SEMO

SEARCH & RESCUE

SERVING SINCE 2011

SOUTHEAST MISSOURI

SEARCH & RESCUE

SO THAT OTHERS MAY LIVE

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ABOUT OUR TEAM

Dedicated to saving lives in Southeast Missouri

Founded in 2011, we are an all-volunteer organization based out of Poplar Bluff, responding to emergencies across the rugged Ozark terrain of the Mark Twain National Forest and surrounding counties. Every member of our team is trained in wilderness survival, ground search, first aid, and emergency response.

Our motto, 'So That Others May Live,' drives every mission, every training session, and every sacrifice we make for our community.
2011
Established
15 years of service

OUR CAPABILITIES

Mission-ready for any emergency

01

Wilderness Search & Rescue

Ground search operations across the rugged Ozark terrain and Mark Twain National Forest. From lost hikers to injured adventurers, we deploy grid searches or partner with K9 units to bring people home.
02

Urban Search & Rescue

Neighborhood sweeps and building search operations in populated areas. Our team is trained to respond for both missing civilian reports and damaged structures following catastrophic events.
03

Natural Disaster Response

Rapid deployment for tornado, flood, ice storm, and severe weather events. Our team provides search operations and supports emergency management agencies in helping affected communities.
04

Community Event Support

Traffic control, crowd management, and safety assistance for community events. We partner with local law enforcement to ensure public gatherings are safe and well-managed.

AREA OF OPERATIONS

Covering Southeast Missouri

Butler County
Our home base — Poplar Bluff region
Wayne County
Sam A. Baker State Park and Lake Wappapello
Stoddard County
Dexter and agricultural lowlands
Ripley County
Doniphan and Current River Valley
Carter County
Van Buren and Peck Ranch
Reynolds County
Clearwater Lake and Logan Creek Consv. Area
Iron County
Taum Sauk and Ozark highlands

VOLUNTEER WITH US

Join our team

We are currently accepting applications for new team members and would love to meet you if you're interested in volunteering with us.

Professional experience (SAR, EMS, law enforcement, firefighting, military, etc.) is preferred, but not required. We need people from all backgrounds — medical professionals, outdoor enthusiasts, drone operators, K9 handlers, and anyone with a heart to help.

Our organization is entirely volunteer-based, with no paid positions. Member participation, including response to call-outs, is flexible and based on individual availability. However, to maintain active status, we ask that members make a consistent effort to attend scheduled meetings and training sessions.

The team meets once per month and conducts additional weekend training exercises throughout the year.

Interest Application

SEMO

SEARCH & RESCUE
"So that others may live"
Emergency
To report a missing person or for any life-threatening emergencies, always call 911 first.
© 2026 Southeast Missouri Search & Rescue. All Rights Reserved.

Do you need help?

Our team is dispatched through local law enforcement or emergency management agencies.

If you believe someone is missing or in danger, please call 911 right away.