Legislation that would support back country search and rescue organizations and volunteers through the creation of a grant program had a public hearing in the House Innovation, Community and Economic Development, and Veterans Committee on Friday.

House Bill 2257, sponsored by Rep. Keith Goehner, would create the Back Country Search and Rescue Grant Account.

“More and more people are taking advantage of the great recreational opportunities we have in Washington state, particularly the Twelfth District with its well-known mountains, trail systems, and rock climbing options. With that, there continues to be an increase in back country search and rescue missions,” said Goehner, R-Dryden. “Local entities, law enforcement, volunteers and others involved in those missions may receive little or no funding. The rescue operations can be very costly, especially in treacherous terrain, and when helicopters are needed.”

The Washington State Military Department’s Emergency Management Division estimates there are about 1,000 search and rescue missions a year.

The bill would:

• Create the back country search and rescue grant program.
• Provide grants to search and rescue organizations for back country search and rescue volunteers’ planning, equipment, training, exercise, and operation costs.
• Allow counties, cities, and towns to recover back country search and rescue costs that are not reimbursed through other sources.

“There is no cost or funding associated with the bill at this time. The goal is to get a funding mechanism or grant program in place so it would be available to our local entities and volunteers in the near future,” said Goehner. “Volunteer search and rescue groups reached out to me during the end of last session expressing a need for a dedicated account private entities could donate to the collective efforts of our search and rescue needs.”

The Military Department would administer the program, and the account would be created in the state treasury. The account would accept legislative appropriations, donations, gifts, grants, or funds from other public or private sources.

The committee is scheduled to vote on the bill on Thursday.

The Legislature convened on Jan. 8 and is scheduled to adjourn on March 7.