Community
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Ventura County Search & Rescue Units Acquire E-Mountain Bikes
| Nature of Incident: | Ventura County Search & Rescue Units Acquire E-Mountain Bikes | ||||
| Report Number: | N/A | ||||
| Location: | Santa Monica Mountains Satwiwa Native American Indian Culture Center / Sycamore Canyon / Newbury Park, CA. |
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| Date & Time: | Monday July 24, 2023 @ 10:00 AM | ||||
| Unit(s) Responsible: | Sheriff’s Aviation Unit / Search & Rescue / Special Services | ||||
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| Narrative: | |||||
| On July 24, 2023 at 10:00 AM, Ventura County Supervisor Jeff Gorell will be holding a joint media event with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office Search & Rescue (SAR) Unit. The event will be held at the entrance to Sycamore Canyon, south of the Santa Monica Mountains Satwiwa Native American Indian Culture Center in Newbury Park. This past June, Ventura County Supervisor Jeff Gorell and his staff were able to secure a substantial amount of funding from a private donor here in Ventura County. The funds were obtained and donated to the Ventura County SAR Teams specifically for the purpose of purchasing e-bikes. Consisting of approximately 150 members, the Sheriff’s Office utilizes six SAR Teams; Upper Ojai Mountain Rescue Team, Fillmore Mountain Rescue Team, East Valley Mountain Rescue Team, Medical Team, K-9 Team and Dive Team. All of these respective teams are staffed by volunteers who possess specialized rescue skills and give thousands of hours for their individual teams and the citizens of Ventura County. A growing number of SAR teams in California have begun to rely on electric driven mountain bikes (e-bikes) to reach locations that are inaccessible by motorcycle, ATV, and/or other vehicles. E-bikes, propelled by an electric motor, create very little noise, and offer a significant advantage over motorcycles and ATVs as they allow rescuers to listen as they search. This is an extreme advantage over a searcher who is typically wearing a more protective, full-face helmet while riding a motorcycle or ATV, trying to hear a person yelling for help over a loud engine. Minutes count when trying to locate missing persons. The use of e-bikes will reduce the response time of rescuers in locating and providing first aid. E-bikes will also be used by SAR teams in urban areas and neighborhoods while searching for missing children, adults, and Alzheimer or Dementia patients. Time is often the biggest factor when determining the survival of a lost person. E-bikes will help searchers conserve their own energy, making them more effective for longer durations. For more information on the Ventura County SAR Teams, visit their website at www.vcsar.org. Additionally, the teams can be followed on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Directions: Main entrance cross street is Via Goleta and Lynn Road, Newbury Park, CA, 91320. Take the Ventura Fwy (101) to the Lynn Road exit. Proceed South on Lynn Road 5.25 miles to Via Goleta. Park entrance is on the left. |
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| Prepared by: | Sergeant Kelly Roark / Ventura County SAR Coordinator |
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| News Release Date: | July 17, 2023 | ||||
| Media Follow-Up Contact: | Sergeant Kelly Roark / Sheriff’s Aviation Unit 805-794-1570 or [email protected] |
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| Approved by: Booking Photo Release: |
Captain Randy Downard YES NO |
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Address/Location
Ventura County Sheriff's Office
800 S Victoria Ave
Ventura, CA 93003
Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-emergencies: 805-654-9511