentsComment on Facebook
We had a hail of a time today!
At 11:55 AM this morning, Powell County Search and Rescue was dispatched along side Powell County Emergency Medical Services for a report of a female who had fallen on the Original Trail at Natural Bridge State Resort Park.
Powell County EMS personnel along side Search and Rescue members embedded into the woods at 12:45 PM to began extraction of the patient.
Personnel from both agencies were fighting heavy rain, strong winds, and dime sized hail during the hike in to the patient and out back to the lodge.
The patient was successfully extracted from the woods at 01:15 PM and transferred to Powell County EMS for further treatment and transport.
As always, we are grateful for the assistance provided by Powell County EMS, Natural Bridge Park Staff, and Natural Bridge Park Rangers.
All units cleared the scene at 01:30 PM ... See MoreSee Less
61 CommentsComment on Facebook